SmartBuoy Marine Observational Network - UK Waters Phytoplankton Data 2018-2019

This dataset consists of analysed phytoplankton data from the years 2018-2019 inclusive collected in UK waters from the SmartBuoy moorings at Dowsing, WestGabbard2, Warp and Liverpool Bay using WMS and EDU automated water samplers. SmartBuoys consist of a 4 meter tall stainless steel frame with a fibreglass toroid for buoyancy. Instruments are attached at a nominal 1 meter depth to the frame. The water samplers collect into pre-spiked bags containing acidified Lugols Iodine on a pre-determined cycle over the course of a deployment. As of the beginning of this data set water samples have been taken using a CTD rosette on mooring turnarounds in case of buoy failure, reducing the issue of data gaps Following recovery these samples were analysed for a full community of phytoplankton species using the Utermohl method on high-power inverted microscopes. Phytoplankton cell counts are abundance values reported in Cells per Litre. This dataset is a continuation of the 'SmartBuoy Marine Observational Network - UK Waters Phytoplankon Data 2001-2017 (Milligan and Bear (2019). SmartBuoy Marine Observational Network - Phytoplankton Data 2001-2017. Cefas, UK. V2. doi: https://doi.org/10.14466/CefasDataHub.58). These deployments form part of the National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP) funded by the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). SmartBuoy phytoplankton data is primarily used for eutrophication monitoring and feeds into OSPAR and MSFD assessments. Buoys have also been deployed as part of short term (up to 3 years) research contracts. Phytoplankton samples have been collected using SmartBuoys since April 2001 at a variety of locations in the North Sea, Irish Sea and Celtic Sea. Blanks in the dataset constitute information which is unavailable and should be treated as missing. This dataset is now Version 2, which includes Size Class information per taxa and a .txt file to provide detailed descriptions for each column.