Antarctic Phytoplankton Species Counts from Aurora Australis Voyage

203 observations detail chlorophyll, carotenoids, and species counts for 12 phytoplankton taxa, including Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica, collected during the 2001/2002 season. The data originates from ASAC project 40, voyage 7 (LOSS) of the Aurora Australis, managed by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre. Sampling was conducted in the 2001/2002 austral season.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial distribution of chlorophyll concentrations across 203 sampling sites.
• Model relationships between carotenoid levels and specific phytoplankton species counts like Emiliania huxleyi.
• Assess biodiversity by comparing population counts across the 12 listed coccolithophorid taxa.
• Correlate environmental sampling site locations with species abundance data for biogeographic studies.

Strengths

• 203 in-situ observations provide a snapshot of Antarctic marine conditions.
• Includes quantitative data for at least 12 distinct phytoplankton species.

Limitations

• Small sample size of 203 observations limits statistical power for broad conclusions.
• Data is over 20 years old (2001/2002), reflecting conditions of a specific season.
• Column names and full data structure are unknown, complicating direct analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Field sampling during Aurora Australis voyage 7 (LOSS).

Time Range

2001/2002 austral season.

Freshness

2002-03-07

Geography

Southern Ocean/Antarctic region (specific sampling site locations).