Abstract:

A series of Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) cruises were conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the distribution and densities of ichthyoplankton and other zooplankton in Gulf of Mexico waters potentially affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS) and in surrounding areas. This dataset includes ZooSCAN image data of zooplankton collected during one of these cruises (Walton Smith 3, WS1017) 2010-09-26 to 2010-10-01. The image files are stored as tif files (background scans, ZooSCAN scans), and jpeg files (sorted and unsorted vignettes). Additional files required for ZooSCAN processing are also included. The density data for Walton Smith Cruise 3 are available in related dataset R6.x815.000:0020 (doi 10.7266/n7-p2np-j983).

Suggested Citation:

Calhoun, Stacy, Kelly Robinson, and Malinda Sutor. 2021. ZooScan zooplankton image data, Walton Smith 3, WS3, NRDA plankton survey research cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, R/V F.G. Walton Smith WS1017, 2010-09-26 to 2010-10-01. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-1crg-tc37

Purpose:

This data were collected as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) of the MC252 Deepwater Horizon 2010 oil spill. Taxonomic identifications and image data were acquired from Malinda Sutor with additional samples scanned and processed by the Robinson lab.

Data Parameters and Units:

Parameters in the cruise metadata are CruiseName [Survey vessel]; CruiseNo [Number of NRDA survey on above vessel]; StationID Station name (B# stations are from the NOAA SEAMAP Grid); DayNightSample [Time of day associated with the sample. Day (D) is 1 hour after sunrise to 1 hour before sunset. Night (N) is 1 hr post sunset to 1 hr pre sunrise]; DeepShallowSample [General depths targeted by MOCNESS tow (not individual nets). Shallow (S) = 0-160 m; Deep (D) = 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]; SampDateStart [Date sample was started (net entered the water/opened), M/DD/YYYY]; SampDateEnd [Date sample was ended (net exited the water/closed), M/DD/YYYY]; TowStartTime [Time of depth discrete net opening]; TowEndTime [Time of depth discrete net closing]; UpperDepth [Minimum depth sampled by net (m)]; LowerDepth [Maximum depth sampled by net (m)]; Volume [Volume of water filtered through the net (m3)]; StartLat [Start latitude of the tow]; StartLon [Start longitude of the tow]; EndLat [End latitude of the tow]; EndLon [End longitude of the tow]; Latitude [Latitude of the station (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates)]; Longitude [Longitude of the station (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates)]; NetNo [Net number (when applicable)]

Methods:

The majority of zooplankton image and density data were acquired from the Sutor lab at Louisiana State University (LSU). Samples not scanned during the original NRDA effort were scanned by the Robinson lab at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The densities in this dataset were calculated from the ZooSCAN image data. Density was calculated as the number of individuals times the reciprocal of aliquot) divided by volume filtered. The dataset authors have curated the deep-pelagic plankton data for analysis and were not part of the sample collection effort. Original zooplankton data were received as image data and Excel spreadsheets with density calculations for samples processed during the NRDA effort. The image dataset includes neuston zooplankton samples in addition to the MOCNESS zooplankton samples. However, the dataset authors cannot confirm that all neuston samples taken during the cruise are represented in this dataset. Scans that were not separated into vignettes at the time of receipt were not processed by the dataset authors, but the files necessary for processing are included. Samples processed by the Robinson lab were sorted manually in Ecotaxa and do not have "Learning Set" PID process files. Other PID process files produced by ZooSCAN are available in the PID process folder for each sample. All files for a given sample are stored in a folder labeled with the NRDA sample ID. Background scans are stored in the Zooscan_back folder; Full sample scans and corresponding raw and work files are stored in the Zooscan_scan, Zooscan_scan/_raw, and Zooscan_scan/_work folders, respectively. Vignettes sorted with PID are stored in taxa-specific folders in the PID_process/sorted_vignettes folder. Likewise, vignettes sorted in Ecotaxa are stored in taxa-specific folders in the Ecotaxa_sorted_vignettes folder.

Instruments:

1m MOCNESS, 9 nets (0-8), 0.333 mm mesh. Net 0 serves as an archive sample and has not been processed, and thus does not appear in this dataset. Scans were performed and processed on Hydroptics Zooscan and accompanying software.

Individual Files: