1984 to present monitoring of lower trophic levels in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. The dataset contains information on phytoplankton composition and abundance, picoplankton, primary production rates, and micro- and mesozooplankton composition, biomass, and abundance. Monitoring is conducted by the states of Maryland and Virginia in cooperation with the US EPA Chesapeake Bay Program.
Use Cases
- Analyze temporal trends in phytoplankton_abundance and composition to study algal bloom dynamics.
- Model primary_production_rates against water quality parameters to assess ecosystem productivity.
- Investigate relationships between mesozooplankton_biomass and microzooplankton_abundance for food web analysis.
- Correlate picoplankton_abundance data with broader environmental monitoring indicators.
- Conduct spatial-temporal analysis of plankton data across the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal_tributaries.
Strengths
- Long-term temporal coverage with monitoring initiated in 1984.
- Multi-faceted data covering multiple plankton groups and primary production.
Limitations
- Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes are unknown.
- Data collection start years vary by jurisdiction and plankton type (e.g., Virginia microzooplankton from 1993).
Provenance
- Source
- States of Maryland and Virginia, in cooperation with the US EPA Chesapeake Bay Program.
- Collection Method
- Baseline monitoring programs performed in conjunction with water quality monitoring.
- Time Range
- 1984 to present (with specific program start years varying: 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.