Abstract:

Two research cruises, one in 2012 and one in 2013, were conducted to continue to monitor the microbial and planktonic communities and to assess rates of particle flux and the rates of removal of PAHs from the system via this process and accumulation of PAHs in bottom sediments. Net Primary Production (NPP) represents the carbon available for export from the surface waters to the deep ocean and is one of the most important values when considering the carbon cycle. The Respiration, Gross Primary Production (GPP), and Net Primary Production (NPP) measurements included in this dataset were calculated from shipboard light-dark whole-water bottle measurements of photosynthesis and respiration (e.g., Howarth and Michaels, 2000).

Suggested Citation:

Sutor, Malinda. 2015. Primary production and respiration, Mississippi Canyon, Gulf of Mexico, spring 2012 and 2013.. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7CJ8BFB

Purpose:

The DWH oil spill produced a large injection of carbon and pollutants to the offshore, oligotrophic environment of the Gulf of Mexico. How that carbon and associated contaminants in the oil and dispersant affected the plankton community directly and potentially altered the rate of flux from the water column is critical to understand in order to determine the potential impacts of this event on the entire ecosystem.

Data Parameters and Units:

shipboard light-dark whole-water bottle measurements of photosynthesis and respiration station = Station information year = 2012 or 2013 depth = Depth of the incubation for the light/dark bottles (meters) initial_1 = Mean value of the initial bottles (umol /L) initial_2 = Standard deviation of the initial bottles (umol/L) dark_1 = Mean value of the dark bottles (umol/L) dark_2 = Standard deviation of the dark bottles (umol/L) light_1 = Mean value of the light bottles (umol/L) light_2 = Standard deviation of the light bottles (umol/L) respiration = initial – dark (uMol L-1 day-1) Net Primary Production (NPP) = light – initial (uMol L-1 day-1) Gross Primary Production (GPP) = light – dark (uMol L-1 day-1) initial = the concentration of oxygen in the water sample at the beginning of the incubation. light = the concentration of oxygen in the water sample after incubation in the light for up to 12 hours at in situ temperature and light conditions. dark = the concentration of the oxygen in the water sample after incubation in the dark for up to 12 hours at in situ temperature. Net Primary Production is a measure of the carbon available for export; Gross Primary Production is the total amount of carbon fixed.

Individual Files: