AK-LTOP CalVET Net Tow counts and biomass collected from multiple cruises from the Northeast Pacific, 1997-2001 (NEP project)

Website: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/3009
Data Type: Cruise Results
Version: 1
Version Date: 2009-02-26

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

Program
» U.S. GLOBal ocean ECosystems dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC)
ContributorsAffiliationRole
Danielson, Seth L.University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)Principal Investigator
Coyle, Kenneth O.University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)Co-Principal Investigator
Batchelder, HalOregon State University (OSU-CEOAS)Contact
Copley, NancyWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)BCO-DMO Data Manager

Abstract
AK-LTOP CalVET Net Tow counts and biomass collected from multiple cruises from the Northeast Pacific, 1997-2001.


Coverage

Spatial Extent: N:60.537 E:-144.0538 S:58.095 W:-149.4756
Temporal Extent: 1997-10-10 - 2004-10-07

Dataset Description

CalVET catch data - zooplankton species abundance and biomass, 1997 - 2004

Updated July 2008.

All data are for 149 micron CALVET tows, 25.4 cm ring diameter, vertical hauls.

Resources:
Marine Ecosystem Monitoring in the Northern Gulf of Alaska web site
GAK1 Time Series web site
cruise reports web site


Methods & Sampling

GLOBEC 2000: Gulf of Alaska Long-Term Observation Program
T. Weingartner, L. Haldorson, R. Hopcroft, K. Coyle, T. E. Whitledge (all at University of Alaska, Fairbanks), T. Royer (Old Dominion University)

This project is to conduct the Gulf of Alaska Long-Term Observation Program (GOA-LTOP) as part of Phase II of the Northeast Pacific (NEP) GLOBEC program. The GOA shelf supports a rich ecosystem that includes many commercially important fisheries. The basis for this productivity is enigmatic for the GOA shelf is deep, forced by downwelling-favorable winds, and fed by a massive nutrient-poor coastal freshwater discharge. Both the winds and the freshwater discharge are intimately linked to the strength and position of the Aleutian Low. The GOA ecosystem experiences substantial physical and biological changes on decadal and interannual time scales. Although some of these changes are correlated with various climatic indices a mechanistic understanding of climate change and ecosystem response is unavailable. The generic goal of this LTOP is to understand and quantify temporal (seasonal and interannual) and spatial (cross- and along-shelf) variations in the thermohaline, chemical, and biological properties and relationships of this shelf. Our proposal supports GLOBEC goals that will help: 1) retrospective studies interpret historical data, 2) design a cost-effective long-term monitoring program, 3) provide the seasonal and interannual context for concurrent mesoscale and process studies, and 4) provide boundary conditions and data sets for model evaluation. This 5-year project entails 4 field years and a fifth year for data analyses and synthesis. The field effort involves seven, 9-day interdisciplinary cruises/year in the northern GOA. The study area encompasses the 220-km long, Seward Line (sampled in the 1970s) that extends across the shelf and slope and high resolution sampling of the Alaska Coastal Current (ACC), upstream, downstream, and within Prince William Sound. The ACC is an important shelf habitat for yoy salmon migrating from nursery areas in the sound and into the GOA. The sampling effort (Table A) is year-round and motivated by seasonally significant physical and biological events affecting yoy pink salmon.

Table A. Sampling schedule and rationale for GOA-LTOP. (Key for Winds, Discharge and Stratification: S=strong; M=moderate; W=weak; D=downwelling winds; U=upwelling winds; V=variable; L=low; H=high) Deep water moves onshore during the July-August upwelling period.

Month Sampling Physical Rationale Biological Rationale
CTD Nutrients Zoo Fish Winds Disch Strat
March X X X   D S L W Zooplankton migrate from depth (at shelfbreak); transported inshore.
April X X X   D M L-M W V Phytoplankton bloom
May X X X   D M-W M M V Maximum oceanic copepod biomass.
July X X X X D/U W M-H S Maximum zooplankton abundance; YOY salmon enter shelf.
August X X X X D/U W M-H S Maximum YOY salmon abundance on shelf.
October X X X X D S H H YOY salmon on shelf.
December X X X   D S M M Fall-winter pre-conditioning for spring nutrients, small zooplankton.

The sampling protocol followed GLOBEC guidelines and used gear types and techniques similar to those in the Oregon LTOP that was also a part of the NEP-GLOBEC program. Most of the research was conducted from the R/V Alpha Helix. Fish sampling was done from a chartered trawler in July, August, and October. Both vessels worked together during these cruises so that the fishing charter could verify fish targets detected on the acoustics array towed from the Alpha Helix.


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Data Files

File
calvet_ak_ltop.csv
(Comma Separated Values (.csv), 3.92 MB)
MD5:4e147a925365856c49bb39f03e21eed1
Primary data file for dataset ID 3009

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Parameters

ParameterDescriptionUnits
cruise_id

cruise identifier, e.g. hx281 is R/V Alpha Helix cruise 281

dimensionless
year

year, e.g. 2004.

dimensionless
station_name

GAK, Gulf of Alaska
HB,Hogan Bay Line
HE,Hinchinbrook Entrance Line
KIP, Knight Island Passage
MS, Montegue Strait Line
PWS, Prince William Sound

dimensionless
station

consecutive station number

dimensionless
yrday_local

local day and decimal time, as 326.5 for the 326th day of the year, or November 22 at 1200 hours (noon)

dimensionless
month_local

numerical month of year, local time

dimensionless
day_local

numerical day of month, local time

dimensionless
time_local

time of day, local time, using 2400 clock format (HHMM)

dimensionless
lat

latitude, in decimal degrees, north is positive

decimal degrees
lon

longitude, in decimal degrees, east is positive

decimal degrees
depth_w

sonic depth, in meters

meters
depth_cast

maximum depth of cast (tow)

species

a binomial that consists of a genus name followed by the species name of an organism

dimensionless
stage

organism life history:
AF, adult female
AM, adult male
AN, adult non-specified (??)
bracts, of siphonophore
C1, copepodite stage 1
C2, copepodite stage 2
C3, copepodite stage 3
C4, copepodite stage 4
C5, copepodite stage 5

dimensionless
abundance

number of the specific taxa/group counted per meter3

number per cubic meter
biomass_g

wet weight of a specific taxa/group identified

grams wet weight per cubic meter
vol_filt

volume of water filtered during the tow.

phylum

phylum, organism taxonomic level

dimensionless
subphylum

One of the levels in the taxonomic system of classification

dimensionless
class

One of the levels in the taxonomic system of classification

dimensionless
subclass

One of the levels in the taxonomic system of classification

dimensionless
order

order, organism taxonomic level

dimensionless
infraorder

One of the levels in the taxonomic system of classification

dimensionless
family

Family. One of the levels in the taxonomic system of classification; typically ends in 'ae'.

dimensionless


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Instruments

Dataset-specific Instrument Name
CalVet
Generic Instrument Name
CalVet
Dataset-specific Description
149 micron CALVET tows, 25.4 cm ring diameter, vertical haul
Generic Instrument Description
The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Vertical Egg Tow device is a type of vertical net tow. Note that mesh sizes may vary.


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Deployments

HX201

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1997-10-10
End Date
1997-10-17

HX203

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1998-03-08
End Date
1998-03-15
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX205

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1998-03-31
End Date
1998-04-07
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX208

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1998-05-07
End Date
1998-05-14
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX211

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1998-07-10
End Date
1998-07-17
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX215

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1998-10-02
End Date
1998-10-09
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX217

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1999-03-14
End Date
1999-03-21
Description
Cruise information and original data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog.

HX218

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1999-04-12
End Date
1999-04-19

HX219

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1999-05-06
End Date
1999-05-13

HX223

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1999-08-26
End Date
1999-09-02

HX225

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
1999-10-05
End Date
1999-10-12

HX228

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
2000-03-07
End Date
2000-03-15
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX230

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
2000-04-18
End Date
2000-04-26
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX231

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
2000-05-17
End Date
2000-05-25
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX234

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
2000-08-13
End Date
2000-08-23
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX237

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Start Date
2000-10-03
End Date
2000-10-11
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX239

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-03-02
End Date
2001-03-13
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX241

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-04-03
End Date
2001-04-14
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX243

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-05-04
End Date
2001-05-14
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX246

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-06-28
End Date
2001-07-09
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX248

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-07-30
End Date
2001-08-08
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX252

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2001-10-09
End Date
2001-10-18
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX254

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-03-04
End Date
2002-03-13
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX257

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-04-05
End Date
2002-04-14
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX258

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-04-30
End Date
2002-05-09
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX262

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-07-19
End Date
2002-07-27
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX263

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-08-13
End Date
2002-08-22
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX267

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2002-10-01
End Date
2002-10-10
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX269

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2003-03-04
End Date
2003-03-13
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX270

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2003-04-01
End Date
2003-04-10
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX272

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2003-05-23
End Date
2003-06-01
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX276

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2003-08-13
End Date
2003-08-22
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX279

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2003-10-08
End Date
2003-10-16
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX281

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2004-03-19
End Date
2004-03-27
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX283

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2004-05-03
End Date
2004-05-12
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX286

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2004-06-27
End Date
2004-07-05
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

HX292

Website
Platform
R/V Alpha Helix
Report
Start Date
2004-09-30
End Date
2004-10-08
Description
Original cruise data are available from the NSF R2R data catalog

W0307A

Website
Platform
R/V Wecoma
Report
Start Date
2003-07-05
End Date
2003-07-14


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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
NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

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