Dataset, phytoplankton community response to a drought-to-wet climate transition in a subtropical estuary

Data describing phytoplankton community composition in the Mission-Aransas Estuary in Texas from 2012-2019. Water column particulates were sampled bimonthly and analyzed for pigment concentration and particulate organic carbon concentration. Site abbreviations are Copano Bay West (CW), Copano Bay East (CE), Aransas Bay (AB), and Ship Channel (SC), which are the same sites used by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve system-wide monitoring program. Parameters included are chlorophyll a, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIN), phosphate (PO4), particulate organic carbon (POC), salinity, temperature (C), and Palmer Drought Severity Index. Phytoplankton taxa indluded are cyanobacteria, prymnesiophytes, pelagophytes, dinoflagellates, diatoms, cryptophytes, and prasinophytes. Pigments included are peridinin, fucoxanthin, prasinoxanthin, 19-hex-fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, clhorophyll b, chlorophyll c2, 19-but-fucoxanthin, alloxanthin, and chlorophyll a.