NOAA RESTORE Science Program: Effects of nitrogen sources and plankton food-web dynamics on habitat quality for the larvae of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico - mesozooplankton data from 2017-05-10 to 2018-05-19 (NCEI Accession 0229611)

This dataset presents results from zooplankton net tows taken in the open ocean Gulf of Mexico during cruises of the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster, May 10-30, 2017 (NF17), and May 5-19, 2018 (NF18). Mesozooplankton results include separate files for: 1) wet weight, dry weight, carbon and nitrogen biomass estimates for total zooplankton and five size fractions; 2) carbon and nitrogen percent dry weight, stable carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) isotope ratios of five size fractions; and 3) size-fractioned chlorophyll and phaeopigment gut pigment contents, pigment-based estimates of mesozooplankton grazing on phytoplankton in the euphotic zone (grazing m-2 h-1) and biomass-specific rates of grazing relative to zooplankton dry weight and carbon.