Spectral algal concentrations measured with a bbe Moldaenke FluoroProbe in discrete water column samples from lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (2004–2023, ongoing)

An important component of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research (MCM LTER) project is monitoring the spatial and temporal patterns and processes that regulate primary production in perennial ice-covered lakes. Phytoplankton are the dominant primary producers in the photic zones of these lakes and play a central role in carbon cycling. This data package quantifies spectral algal concentrations measured with a bbe Moldaenke FluoroProbe at discrete depths throughout the water column of multiple lakes across the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, providing long-term observations that support investigations into primary production dynamics and ecosystem responses to environmental change.