Australian Coastal Picoplankton Flow Cytometry Time Series

Picoplankton flow cytometry data from nine Integrated Marine Observing System National Reference Stations around Australia. Sampling began between 2008 and 2010 at depths from surface to 105 meters, with monthly collection ongoing at seven sites. Historical coastal monitoring data extends back to 1944 for three stations.

Use Cases

• Analyze picoplankton population trends over time at nine Australian coastal station sites.
• Compare picoplankton data across sampled depths, which range from surface to 105 meters.
• Integrate this flow cytometry time series with historical CSIRO Coastal Monitoring program data for Maria Island, Port Hacking, and Rottnest Island.

Strengths

• Data spans nine distinct coastal monitoring stations around Australia.
• Includes historical data extending back to 1944 for three long-term monitoring sites.
• Sampling conducted at multiple depth intervals, from surface to 105 meters.

Limitations

• Specific data structure, column names, and row counts are not provided in the input.
• Sampling ceased at two sites (Ningaloo and Esperance) in 2013, creating temporal gaps.
• Primary data files are in document formats (PDF, DOCX), not a structured tabular format.

Provenance

Source

CSIRO Marlin Data Catalogue via the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Collection Method

Monthly (or 3-monthly) sampling off small vessels, with picoplankton analyzed by flow cytometry.

Time Range

Ongoing sampling began between 2008-2010; historical data for three sites spans 1944-2010.

Freshness

Last metadata update was 2026-03-25, with ongoing sampling at seven sites.

Geography

Nine coastal stations around Australia: Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.