EuropaBON WP3.1

You're not logged. You can see and visualize the entered data but you can't modify or create it.
If you want to suggest changes or enter missing initiatives, you can contact the WP3.1 coordinators and you will receive your login details.

BiodiversityData - modify

Tab created: 2021-11-23

Name bio_data_name_desc

Friendly name bio_data_short_name_desc

Geographical coverage

Geographic coverage bio_data_geo_coverage_desc

Covered countries bio_data_covered_countries_desc

integ_node_full_coverage_desc

If the biodiversity data/initiative has a subnational coverage or is not representative in whole country for national coverage, select first the corresponding country ("Nuts country" field) and then the NUT levels 1-2-3 covered (multiple choice allowed). If you don´t find the relevant the NUTS region/s in the provided list, please use the field "Geographic coverage" to give further details of the coverage of the biodiversity data/initiative.

Nuts country

Covered nuts

Geographic coverage detail bio_data_geo_coverage_detail_desc

Data origin bio_data_data_origin_desc

Data origin details

The Western Channel Observatory provides both unique long time-series and biodiversity reference sites. The data at its core stations integrate across pelagic, benthic and atmospheric processes, and the full catalogue describing all of measurements, providing links to data sources and data contact points can be downloaded here.

Plankton data is collected in two stations: L4 and E1.

The Station L4 (50°15.0'N; 4°13.0'W) phytoplankton time-series (Widdicombe et al 2010) contains taxa-specific and total functional group abundance (cells mL-1) and biomass (mgC m-3) data.

Samples have been collected weekly (weather permitting) from the 10m depth since October 1992, whereby paired 200 mL water samples are fixed in acid Lugol's iodine (Throndsen, 1978) for enumerating all phytoplankton cells > 2µm and neutral formaldehyde for enumerating coccolithophores. Samples are analysed at Plymouth Marine Laboratory according to the Utermohl counting technique (Utermohl, 1958) and since 2016, these methods follow the British and European standard document "Water quality - Guidance standard for routine microscopic surveys of phytoplankton using inverted microscopy (Utermohl technique)" (BS EN 15204:2006).

Individual taxa are grouped into Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Coccolithophores, Flagellates, Phaeocytis and Ciliates and taxa-specific cell biovolumes (e.g. Olenina et al 2006) are converted to carbon (pgC cell-1) using the formulae of Menden-Deuer and Lessard (2000). Two analysts have generated the data since 1992 and in 2005 more ciliates were identified to species level hence the increase in the number of taxa. Further information on individual biovolume and carbon values, identification consistency and data quality issues are found in the taxa-specific metadata file.

Ongoing zooplankton research at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory has established a time series of zooplankton taxa since 1988 at L4, a coastal station off Plymouth. Plankton forms the basis of marine food webs so is an essential component within the marine ecosystem. Zooplankton is an intermediate in the flow of nutrients and energy from primary producers to higher consumers.

Paired samples are collected weekly by vertical net hauls (WP2 net, mesh 200 μm; UNESCO 1968 pp153-1571) from 50 m to the surface and stored in 4% formalin. Sea floor depth is 54 m and our recent work2 (Parry et al 2020) shows that most of the water column zooplankton are sampled by these 0-50m hauls. Zooplankton are identified and enumerated. Current analysts are Andrea McEvoy and Amanda Beesley. The two samples from each time point are analysed separately using sub-sampling. Numbers per whole sample are averaged and abundance is presented as numbers per m3. The level of expertise has generally been consistent, but the user should be aware that levels of taxonomic discrimination may vary during the course of the dataset, for example Cnidarians are discriminated from 2009 onwards. The dominant calanoid copepods are generally well discriminated to species throughout, whereas other groups are recorded as phyla, order, or genera. A further dataset with doi is available where abundance has been converted to biomass for selected taxa.

We view it as essential for all users of L4 plankton data to establish and maintain contact with the nominated current data originators as well as fully consulting the metadata. While not impinging on free data access, this ensures that this large, species-rich but slightly complex species database is being used in the correct way, and any potential issues with the data are clarified. Furthermore, a proper dialogue with these local experts on the time series will enable where appropriate the most recent sampling timepoints and relevant additional data sets to be used. We also kindly request that authorship is offered if cooperation is extensive, but in any case, please follow the data policy link on the WCO data page for guidance on how to acknowledge use of WCO data.

The entire set of zooplankton samples is stored at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in 4% buffered formalin, and may be available for further taxonomic analysis on request.

The Station L4 also monitors other data, not included here, such as CTD, moorings, nutrients, etc.

The Western Channel Observatory also collects other data in a total of 9 stations including L4 and E1 stations.

https://www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk/data.php#about

bio_data_data_origin_details_desc

Purpose bio_data_purpose_desc

Data type bio_data_datatype_desc

Data collection origin bio_data_data_collection_origin_desc

Data accessibility bio_data_data_access_desc

Data url bio_data_data_url_desc

Taxonomy

Target realm bio_data_target_realm_desc

Target taxa bio_data_target_taxa_desc

bio_data_taxa_subset_desc

Target species bio_data_target_species_desc

Spatial scale

Spatially explicit bio_data_spatially_explicit_desc

Spatial resolution bio_data_spatial_scale_desc

Resolution bio_data_resolution_desc

Resolution units bio_data_resolution_units_desc

Number of sites bio_data_number_of_sites_desc

Temporal scale

Temporal scale bio_data_temporal_scale_desc

Temporal resolution bio_data_temporal_resolution_desc

Start year bio_data_start_year_desc

Ongoing bio_data_ongoing_desc

Last year bio_data_last_year_desc