Plankton relative abundance data for samples collected during the R/V Bellows cruise of DeSoto Canyon, December 2012 (BE-1311)

This dataset reports plankton species abundance from sites off the Florida Panhandle Bight at the head of DeSoto Canyon. Plankton samples were collected from 13 offshore shelf sites December 12-14, 2012. This dataset reports the location, date, time, and length of tow for each sample. Plankton species were categorized as Ceratium spp., Dinophysis spp., other dinoflagellates, Chaetoceros/Bacteriastrum spp., Rhizosolenia/Guinardia spp, Eucampia/Hemiaulus spp., other chain-forming diatoms, Thalassionematales spp., Nitzschioid diatoms, other diatoms, Cyanobacteria (Trichodesmium spp.), and zooplankton. Abundances were recorded as individual counts as well as percentages of total sample.