11091 data rows detail zooplankton collected from the Canadian Beaufort Sea shelf during ice-on (May) and open-water (July-September) conditions in 1986. The dataset, compiled by SCIOPS, includes 247 taxonomic identifications across 30 groups, with copepods dominating a total catch of 33.66 million specimens. It provides wet and dry biomass, length-frequency for copepods, and caloric density measurements from net samples.
Use Cases
- Model copepod species distribution using taxonomic identifications and station location data.
- Analyze seasonal biomass changes by comparing wet and dry biomass data from neuston and bongo net samples across May and July-September.
- Estimate caloric content of zooplankton communities using sample caloric density data from nine 500 µm bongo net samples.
- Study population structure through length-frequency data for copepod species captured in 23 specific samples.
Strengths
- 11091 data rows provide substantial observational records.
- Data spans two distinct seasonal hydrographic regimes: ice-covered (May) and open water (July-September).
- Includes multiple measurement types: taxonomic counts, wet/dry biomass, length-frequency, and caloric density.
Limitations
- Data is from a single year (1986), limiting analysis of long-term trends.
- Sample collection was uneven, with only four net samples in May compared to hundreds in summer.
- Specific column names and data structure are not provided in the description.
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS, accessed via NASA EarthData.
- Collection Method
- Zooplankton collected using Wisconsin, neuston, 85 µm bongo, and 500 µm bongo nets from 49 stations.
- Time Range
- 1986 (May, July-September).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Canadian Beaufort Sea shelf.