Mnemiopsis Ecology Modelling and Observation (MEMO) Plankton Surveys

Plankton survey data from the Mnemiopsis Ecology Modelling and Observation project includes counts of fish larvae, fish eggs, microzooplankton, mesozooplankton, and phytoplankton. The data was collected by CEFAS during four research cruises aboard the RV Endeavour in 2011 and 2012. Associated positional data and filtered water volumes are recorded where applicable.

Use Cases

• Modeling plankton community dynamics based on counts of multiple plankton groups.
• Analyzing spatial distribution of fish larvae and eggs based on associated positional data.
• Studying seasonal or interannual changes in plankton abundance based on data from multiple cruises.
• Calibrating ecological models with field observations of microzooplankton and mesozooplankton.

Strengths

• Data includes multiple planktonic groups (fish larvae/eggs, micro- and mesozooplankton, phytoplankton) for integrated analysis.
• Surveys cover two distinct marine regions: the Western English Channel and the North Sea.
• Data collection occurred across multiple research cruises in 2011 and 2012, providing temporal snapshots.

Limitations

• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) cruises, aggregated via the eu_open_data platform.

Collection Method

Analysis of physical plankton samples collected during research vessel surveys.

Time Range

2011-2012

Freshness

Data appears to be from 2011-2012 collection cruises; last update is unknown.

Geography

Western English Channel (ICES area VIIE) and North Sea (Botney Gut/Silver Pit).