Tara Oceans Expedition Global Plankton and Oceanographic Data

Plankton biodiversity and oceanographic data were collected during the Tara Oceans expedition, a 2.5-year global voyage covering 57,000 miles. The dataset provides a global-scale snapshot of morphological, genetic, and functional plankton diversity in relation to changing ocean parameters. The expedition was led by a consortium of scientists and organized by NASA, with fieldwork occurring from September 2009 to March 2012.

Use Cases

• Analyzing relationships between plankton genetic diversity and measured hydrographic parameters like temperature and salinity.
• Mapping global surface ocean optical properties using hyperspectral reflectance and particulate absorption data.
• Studying correlations between HPLC pigment measurements and the functional biodiversity of plankton communities.
• Investigating spatial patterns of plankton morphology across different ocean basins covered by the expedition.

Strengths

• Data collection spanned a 2.5-year global expedition, providing temporal and spatial breadth for analysis.
• The dataset integrates multiple measurement types: biological sampling, hydrography, and optical measurements for a holistic view.
• The expedition's 57,000-mile trajectory covered the majority of the world's oceans, ensuring wide geographic representation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source, limiting detailed assessment of structure.
• Sources conflict on license information, with some specifying 'other-license-specified' and others listing no license.
• The most recent update date (2026-03-12) appears inconsistent with the expedition's end date, suggesting potential metadata inaccuracy.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Field measurements collected during the Tara Oceans research vessel expedition.

Time Range

September 2009 to March 2012

Freshness

2026-03-12 21:05:21.846228

Geography

Global, covering the majority of the world's oceans along a 57,000-mile trajectory.