Picoplankton and Bacteria Abundance analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM) collected aboard student cruises, SKrillEx I (2014), SKrillEx II (2015), and Falkor (2013).

Picophytoplankton populations and non-pigmented prokaryotes are sampled within the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) on SKrillEx I and II, and across the North Pacific on the Falkor, for abundances at various depths. Seawater is collected from Niskin bottles and cells are fixed in the field with paraformaldehyde, and stained with a DNA-specific dye back in the laboratory. The cells are enumerated by an Altra flow cytometer (with a syringe pump for volumetric sample delivery) simultaneously with argon ion lasers, to distinguish three major populations of photoautotrophs (Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and pico-eukaryotes) and the assemblage of heterotrophic prokaryotes collectively referred to as H-Bact. These three student cruises, SKrillEx I, SKrillEx II, and Falkor, were distinct cruises and this dataset is complete.