CTD and plankton relative abundance data collected during R/V Bellows cruise BE-1403 in the DeSoto Canyon, Gulf of Mexico from 2013-09-14 to 2013-09-16 (NCEI Accession 0176511)

This dataset contains CTD and plankton species relative abundance data collected during R/V Bellows cruise BE-1403 from 2013-09-14 to 2013-09-16. CTD data were collected from 27 sample sites, while plankton samples were collected from 14 offshore shelf sites off the Florida Panhandle at the head of DeSoto Canyon using a net with a mesh size of 25-micrometer and 0.5-meter diameter. Plankton abundance data report the location, date, time, and length of tow for each sample. Plankton species are categorized as Ceratium spp., Dinophysis spp., other dinoflagellates, Chaetoceros spp., Rhizosolenia/Guinardia, Eucampia/Hemiaulus, other chain-forming diatoms, Thalassionema spp., Nitzschiod diatoms, other diatoms, cyanobacteria (Trichodesmium spp.), and zooplankton. Abundances were recorded as individual counts as well as percentages of the total sample. Diatoms and dinoflagellates counted as cells, cyanobacteria as colonies/filaments, and zooplankton as individuals.