Abstract:

This dataset contains MOCNESS (Multiple Opening/Closing Net Environmental Sensing System) ichthyoplankton data collected on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith during Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Plankton Survey Walton Smith 3 (WS3) in the Gulf of Mexico from 2010-09-26 to 2010-10-02. This survey (WS3, chief scientist: Malinda Sutor) was part of a series of NRDA cruises conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the distribution and densities of ichthyoplankton and other zooplankton in northern Gulf of Mexico waters potentially affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS). The dataset includes the original data (for reference only - unedited, as received from NRDA) and clean data (for analysis – edited, QC and non-pertinent parameters removed). Datasets include sampling event data (e.g., time, latitude, longitude, depth, volume filtered) and specimen data (e.g., taxonomic identification, length, number of individuals).

Suggested Citation:

Zapfe, Carley, Verena Wang, and Frank Hernandez. 2019. MOCNESS ichthyoplankton data collected during NRDA Plankton Survey Walton Smith 3 (WS3) in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2010-09-26 to 2010-10-02 on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith Cruise WS1017. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-s18h-wr95

Publications:

Wang, V. H., Zapfe, C. R., & Hernandez, F. J. (2021). Assemblage Structure of Larval Fishes in Epipelagic and Mesopelagic Waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.766369

Purpose:

This data was collected as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) response to the 2010 MC252 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Taxonomic data were acquired from the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive (DWHPAA).

Data Parameters and Units:

Archive number (number assigned to the sample in the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive, typically one archive number per field sample id), cruise name, cruise number, station id (B# stations are from the NOAA SEAMAP Grid), DayNightSample (time of day associated with the sample where D (day) is 1 hour after sunrise to 1 hour before sunset, N (night) is 1 hour post-sunset to 1 hour pre-sunrise), DeepShallowSample (general depths targeted by MOCNESS tow, where S is shallow (0-160 m) and D is deep (0-1500+ m)), DeploymentID (unique identifier for each MOCNESS tow), field sample id (unique identifier for each depth discrete net sample within the MOCNESS tow), sample date (MM/DD/YY), sample date start (MM/DD/YY), sample date end (MM/DD/YY), sample time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), tow start time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), tow end time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), upper depth (m), lower depth (m), maximum deployment depth (m), volume (volume of water filtered through the net, m^3), volume source (source of volume number such as MOCNESS instrument file), StartLat (start latitude of tow, decimal degrees), StartLon (start longitude of tow, decimal degrees), EndLat (end latitude of tow, decimal degrees), EndLon (end longitude of tow, decimal degrees), latitude (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates), longitude (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates), sampling notes, NetNo (net number if applicable), sample_taxon_id (unique identifier for the taxonomic sample, field sample id + sort category + unique identifier), sort_category (sample type, where I = ichthyoplankton < 25 mm, I25 = ichthyoplankton > 25mm, and N = nekton), taxon (lowest taxonomic identification), aliquot (portion of the field sample quantified for ichthyoplankton specimens), displacement_volume (displacement volume of the field sample, ml), number_of_vials (number of vials containing specimens from taxonomic sample), description (life stage assigned to specimen at time of identification), min_meas (smallest specimen measurement, mm), max_meas (largest specimen measurement, mm), RND1-10 (measurements taken of randomly selected specimens, mm), measured_count (number of specimens measured), not_measured_count (number of specimens not measured), total specimens (total number of specimens in the vial), identifier comments, rank (lowest taxonomic level of the identification taxon name), kingdom, phylum, subphylum, superclass, class, subclass, infraclass, superorder, order, suborder, superfamily, family, subfamily, tribe, genus, species. Please note the above data parameters and units are for the clean data (edited – QC and non-pertinent parameters removed). The dataset also contains the original data (unedited – as received from NRDA), where additional parameters are available. All definitions and headers are included in the read me file. NA indicates that data was not available.

Methods:

Data were acquired from the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive (DWHPAA) and National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The dataset authors are curating the deep-pelagic plankton data for analysis and were not part of the sample collection effort. To obtain further original data not included in this dataset (i.e., additional gear types and sort categories) please email nmfs.sec.mslabs.dwhpaa@noaa.gov. Original data were received as multiple Microsoft Access database files (e.g., field data, taxonomic data). Files were joined, filtered by cruise, gear (MOCNESS), and sort category (i.e., fishes - ichthyoplankton and nekton). Original NRDA data as received from DWHPAA (post-format/filter) are included in this dataset for reference only. Clean NRDA data have undergone QC by the dataset authors. Data have been reviewed and edited for accuracy (e.g., corrections to depth, volume, latitude, and longitude based on MOCNESS instrument files and cruise plans). Samples without corresponding volume data were considered non-quantitative and were removed from the dataset. Columns and stations not pertinent to MOCNESS taxonomic data analysis were removed from the dataset.

Instruments:

1-m^2 Multiple Opening/Closing Net Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS) outfitted with 9 .333mm nets.

Provenance and Historical References:

Data provided in this dataset are generated from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Plankton Processing Plan. Stations sampled are on the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Gulf of Mexico grid. This dataset was initially accepted on 2019-05-21 and was updated later on 2019-10-24 to correct the latitude and longitude, and the timestamps for one station (B249 D) in the clean file. Both originally submitted (labeled 'obsolete') and revised data files are included in this dataset.

Individual Files: