Oceanographic Conditions on Scotian Shelf and Gulf of Maine 2012

Fisheries and Oceans Canada provides data tables and figures detailing optical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions. The dataset captures anomalously warm temperatures, high stratification, and low zooplankton biomass on the Scotian Shelf and eastern Gulf of Maine during 2012. It includes measurements of nitrate concentrations, chlorophyll levels, and phytoplankton community composition.

Use Cases

• Analyze nitrate concentration anomalies in the upper (0-50 m) and deep (50-150 m) water columns to study stratification impacts on nutrient mixing.
• Examine satellite ocean color observations of chlorophyll concentrations to assess spatial and temporal patterns in spring bloom timing and magnitude.
• Investigate relationships between phytoplankton community shifts (e.g., diatom, dinoflagellate, flagellate abundances) and recorded zooplankton biomass, particularly for Calanus finmarchicus.
• Model the influence of anomalously warm 2012 ocean temperatures on biological conditions using fixed station data from Halifax-2 and Prince-5.

Strengths

• Data originates from the authoritative scientific research body Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
• Includes detailed biological, chemical, and optical measurements for a specific anomalous year (2012).
• Covers two distinct geographic regions: the Scotian Shelf and the eastern Gulf of Maine.
• Provides data from fixed monitoring stations (Halifax-2, Prince-5) enabling time-series analysis.

Limitations

• The dataset is limited to a single year (2012), preventing long-term trend analysis.
• Specific row counts, column structures, and sample data are not provided in the input, limiting assessment of dataset scale and granularity.
• Data is delivered in a ZIP file with separate metadata; users must parse multiple files to understand the full data structure.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Oceanographic measurements from fixed stations (Halifax-2, Prince-5) and satellite observations, compiled for a CSAS Research Document.

Time Range

2012

Freshness

null

Geography

Scotian Shelf and eastern Gulf of Maine