Oceanographic data from 12 monthly cruises off the Israeli coast in the east Mediterranean conducted between Feb 2018 and Jan 2019 at a continental shelf station (~140m depth) and an open-deep water station.

<p>The Levantine basin of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) is one of the most oligotrophic regions of the world ocean, yet supports relatively diverse populations of organisms from microbes to fish. In this ecosystem, processes involving both seasonal bottom up control (nutrient limitation) and biotic interactions (such as coupling of primary productivity to heterotrophic growth and grazing) likely control community structure and function. The EMS, despite being an inland sea, has many of the characteristics of a major ocean gyre, while being highly accessible - only a few hours by ship from shore. Thus, the EMS is an accessible natural laboratory to study biotic and a-biotic processes affecting oligotrophic seas.</p>

东地中海（Eastern Mediterranean Sea, EMS）黎凡特盆地是全球海洋中寡营养（oligotrophic）程度最高的区域之一，却支撑着从微生物到鱼类的相对多样的生物种群。在该生态系统中，涉及季节性上行控制（bottom up control，即营养盐限制）与生物相互作用（例如初级生产力与异养生长、牧食作用（grazing）的耦合）的过程，大概率调控着群落的结构与功能。东地中海虽为内陆海，却具备大型海洋环流（ocean gyre）的诸多特征，同时兼具极高的可及性——仅需数小时船程即可抵达近岸区域。因此，东地中海黎凡特盆地是研究影响寡营养海域的生物与非生物（abiotic）过程的优质天然实验室。