AAP Project 4501: Mapping, predicting and monitoring ecological change in the Southern Oce

Zooplankton data from the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Program spanning 2000 to 2016, paired with environmental variables like sea surface temperature and mixed layer depth. The Australian Ocean Data Network provides this data, which was modeled using Hierarchical Models of Species Communities to infer distribution changes. The dataset was last updated in July 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling zooplankton species distribution based on environmental variables like sea surface temperature and mixed layer depth.
• Analyzing temporal changes in Southern Ocean plankton communities from 2000 to 2016.
• Predicting ecological responses to climate indices such as the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode.
• Studying community-level interactions and biodiversity patterns using hierarchical modeling approaches.

Strengths

• Data covers a 17-year time series from 2000 to 2016, providing a long-term perspective.
• Includes paired environmental data such as sea surface temperature, SST anomaly, IOD, SAM, and mixed layer depth.
• Analysis employs Hierarchical Models of Species Communities (HMSC), a structured statistical framework.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to the Continuous Plankton Recorder sampling program.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au, using the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Program.

Collection Method

Extracted existing CPR data and paired it with environmental variables for modeling.

Time Range

2000 to 2016

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 20:33:54.313660; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern Ocean