Mesozooplankton biomass estimates from MOCNESS tows collected from R/V Oceanus cruises : OC415-01, OC415-03, OC404-01 and OC404-04 from the Sargasso Sea from June 14, 2004 to August 24, 2005 (EDDIES project)

Abstract

The Eddies Dynamics, Mixing, Export, and Species composition (EDDIES) mesozooplankton biomass data set includes estimates of mesozooplankton biomass determined from MOCNESS plankton net tows. Zooplankton biomass estimates were determined from 1 m^2, 150 micron mesh MOCNESS (Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System) tows. The following discrete depth intervals were sampled on the upcast: 0-50, 50-100, 100-150, 150-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-600, and 600-700 m. Generally paired tows during the day (9:30-15:00 local time) and night (21:30-03:00) were performed at each station. A single tow generally covered 5-15 km. The nominal position (lat_n and lon_n) for each tow is the position at the mid depth 200-300m sampling interval. Table 1 (pg 1362) of Goldthwait and Steinberg (2008) is a sequential list of all MOCNESS mesozooplankton tows and includes eddy identification number and location. Each sample was size-fractionated using nested sieves of 0.15 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2mm, and 5 mm mesh. Zooplankton in each size class were transferred onto pre-weighed 0.15 mm nitex mesh filters and rinsed with deionized water. Samples were then dried for 24 hours at 60 degrees C and weighed.