Gulf of Mexico Benthic and Pollutant Survey Data from 1978-1979

Two NOAA NODC standard formats, F132 and F144, contain data on benthic organisms and marine toxic substances collected in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas A&M University and Energy Resources Co. Inc. submitted the data with support from the Brine Disposal project. Sampling occurred from May 24, 1978, to February 26, 1979, aboard the vessels GUS III and EXCELLENCE.

Use Cases

• Analyze species_abundance and total_weight_of_organisms from F132 data against sediment_characteristics and bottom_temperature to model historical benthic community structure.
• Correlate chemical_substance concentrations (identified by CAS codes) in F144 data with sampling_station positions and environmental conditions like sea_surface_conditions.
• Map the distribution of specific marine_organisms (using NODC Taxonomic Codes) and pollutants across the Gulf of Mexico using station positions and dates.
• Investigate relationships between discharge_site characteristics in F144 data and nearby concentrations of toxic substances in sediment or water samples.

Strengths

• Data structured to two established NOAA NODC standard formats (F132, F144) with documented schemas.
• Includes complementary biological and chemical data from the same cruise surveys and stations.
• Covers a defined temporal range of approximately 9 months from 1978-05-24 to 1979-02-26.

Limitations

• Exact row counts, column names, and sample sizes are unknown from the provided metadata.
• Data is temporally stale, representing a snapshot from over 45 years ago.
• Geographic coverage is limited to specific cruise tracks in the Gulf of Mexico.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), submitted by Texas A&M University and Energy Resources Co. Inc.

Collection Method

Field sampling using sediment samplers and net casts from research vessels.

Time Range

1978-05-24 to 1979 02-26

Freshness

Data collection ended on 1979-02 26; the record is archival.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specific stations sampled from the vessels GUS III and EXCELLENCE.