continuous plankton recorder database: current uses and future directions darren stevens &...

Continuous Plankton Recorder Database: current uses and future directions

Darren Stevens &

Anthony J. Richardson

Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science

Email dpst@sahfos.ac.uk

Introduction Wealth of data available Access vs Accessibility to data Attracting people to use your data Produce further research

Topics of Discussion The CPR Survey CPR data Data Storage and Access Products Data usage Further Developments

The CPR Survey

The CPR collects plankton over large spatial scales

capable of operating at high speeds (>20 knots)

needs a minimum of attention (robust)

designed for ships of opportunity

Some SAHFOS Ships of Opportunity

CPR sampling 1946-2003

Over 5 million miles sampled Phytoplankton Colour Phytoplankton zooplankton

CPR data

Number of records

196,120 samples analysed Plankton counted on every other

sample 2,332,114 -positive plankton

entries 450 species Total plankton entries ~90,000,000

Environmental data

Almost 1/2 CPR routes instrumented

Temperature, Salinty, Chlorophll Average temperature per sample

Information stored

Extensive auxillary information stored

Route Name and average speed of ship Latitude and Longitude of

deployment, retrievel and course changes

ID CPR and Internal Mechanism Impellor angle of the CPR

Information stored

Sample Latitude and Longitude of the

midpoint of the sample Local time of the midpoint of the

sample Name of the scientist that counted

the plankton

Data Storage and Access History Policy Access via web and OBIS

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

First CPR Atlas published1973

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

First CPR Atlas published1973

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

1995CPR data stored in ACCESS database

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

First CPR Atlas published1973

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

1995CPR data stored in ACCESS database

From data stored in file based database from 1969 -1995

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

Accessibility limited to specialist programmers

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

First CPR Atlas published1973

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

1995CPR data stored in ACCESS database

From data stored in file based database from 1969 -1995

2001

Phytoplankton Colour & data

available via the webCalanus finmarchicus

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

Accessibility limited to specialist programmers

History

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

First computerised Database

1969

First CPR Atlas published1973

Prior to 1969 CPR data was stored on cards and large maps

1995CPR data stored in ACCESS database

From data stored in file based database from 1969 -1995

2004Updated CPR Atlas publishedSAHFOS WinCPR launched

2001

Phytoplankton Colour & data

available via the webCalanus finmarchicus

Accessibility difficult and time consuming

Accessibility limited to specialist programmers

Data Policy

Compliant with GOOS Free access to Monthly and

Annual Mean data Visit Plymouth, UK to access raw

data

Data requests & funding

Web Access & OBIS

Standard Areas PCI and Calanus finmarchicus

Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)

Products SAHFOS WinCPR CPR Atlas

SAHFOS WinCPR v1.0

SAHFOS WinCPR v1.0

Monthly sample distribution maps for 1948 & 1997

SAHFOS WinCPR v1.0 Diatom,

(Chaetoceros) monthly distribution during 1997

SAHFOS WinCPR v1.0

Annual abundance of C. finmarchicus in 1958 & 1997

SAHFOS WinCPR v1.0

Digital CPR Atlas

Calanus helgolandicus (1958 -1999)

Maps demostrate change in geographical range

Digital CPR Atlas Metridia lucens

(1958 -1999)

Maps demostrate diel vertical migration

Data Usage

Who is using the data

Canada France Germany Iceland Italy The Netherlands Norway

Portugal Republic of Ireland South Africa Spain Sweden UK USA

Data requests & funding

Year

1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 Nu

mb

er o

f N

atu

re &

Sci

ence

art

icle

s

0

2

4

6

8

10

To

tal p

ub

licat

ion

s

0

10

20

30

40

50

60Nature & Science articlesTotal publications

Publications using CPR data

Further developments Redesigning the database Further developments of

WinCPR Web Access Environmental data

The CPR database

Decrease time taken to release data

Phytoplankton Colour data early release and available for all samples

Improved user-interface Better information provided for

quality control

The CPR database

Further auxillary information Height of tow point Length of wire Microscope number Location of Sample

SAHFOS WinCPR v2.0

Extend time series Include further environmental

variables SST, Cloud Cover, Wind Speed,

Salinity Extend geographical area Use Lambert co-ordinates Improved gridding method

Data available via the web User-defined area for abundance

data Summary statistics

Number of Samples per month Monthly Mean Phytoplankton

Colour Index data Raw sample data Metadata on species

Environmental data

Sea Surface Temperature Cloud Cover Wind Speed Salinity

Conclusions Data on demand is desirable Tools to provide easy accessibility Data available to a wider audience

Finally

Improved data storage Efficient access Increased use Further research Financial stabilty Continuation of the survey

Continuous Plankton Recorder Database: current uses and future directions

Darren Stevens

Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science

Email dpst@sahfos.ac.uk