PSSdb: Global Pelagic Particle Size Distributions from Imaging Systems

A global database of pelagic particle size distributions derived from multiple imaging systems, including Imaging Flow Cytobot, ZooScan, and Underwater Vision Profiler. The dataset, created by Mathilde Dugenne at CNRS, provides processed data products like Normalized Biomass Size Spectra and Particle Size Distribution parameters. Data are aggregated by year, month, and 1-degree longitude/latitude grid cells.

Use Cases

• Modeling marine carbon export based on particle size spectra parameters.
• Investigating global plankton size structure patterns based on aggregated spatial and temporal data.
• Calibrating imaging system outputs using standardized size distribution metrics.
• Analyzing temporal trends in pelagic ecosystems using normalized biovolume and abundance data.

Strengths

• Data processing includes removal of duplicate entries and NaN values.
• A new thresholding method selects size spectra portions with less than 20% uncertainty.
• Includes data from UVP6 and benchtop plankton scanners, expanding temporal and spatial coverage.

Limitations

• Row count and file formats are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Ecotaxa, Ecopart, and Imaging FlowCytobot dashboards.

Collection Method

Data compiled from multiple pelagic imaging systems and processed.

Geography

Global, aggregated in 1-degree longitude/latitude grid cells.