ECOHAB project data provides chlorophyll a concentration measurements from the Gulf of Mexico, a standard metric for phytoplankton biomass. The dataset was collected by NOAA NCEI during a field study from October 5 to November 19, 1998. Measurements were used to examine relationships between Karenia brevis algal blooms, toxin levels, and pigment content.
Use Cases
- Modeling relationships between chlorophyll a concentration and Karenia brevis cell counts for bloom prediction.
- Analyzing temporal trends in phytoplankton biomass from time-series chlorophyll measurements.
- Correlating water column toxin levels with chlorophyll a pigment content as an ecosystem health indicator.
- Spatial mapping of chlorophyll distribution in the Gulf of Mexico for regional oceanographic studies.
Strengths
- Data collected during a focused 45-day field campaign (1998-10 05 to 1998-11-19).
- Chlorophyll a is a standardized, widely accepted measure for phytoplankton biomass.
Limitations
- Temporal coverage is limited to a single 45-day period in late 1998.
- Geographic scope is confined to specific study areas within the Gulf of Mexico.
- Sample size and specific measurement locations are unknown from the description.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
- Collection Method
- Samples filtered at sea, stored in liquid nitrogen, transported on dry ice, and kept at -80°C until extraction for chlorophyll a analysis.
- Time Range
- 1998-10-05 to 1998-11-19
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Gulf of Mexico