Australian Coastal Water Chemistry from Nine Reference Stations, 2008-Present

Monthly and three-monthly water samples collected from nine Australian coastal stations between 2008 and the present, with historical data for some sites extending back to 1944. The dataset includes measurements of salinity, carbon, alkalinity, oxygen, and nutrients like silicate and phosphate, analyzed by the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). Sampling is ongoing at seven sites, having ceased at two Western Australian locations in 2013.

Use Cases

• Modeling coastal carbon cycles based on alkalinity and dissolved carbon measurements.
• Analyzing long-term nutrient trends in Australian waters based on silicate, ammonium, and phosphate data.
• Studying seasonal oxygen dynamics in coastal ecosystems based on dissolved oxygen time series.
• Calibrating satellite-derived salinity products with in-situ salinity measurements.

Strengths

• Long-term time series with data collection beginning between 2008 and 2010 and ongoing for seven sites.
• Includes historical data from CSIRO's coastal monitoring program for three sites, with records starting as early as 1944.
• Standardized sampling and analysis procedures documented in an operations manual.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Sampling ceased at two of the nine sites (Ningaloo and Esperance) in 2013, creating temporal gaps.
• The dataset has been superseded by a newer combined collection, as noted in the description.

Provenance

Source

Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) National Mooring Network, Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Monthly and three-monthly water sampling from small vessels at fixed coastal stations.

Time Range

2008 to present for active sites, with historical data from 1944-2010 for three legacy stations.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 18:31:45.126591; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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