Realm: Marine
Climate: Temperate
Biome: Temperate shelf and seas ecoregions
Central latitude: 45.073359
Central longitude: -60.564453
Duration: 13 years, from 1998 to 2010

56938 records

320 distinct species

Across the time series Calanus finmarchicus is the most frequently occurring species

Methods

The AZMP requires sampling monthly or more frequently at fixed sites and semi-annually along transects.At the fixed stations. the minimum sampling operation includes:1. Vertical profile of the entire water column using a CTD equipped with at least a fluorometer2. Water bottle sampling at selected depths for:I. nutrients measurement - duplicates at all depthsII.chlorophyll-a extraction - duplicates at all depthsIII. phytoplankton cell counts - 1 full water column sample pooled from each individual bottleIV. dissolved oxygen - duplicates at surface and bottomv. salinity measurement - surface and bottom3. Vertical net tows for zooplankton4. Secchi depth measurementAt stations along the transects. the minimum sampling operation includes:1. Vertical profile of the entire water column using a CTD equipped with at least a fluorometer2. Water bottle sampling at selected depths for :I. nutrients measurement - duplicates at all depthsII. chlorophyll-a extraction - duplicates at all depthsIII. dissolved oxygen - duplicates at surface and bottomiv. salinity measurement - surface and bottom; subset of 10 or more CTD stations3. Vertical net tows for zooplankton4. Secchi depth measurementThe number of water bottle depths is determined by the station characteristics. Typically. there will be 6 to10 bottles at each station. including a surface and a bottom sample. and sufficient samples in between toproperly calibrate the CTD fluorometer and oxygen sensor.3.2 Water samplesPlots from the CTD profile are examined to determine the depth of the chlorophyll-a maximum. Watersamples are collected from sufficient depths (usually 6 depths) within the euphotic zone. including one atthe chlorophyll-a maximum. to properly calibrate the CTD fluorometer; and from the surface and bottom ofthe water column. Water samples are collected using conventionnal sampling equipment (e.g. manuallydeployed Niskin-type bottles on a hydrowire; rosette-mounted sampling bottles) and stored in appropriatecontainers. The volumes of water required for each sample. excluding amounts wasted for rinsing. are asfollows:a) Two 350 ml samples at the surface and at the bottom for oxygen;b) Iwo 30 ml samples at each depth for nutrients;c) Two 100 ml samples at each depth for chlorophyll-a;d) One 100 ml sample from each depth at the fixed stations to be mixed together to produce one largevolume from which a 500 ml subsample is taken for phytoplankton cell counts.e) One 200 ml sample for salinity at the surface and at the bottomSamples should always be drawn in the same order from the bottle: dissolved oxygen first. nutrients next.and then other samples. All samples should be properly labeled: al1 samples from a same bottle shoulduse the same label number.Water for the oxygen samples is drawn directly from the sampler bottle and before any of the othersamples. Water for nutrients. chlorophyll-a and phytoplankton cell counts can be collected in a commonproperly cleaned and rinsed container for subsampling elsewhere as soon as possible.3.6 Phytoplankton cell countsOne 100-ml aliquot will be drawn from each of the sampler bottles (collected from the surface to thebottom of the water column) and combined into a single container for thorough mixing. A well-mixed500-ml subsample will then be drawn from this pooled sample and preserved in a labeled samplecontainer with 2% Lugol's preservative (see sample preparation in appendix III). The container is labeledwith an identifier label from each of the bottles contributing to the integrated sample.3.8 ZooplanktonThe following standard protocols are to be used for routine sampling of zooplankton at fixed and transectstations. At all stations. at least one standard zooplankton vertical tow with 202-pm mesh net is taken.At the time of capture. gelatinous zooplankton are removed from the catch. identified according to majortaxonomic category (e.g. siphonophore. ctenophore. medusae). measured volumetrically and a subsampleof this gelatinous zooplankton catch is preserved separately for confirmation of identification. Theremainder of the sample is preserved in a 4% solution of buffered formaldehyde.STANDARD ZOOPLANKTON TOWNET TYPE: 314 m ring netMESH SIZE: 202 FmTOW METHOD: vertical (see note 1)DEPTH: bottom-surface or 1000-0 m. whichever is shallower.REPLICATION: see note 2Note 1 :The vertical net is installed on the wire with a cross-bow support. Where possible. flow meters areinstalled for comparison of volume calculated from tow depth and net area; weather and samplingconditions that may potentially cause discrepancies between these two methods should be noted. Duringdeployment. the ship maneuvers to maintain vertical wire angle. The targeted tow speed is 1 m s-1.Note 2:Normally one tow per station. At analysis time. the sample is split for biomass estimates and forzooplankton species abundance. Unit of abundance = IndCountInt, Unit of biomass = Weight

Citation(s)

Kennedy, M. & Spry, J. (2011) Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program Maritimes Region plankton datasets. Fisheries and Oceans Canada-BioChem archive. OBIS Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.