Table of Contents

• Coverage
• Dataset Description
  • Methods & Sampling
  • Data Processing Description
• Data Files
• Parameters
• Instruments
• Deployments
• Project Information
• Program Information
• Funding

This dataset contains measurements from Niskin bottle samples from R/V New Horizon cruise NH1417 from August 18th to September 16th of 2014 in the Eastern Pacific between San Diego and Hawaii. The R/V New Horizon cruise NH1417 was a Nutrient Effects on Marine microOrganisms (NEMO) cruise.  

Measurements from Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry (FRRF): initial fluorescence, maximum photochemical efficiency of photostream II, and functional absorption of cross-section.

CTD measurements: temperature, salinity, pressure, PAR, in-situ chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence.

Derived values: Extracted chlorophyll a, 15N2 enrichment, 14C primary production.

Samples were collected using standard oceanographic techniques. A CTD Rosette with 24 10L Niskin bottles was lowered to the maximum sampling depth and then brought back to the surface. Water was collected during upcasts at discrete depths. Once on board seawater was collected from each bottle for analysis. CTD data included are also from the upcasts.

Data quality flags are the same as defined in the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and are as follows:

Citations for methods and calculations:

FRRF measurements: Kolber et al. (1998) Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1367:88-106
14C Primary Production: Lohrenz et al. (1992) Journal of Plankton Research 14:201-221
N2 Fixation: Wilson et al. (2012) Applied Environmental Microbiology 78:6491-6498
Chl a: Welschmeyer (1994) Limnology and Oceanography 39:1985-1992

Quality flag definitions for water bottles:

1 = Bottle information unavailable.

2 = No problems noted.

3 = Leaking.

4 = Did not trip correctly.

5 = Not reported.

6 = Significant discrepancy in measured values between Gerard and Niskin bottles.

7 = Unknown problem.

8 = Pair did not trip correctly. Note that the Niskin bottle can trip at an unplanned depth while the Gerard trips correctly and vice versa.

9 = Samples not drawn from this bottle.

BCO-DMO Data Manager Processing Notes:
* added a conventional header with dataset name, PI name, version date
* modified parameter names to conform with BCO-DMO naming conventions
* Added ISO formatted timestamp from TIME and DATE
* original missing data value '-999' displayed as "nd" for no data in the bco-dmo system

(Extracted from NSF award abstract)

Marine phytoplankton are a diverse group of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic unicellular organisms that account for approximately 50% of global carbon fixation. Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for microbial growth, but concentrations of bioavailable nitrogen in vast regions of subtropical ocean gyres are extremely low (submicromolar to nanomolar concentrations), and generally limit phytoplankton growth. Phytoplankton taxa differ in their genetic capabilities to take up and assimilate nutrients, and thus competition for different chemical forms of N (NH4+, NO3- and urea) and supply of these N-containing compounds are important controls on phytoplankton growth, productivity, and ultimately ecosystem function. The form and supply of N to phytoplankton have already been altered by anthropogenic activities, and with increasing environmental perturbations the effects will accelerate. To date however, there is limited information on how the N forms and fluxes impact the marine phytoplankton community composition and primary production. Similarly, determining the mechanisms of the response are crucial to assessing how ocean ecosystem function will respond to global climate change.

This project seeks to determine how taxonomic, genetic and functional dimensions of phytoplankton diversity are linked with community-level responses to the availability of different N substrates (NH4+, NO3-, and urea) in one of Earth's largest aquatic habitats, the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The project will characterize phytoplankton community composition change and gene expression, photosynthetic performance, carbon fixation, and single-cell level N and C uptake in different taxa within the phytoplankton assemblage in response to different N compounds. The research project is unique in investigating community-to-single-cell level function and species (strain)-specific gene expression patterns using state-of-the-art methods including fast repetition rate fluorometry, nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry and a comprehensive marine microbial community microarray. The results will provide predictive understanding of how changes in the availability of key nitrogen pools (N) may impact phytoplankton dynamics and function in the ocean.

References:

Karl, D. M., Bjorkman, K. M., Dore, J. E., Fujieki, L., Hebel, D. V., Houlihan, T., Letelier, R. M., Tupas, L. M. 2001. Ecological nitrogen-to-phosphorus stoichiometry at station ALOHA. Deep-Sea Research II. 48:1529 - 1566.

Karl, D. M., Letelier, R., Tupas, L., Dore, J., Christian, J. & Hebel, D. 1997. The role of nitrogen fixation in biogeochemical cycling in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. Nature. 388:533-538.

McCarthy, J., Taylor, W. R., Taft, J. 1997.  Nitrogenous nutrition of the plankton in the Chesapeake Bay. Limnology and Oceanography. 35:822 - 829.

Letelier, R., Karl, D. M. 1996.  Role of Trichodesmium spp. in the productivity of the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 133:263 - 273.

Lipschultz, F. 1995.  Nitrogen-specific uptake rates of marine phytoplankton isolated from natura populations of particles by flow cytometry. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 123:245-258.

(adapted from the NSF Synopsis of Program)
Dimensions of Biodiversity is a program solicitation from the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences. FY 2010 was year one of the program.  [MORE from NSF]

The NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity program seeks to characterize biodiversity on Earth by using integrative, innovative approaches to fill rapidly the most substantial gaps in our understanding. The program will take a broad view of biodiversity, and in its initial phase will focus on the integration of genetic, taxonomic, and functional dimensions of biodiversity. Project investigators are encouraged to integrate these three dimensions to understand the interactions and feedbacks among them. While this focus complements several core NSF programs, it differs by requiring that multiple dimensions of biodiversity be addressed simultaneously, to understand the roles of biodiversity in critical ecological and evolutionary processes.