Technology development to improve phytoplankton assessment in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, 2013 and 2015

This project addressed a general research priority of NPRB for technology development to enable more efficient sampling and observation of critical biota in Alaskan marine ecosystems. Specifically, this entailed refining a prototype automated phytoplankton imager so that it is optimized for use with the phytoplankton species and optical conditions typical of productive Alaskan waters. In addition to laboratory testing, the performance of this technology was field-tested during a three-month study in the Bering and Chukchi in fall 2013, and again using a second-generation instrument in spring 2015. These field trials provided an opportunity to test and fine the optical quality and ‘imagability’ of algal cells in Alaskan waters that could not be replicated in the lab A modified version of the initial (ICESCAPE) cell imager was sent on four USCGC Healy cruises to the Bering and Chukchi Seas that arose as opportunities after the start of this project in 2012 (HLY1301 and 1303 in August and October 2013, and HLY1401-02 on the 2014 SUBICE cruise in May with Dr. Dean Stockwell, SFOS-UAF). The optics and electronics were refined in a second-generation instrument, which was field-tested by Dr. Laney on RV Sikuliaq in May 2015 and by Dr. Lisa Eisner on Oscar Dyson in June 2015. Images are provided that represent the actual native algal assemblages at sea. These example phytoplankton cell images are stored in instrument proprietary format and provided for viewing via the WHOI IFCB image dashboard, accessible by the internet at http://ifcb-data.whoi.edu/. Any image can be downloaded and saved as a *.JPG. This technology development effort builds off preliminary assessment of an earlier instrument prototype that was built and evaluated in regions of the Bering and Chukchi in 2010-11. The two datasets of example test images: From Healy: HLY1301 July 30 2013 to August 15 2013 From Sikuliaq: SKQ201505S March 20 2015 to April 7 2015