IMOS Biological Ocean Observer - sysdata.rda

Brief description

This is the sysdata.rda file that is used to populate the IMOS Biological Ocean Observer (BOO) Shiny App. The IMOS biological and supporting data is accessed directly from the AODN, processed and reformatted to the requirements of the Shiny App and stored in this location.

Lineage

National Reference Stations
Water samples are collected off small vessels at the IMOS National Reference Stations. The depth of the sample varies at each station. The sampling methods are fully described in the IMOS NRS Biogeochemical Operations Manual (Davies & Sommerville 2020). The analysis and quality control (QC) procedures (performed at CSIRO) are described in Eriksen et al. 2019. The SOTS data comes from the Southern Ocean Time Series project. The location is a fixed mooring with samples taken at various depths at regular intervals. Data sampling is being conducted as part of a larger IMOS monitoring program. The zooplankton samples are analysed at the Plankton Ecology Lab at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Queensland. The samples are concentrated down to 100 ml in a measuring cylinder. A subsample (1 ml, 2.5 ml or 5 ml) is taken from the 100 ml concentrate using a stempel pipette. The sub sample is analysed to the lowest taxa possible. For each sample 100 adult copepods and 500 total zooplanktons must be counted. If these conditions are not met by the first sub sample analysis, a second sub sample is analysed. This continues until the two conditions are met. These counts are then converted to taxa / m3 and the analysis data is exported to IMOS.

Continuous Plankton Recorder
Data sampling is being conducted as part of a larger IMOS monitoring program. The silk is removed from the CPR cassette and processed as described in Richardson et al 2006. The phytoplankton colour index (PCI) and the phytoplankton data are also analysed as per Richardson et al 2006. The zooplankton analysis is conducted differently to that described in Richardson et al 2006 as it is counted off the silk in a bogorov tray. This is accomplished by rinsing the silks in water and straining through a 10 micron mesh sieve. The collected plankton is transferred to a bogorov tray and counted under a disecting scope. This is done to retain the phytoplankton. AusCPR decided to analyse the zooplankton this way as it provides a more accurate analysis of the zooplankton present. It is easy to miss zooplankton when it is still on the silk and it is harder to identify. After counting the zooplankton and phytoplankton are transferred onto a preweighed filter and dried in an oven at 60 degrees C for 24-48 hours. Once dried the sample is reweighed to attain dry weight.