1956-1992 zooplankton data from Soviet Antarctic expeditions aboard vessels like R.V. Ob, Academic Kurchatov, and Academic Ioffe. The dataset likely contains counts and distribution data for plankton species collected via vertical net hauls in the Southern Ocean. Samples were processed by scientists from the Institute of Oceanology, with totals including 134 samples from 34 stations in 1956 and 225 samples from 31 stations in 1971-1972.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical zooplankton species composition based on taxonomic identification data
- Study quantitative distribution patterns of Antarctic plankton across sampled depth layers
- Investigate changes in mesoplankton abundance over time across different expeditions
- Model vertical distribution of zooplankton within the 0-500m and 0-1000m layers
Strengths
- Data spans multiple expeditions from 1956 to 1992, providing a multi-decade perspective
- Specific sample counts are provided: 134 samples from 34 stations in 1956, 225 samples from 31 stations in 1971-1972
- Detailed methodological descriptions for sampling depth layers and net specifications
Limitations
- Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- The description notes samples were broken during storms, suggesting data completeness issues
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS
- Collection Method
- Vertical hauls of closing Juday nets, with samples processed at the Plankton Laboratory of the Institute of Oceanology.
- Time Range
- 1956-1992
- Geography
- Southern Ocean, Antarctic region