Australian Phytoplankton Abundance Survey from Continuous Plankton Recorder

Phytoplankton abundance data from the Australian Continuous Plankton Recorder survey, a joint project by CSIRO and the Australian Antarctic Division. The dataset supports mapping biodiversity, establishing a long-term plankton baseline, and detecting harmful algal blooms in Australian waters.

Use Cases

• Map plankton biodiversity and distribution across Australian waters using taxonomic abundance fields.
• Document phytoplankton changes in response to climate change by analyzing time-series abundance data.
• Detect harmful algal blooms by monitoring shifts in specific taxa abundance over time.
• Provide plankton indices for fisheries management models based on abundance and taxonomic composition.
• Validate satellite remote sensing of ocean color by correlating with in-situ phytoplankton abundance measurements.

Strengths

• Data collection follows a standardized methodology documented in Richardson et al. 2006.
• Project is a joint initiative by authoritative organizations CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere and the Australian Antarctic Division.
• Data is interoperable with other national and international programs through the IMOS infrastructure.

Limitations

• Taxonomic resolution of the data has changed over time, requiring users to consult change log tables for validity.
• Classification fields may be blank if a taxon is only identified to a higher level like family.
• Data is accessed via portal formats like HTML and WMS, which may not be optimal for direct quantitative analysis.

Provenance

Source

CSIRO Marlin Data Catalogue, via the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) Ships of Opportunity facility.

Collection Method

Phytoplankton captured in situ by Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) mesh and silk strands, counted directly on the mesh without washing.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Australian waters