Phytoplankton Counts in Quebec Atlantic Zone Monitoring Stations

Quebec's Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program provides phytoplankton cell counts per liter from 3 fixed stations and up to 46 transect stations in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. Data includes counts for Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Flagellates, Protozoans, and Total Phytoplankton, collected in June 2014, 2018, and 2019. The dataset is managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to track changes in the marine environment.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial distribution of Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Flagellates, and Protozoans using Latitude and Longitude coordinates from the CSV files.
• Model temporal trends in Total Phytoplankton counts by aggregating data from the Date(UTC) field across the 2014, 2018, and 2019 sampling years.
• Correlate phytoplankton group abundances with sampling Depth_min and Depth_max to study vertical distribution in the water column.
• Compare phytoplankton community composition between the 3 fixed stations (Rimouski, Anticosti Gyre, Gaspe Current) and the broader transect stations using the provided time series PNGs and CSV data.

Strengths

• Data includes five distinct phytoplankton group counts (Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Flagellates, Protozoans, Total) enabling detailed community analysis.
• Sampling covers a specific geographic region under Quebec's responsibility, including 3 fixed stations and up to 46 transect stations.
• Collection follows a standardized protocol (AZMP sampling protocol) ensuring methodological consistency.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to three specific years (2014, 2018, 2019) and primarily the month of June, missing continuous long-term and seasonal data.
• The exact number of data rows and the complete column schema for the underlying CSV files are not specified in the provided metadata.
• Data is focused on the Quebec region of the AZMP, limiting broader geographic analysis of the Northwest Atlantic.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP).

Collection Method

Samples collected using Niskin bottles, preserved with acid Lugol solution, and analyzed per AZMP protocol.

Time Range

2014, 2018, 2019 (June surveys).

Freshness

Data last updated on the platform in March 2026, but the underlying observations are from 2014, 2018, and 2019.

Geography

Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, under Quebec region responsibility (3 fixed stations and up to 46 transect stations).