Dataset: iioe_copepods
Deployment: AB_64_5

Copepods subsorted from the zooplankton collected during the International Indian OceanExpedition (IIOE) 1960-1965

Principal Investigator:

Vijayalakshmi R. Nair (National Institute of Oceanography, Kochi, India, NIO)

BCO-DMO Data Manager:

Ms Dicky Allison (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, WHOI)

Project:

International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE)

Current State:

Final no updates expected

Version Date:

2010-11-22

Data URL:

https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset-deployment/451913/data

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Description

'Zooplankton samples collected during International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) 1960-65 are by far the largest and the most important collections from the Indian Ocean in the world today. Though several experts spent decades to study various groups of zooplankton, these valuable data have not been computerized to make permanent records. Hence a database for IIOE zooplankton is initiated as a cooperative project of CMarZ and a part of the IIOE data have been digitized.

During IIOE 1548 standard zooplankton samples were collected covering the entire Indian Ocean. The database is prepared based on published information on these zooplankton samples. Three sets of Tables are made (1) Basic data on zooplankton volume, total population and all the 54 taxa found in the collections. (2) Data emerged from subsorting of copepods, decapods and fish larvae (3) Species level data for chaetognaths for entire Indian Ocean and ostracods for northern Indian Ocean.' (from summary of CMarZ Cooperative Project final report)

Enormous amount of data emerged through IIOE collections (25 °N to 45°S latitude and 30 to 120°E longitude) had been digitized to make permanent records of the zooplankton of the Indian Ocean (Nair, 2005). The proposed baseline biodiversity assessment of CMarZ has a critical application for ocean research to provide a benchmark against which future comparisons can be made. The first step towards this endeavour would be to digitize the recorded species from different sectors of the world oceans along with their biogeography. This project aims to bring out inventories for the known species of major groups of zooplankton of the Indian Ocean. This information can be incorporated into CMarZ species page, an endeavour to enhance capacity in zooplankton taxonomic analyses.

Related objects: iioe_zoo and iioe_zoo_other

Although technically retired, Vijaya Nair remains the contact for anyone seeking information about these data.

Contact information:
Vijayalakshmi R. Nair
HB/50, Vijaya
South Bridge Avenue, Panampilly Nagar
Kochi 682036, Kerala, India
(telephone/fax) 00-91-484-2316999
vijayalakshmi40@hotmail.com

Methods & Sampling

Dataset acquisition description

"It was recommended that each research vessel, every night between 2200 and 0200 hours local time, take one vertical haul from 200m to the surface, hauling in the net at a speed of 1 m/sec. The samples were then to be preserved in 10% formalin neutralized with hexamethylenetetramine. The displacement volume of the catch [was], if possible, measured at the earliest opportunity by an accepted method. The samples were then sent to the Sorting Centre for further processing. Many vessels took duplicate hauls, one for the Centre and one for the use of individual scientists in their respective countries." (Hansen, 1966).

Inventory is based on materials collected during IIOE and later collections made by NIO and other Institutions along the coastal and oceanic realms of the Indian Ocean.

References: Hansen, Vagn Kr., 1966. The Indian Ocean Biological Centre: The centre for sorting plankton samples of the International Indian Ocean Expedition. Deep-Sea Res., 13, pp.229-234.

Data Processing Description

Dataset Processing Description

Sixty species of calanoid copepods from 31 genera belonging to 8 families are described. Most of the species are epi and mesopelagic and showed wide distribution in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Bathypelagic species recorded are Megacalanus princeps, Bathycalanus richardi, Gaussia princeps, G. scotti and G. sewelli which are occasionally caught in 1000-500m hauls. G. sewelli is known only from the Indian Ocean. Paracalanus indicus and Pleuromamma indica are the most abundant species in the mixed layer depth of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. Undinula vulgaris and Cosmocalanus darwinii are mostly confined to the upper 50m. Lucicutia wolfendeni shows affinity to the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ). The herbivorous copepods namely Calanidae and Paracalanidae dominate the highly productive waters of Indian Ocean during summer monsoon and form food for pelagic shoaling fishes.

References

Nair, V.R., 2001. Zooplankton. In : The Indian Ocean, a Perspective Volume 2. R. Sen Gupta and E. Desa (Eds.) 417-450. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt., Ltd., New Delhi, Calcutta.

Nair, V.R., 2005. Database for zooplankton collected during International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) 1960-65. Cooperating project Report. Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ), Connecticut, USA.

Rosamma Stephen, 1999. Studies on copepods of the Indian Ocean with reference to the west coast of India, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Mumbai, Mumbai. 206pp.

More information about this dataset deployment

Instruments

Indian Ocean Standard Net

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Indian Ocean Standard Net

Acronym: I.O. Standard Net

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L22/current/NETT0075/

Generic Description:

The Indian Ocean Standard Net was designed specifically for the International Indian Ocean Exploration project. The net has a mouth area of one square meter and a total length of 5 meters. The net is made of nylon gauze with a mesh size of .333 mm (330um).

Parameters

Supplied Name	Supplied description	Supplied Units	Standard Name
reference	master reference number of sample		sample
taxon	common name of group		taxon
count	number of individuals counted	number per standard haul	no_bcodmo_term
total_organisms	total number of individuals in tow	number per standard haul	no_bcodmo_term
zooplankton_vol	displacement volume of sample	ml	disp_vol
day_night_flag	D = Day; N = night		no_bcodmo_term
time_local	Self explanatory		time_local
date_local	Self explanatory		date_local
lon	longitude tow, East = positive	decimal degrees	lon
lat	latitude of tow, North = positive	decimal degrees	lat
station	Station number gives approximate location		station
cruise	cruise number of the particular vessel		cruiseid
vessel	ship designation		no_bcodmo_term
depth_w	depth of water at this station	meters	depth_w
year	year data was collected		year

Database

Contribute Data

Dataset: iioe_copepodsDeployment: AB_64_5

Dataset acquisition description

Dataset Processing Description

Dataset: iioe_copepods
Deployment: AB_64_5