MOCNESS-1 Plankton Abundances from the R/V Wecoma, R/V New Horizon W0004B, NH0005, W0007A, NH0007, W0009A, W0204A, W0205A from the Northeast Pacific, 2000 and 2002 (NEP project)

Website: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/2454
Data Type: Cruise Results
Version: 1
Version Date: 2011-06-28

Project
» U.S. GLOBEC Northeast Pacific (NEP)

Program
» U.S. GLOBal ocean ECosystems dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC)
ContributorsAffiliationRole
Peterson, William T.Northwest Fisheries Science Center - Newport (NOAA NWFSC)Principal Investigator
Batchelder, HalOregon State University (OSU-CEOAS)Data Manager
Copley, NancyWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)BCO-DMO Data Manager

Abstract
MOCNESS-1 Plankton Abundances from the R/V Wecoma, R/V New Horizon W0004B, NH0005, W0007A, NH0007, W0009A, W0204A, W0205A from the Northeast Pacific, 2000 and 2002 (NEP project)


Coverage

Spatial Extent: N:44.6517 E:-124.175 S:42.4733 W:-125.1167
Temporal Extent: 2000-04-11 - 2002-05-30

Dataset Description

U.S. GLOBEC Northeast Pacific California Current Program MOCNESS Plankton (MOC1) Data

Data Collections were done as part of several projects.
Contact for this dataset is:
Dr. William Peterson (bill.peterson@noaa.gov)
Phone: 541-867-0201

All inquiries about this data should be directed to Dr. Peterson.

Data Description

The MOC1 data are organized by cruise within year. The master page (Level 0) lists all of the cruises in chronological order. Clicking on a cruise will show all of the casts collected/processes from that cruise (Level 1). Clicking on a cast will bring up the Level 2 file that shows all of the samples (nets) processed from that cast. Clicking on the sample_id (ranges from "1" to "8" for this type of data) will display the Level 3 data, which are the actual taxonomic categories and abundances for that particular sample. Additional info about the variables is described below.

 

Program Codes Description
LTOP samples collected on Long-term Observation Program Cruises (ca. 4-6 cruises per year; all sample the Newport Hydrographic (NH) Line; some sample other standard lines further south)
MESO_1 samples collected from process cruise in June 2000
MESO_2 samples collected from process cruise in August 2000
MESO_3 samples collected from process cruise in June 2002

 

Life Stage Info Codes
(partial listing)
Description
most are self-explanatory; Male, Female, CV ==> Copepodite 5, Zoea, Nauplii, N2 => Nauplius 2, Egg--a few are not, esp. for the euphausiids (Thysanoessa and Euphausia)
F2 Second Stage Furcilia (aka Furcilia 2)
F3 Third Stage Furcilia (aka Furcilia 3)
F1_0 First Stage Furcilia with 0 legs
F2_32 or Furcilia_2_3L2S Second Stage Furcilia with 3 pairs of legs total, with 2 pairs of legs having setae; this xLyS pattern is common, with x and y varying depending on stage of development

 

MOCNESS Sample Analysis Protocols from "comments" field
Comment Description
Proc_Protocol=0 (Standard Protocol): 1) Count, sex, measure, and stage all euphausiid species. 2) Count and measure Limacina pteropods 3) Count, stage, and measure both spp. of Neocalanus 4) Count and measure "Big Stuff" (large zooplankton, i.e., fish larvae, squid, octopi, jellies, other shrimp, etc...)
Proc_Protocol=1 (Euphausiids only Protocol): 1) Count, sex, measure, and stage all euphausiids.
Proc_Protocol=2 ('Acoustic Calibrations' Protocol): 1) Count, sex, and measure all euphausiids (Adults and juveniles ONLY). 2) Count and measure Limacina pteropods.

Metadata last updated 29 May 2012;smr, BCO-DMO


Methods & Sampling

The MOCNESS is based on the Tucker Trawl principle (Tucker, 1951). The MOCNESS-1 has nine rectangular nets (1m x 1.4 m) which are opened and closed sequentially by commands through conducting cable from the surface (Wiebe et al., 1976). In MOCNESS systems, "the underwater unit sends a data frame, comprised of temperature, depth, conductivity, net-frame angle, flow count, time, number of open net, and net opening/closing, to the deck unit in a compressed hexadecimal format every 2 seconds and from the deck unit to a microcomputer every 4 seconds... Temperature (to approximately 0.01 deg C) and conductivity are measured with SEABIRD sensors . Normally, a modified T.S.K.-flowmeter is used... Both the temperature and conductivity sensors and the flowmeter are mounted on top of the frame so that they face horizontally when the frame is at a towing angle of 45deg... Calculations of salinity (to approximately 0.01 o/oo S), potential temperature (theta), potential density (sigma), the oblique and vertical velocities of the net, and the approximate volume filtered by each net are made after each string of data has been received by the computer." (Wiebe et al., 1985) In addition, depending on the particular configuration of the MOCNESS-1, data may have been collected from other sensors attached to the frame : (Transmissometer, Fluorometer, Downwelling light sensor, and the Oxygen sensor). A SeaBird underwater pump was also included in the sensor suite.


Data Processing Description

After retrieval to deck, the contents of the nets were rinsed into the codends and transferred to storage bottles, and fixed and preserved with formalin. In the shore laboratory, the contents of the bottles were subsampled and counts and biomass estimates made for selected taxa (see the Proc_Protocol info below). This data object reports only the count information.


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Data Files

File
MOC1.csv
(Comma Separated Values (.csv), 611.17 KB)
MD5:c7a898d86a9c0c0091bd61cd4ddcf568
Primary data file for dataset ID 2454

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Related Publications

Tucker, G.H.(1951) Relation of fishes and other organisms to the scattering of underwater sound Journal of Marine Research, 10, pp. 215-238
Methods
Wiebe, P. H., K.H. Burt, S. H. Boyd, A. W. Morton (1976). A multiple opening/closing net and environment sensing system for sampling zooplankton. J. Mar. Res., 34, 313-326.
Methods
Wiebe, P. H., Morton, A. W., Bradley, A. M., Backus, R. H., Craddock, J. E., Barber, V., … Flierl, G. R. (1985). New development in the MOCNESS, an apparatus for sampling zooplankton and micronekton. Marine Biology, 87(3), 313–323. doi:10.1007/bf00397811 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00397811
Methods

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Parameters

ParameterDescriptionUnits
year

Year

n/a
program

See codes in table above (in 'Data Description' section).

n/a
cruise_id

Cruise ID.

n/a
cast

Cast number within the cruise.

n/a
station

Standard Station Name.

n/a
lat

Latitude.

decimal degrees
lon

Longitude.

decimal degrees
depth_bottom

Bottom depth at station location.

meters
sample_id

The net number, ranges from 1-8.

n/a
min_sample_depth

Minimum depth of a single net sample.

meters
max_sample_depth

Maximum depth of a single net sample.

meters
month_local

Month

n/a
day_local

Day

n/a
time_local

Local time.

n/a
d_n_flag

'DAY' or 'NIGHT' if flagged; some samples may not have been flagged.

n/a
gear_type

Name of instrument. ('MOCNESS' for this gear.)

n/a
gear_area_m2

Mouth area of net in square meters.

m^2
gear_mesh

Size of mesh of net in millimeters.

mm
vol_filt

Volume filtered in cubic meters.

m^3
counter_id

Initials of the Plankton Taxonomist.

n/a
comments

Misc. comments pertaining to sample. See definitions in table above (in 'Data Description' section).

n/a
nodc_code

Standard NODC taxonomic code.

n/a
species

Genus and species (e.g., NEOCALANUS_PLUMCHRUS).

n/a
life_stage

Life Stage info (see Life Stage Codes table above in 'Data Description' section).

n/a
abund

Density (individuals per cubic meter).

individuals per m^3


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Instruments

Dataset-specific Instrument Name
MOCNESS1
Generic Instrument Name
MOCNESS1
Dataset-specific Description
The MOCNESS is based on the Tucker Trawl principle (Tucker, 1951). The MOCNESS-1 has nine rectangular nets (1m x 1.4 m) which are opened and closed seq uentially by commands through conducting cable from the surface (Wiebe et al., 1976). In MOCNESS systems, "the underwater unit sends a data frame, comprised of temperature, depth, conductivity, net-frame angle, flow count, time, number of open net, and net opening/closing, to the deck unit in a compressed hexadecimal format every 2 seconds and from the deck unit to a microcomputer every 4 seconds... Temperatu re (to approximately 0.01 deg C) and conductivity are measured with SEABIRD sensors . Normally, a modified T.S.K.-flowmeter is used... Both the temperature and conductivity sensors and the flowmeter are mounted on top of the frame so that they face horizontally when the frame is at a towing angle of 45deg... Calculations of salinity (to approximately 0.01 o/oo S), potential temperature (theta), potential density (sigma), the oblique and vertical velocities of the net, and the approximate volume filtered by each net are made after each string of data has been received by the computer." (Wiebe et al., 1985)
Generic Instrument Description
The Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System or MOCNESS is a family of net systems based on the Tucker Trawl principle. The MOCNESS-1 carries nine 1-m2 nets usually of 335 micrometer mesh and is intended for use with the macrozooplankton. All nets are black to reduce contrast with the background. A motor/toggle release assembly is mounted on the top portion of the frame and stainless steel cables with swaged fittings are used to attach the net bar to the toggle release. A stepping motor in a pressure compensated case filled with oil turns the escapement crankshaft of the toggle release which sequentially releases the nets to an open then closed position on command from the surface. -- from the MOCNESS Operations Manual (1999 + 2003).


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Deployments

W0004B

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2000-04-11
End Date
2000-04-17

NH0005

Website
Platform
R/V New Horizon
Report
Start Date
2000-05-28
End Date
2000-06-13

W0007A

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2000-07-07
End Date
2000-07-13

NH0007

Website
Platform
R/V New Horizon
Report
Start Date
2000-07-27
End Date
2000-08-12

W0009A

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2000-09-07
End Date
2000-09-12

W0204A

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2002-04-04
End Date
2002-04-10

W0205A

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2002-05-29
End Date
2002-06-18


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Project Information

U.S. GLOBEC Northeast Pacific (NEP)


Coverage: Northeast Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Alaska


Program in a Nutshell

Goal: To understand the effects of climate variability and climate change on the distribution, abundance and production of marine animals (including commercially important living marine resources) in the eastern North Pacific. To embody this understanding in diagnostic and prognostic ecosystem models, capable of capturing the ecosystem response to major climatic fluctuations.

Approach: To study the effects of past and present climate variability on the population ecology and population dynamics of marine biota and living marine resources, and to use this information as a proxy for how the ecosystems of the eastern North Pacific may respond to future global climate change. The strong temporal variability in the physical and biological signals of the NEP will be used to examine the biophysical mechanisms through which zooplankton and salmon populations respond to physical forcing and biological interactions in the coastal regions of the two gyres. Annual and interannual variability will be studied directly through long-term observations and detailed process studies; variability at longer time scales will be examined through retrospective analysis of directly measured and proxy data. Coupled biophysical models of the ecosystems of these regions will be developed and tested using the process studies and data collected from the long-term observation programs, then further tested and improved by hindcasting selected retrospective data series.



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Program Information

U.S. GLOBal ocean ECosystems dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC)


Coverage: Global


U.S. GLOBEC (GLOBal ocean ECosystems dynamics) is a research program organized by oceanographers and fisheries scientists to address the question of how global climate change may affect the abundance and production of animals in the sea.

The U.S. GLOBEC Program currently had major research efforts underway in the Georges Bank / Northwest Atlantic Region, and the Northeast Pacific (with components in the California Current and in the Coastal Gulf of Alaska). U.S. GLOBEC was a major contributor to International GLOBEC efforts in the Southern Ocean and Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP).



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Funding

Funding SourceAward
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)

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