Phytoplankton Data from the Eastern Continental Shelf Waters of the United States, Cape Hatteras to Gulf of Maine, 1979-1985

This data set contains seasonal records of phytoplankton composition and abundance, from the eastern continental shelf waters of the United States (Cape Hatteras, N.C to Gulf of Maine). Predominantly surface (1-4m) water samples were taken (e.g. 828 total) along transects from near shore to the outer shelf during 32 cruises for phytoplankton analysis, along with accompanying station co-ordinates, salinity and temperature data. The time period represents ca. a two decade historical data set applicable to future comparative studies regarding climatic or other environmental changes associated with the phytoplankton presence in this oceanic region.

All water samples collected were analyzed at the Phytoplankton Analysis Laboratory at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. The majority of the sampling came from vessels of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service programs that included Ocean Pulse and MARMAP.

Accompanying publications presenting mean concentrations and volumes for species and algal categories across regions of the shelf, and specific distribution information are in the following references. These studies represent the most extensive and concentrated coverage of phytoplankton composition completed to date for this region.

References (for above and related studies):
Marshall, H.G. 1984. Mesoscale distribution patterns for diatoms over the northeastern continental shelf of the United States. In: D.G. Mann, (ed.), Proceedings of the Seventh International Diatom Symposium. Koeltz Publ., Koenigstein, pp. 393 400.
Marshall, H.G. 1985. Comparison of numerical and cell volume measurements of phytoplankton groups of the continental shelf off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. Hydrobiologia. 120:171 179.
Marshall, H.G. 1986a. Diatom associations of the northeastern continental shelf and slope waters of the United States. In: M. Ricard,(ed.), Proceedings of the 8th International Diatom Symposium. Koeltz Publ., Koenigstein, pp. 539 548.
Marshall, H.G. 1986b. The seasonal influence of Chesapeake Bay phytoplankton to the continental shelf. In: S. Skreslet, (ed.), The role of freshwater outflow in coastal marine ecosystems. Springer Verlag. pp. 319 327.
Marshall, H.G. 1988a. Distribution and concentration patterns of ubiquitous diatoms for the northeastern continental shelf of the United States. Proceedings of the 9th International Diatom Symposium. Koeltz Publ., Koenigstein, pp. 75 85.
Marshall, H.G. l988b. Phytoplankton composition at the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay. J. Elisha Mitchell Society. 104:81-89.
Marshall, H.G. and M.S. Cohn. 1983. Distribution and composition of phytoplankton in northeastern coastal waters of the United States. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science. 17:119 131.
Marshall, H.G. and M.S. Cohn. 1987a. Phytoplankton composition of the New York Bight and adjacent waters. J. Plankton Research. 9:267 276.
Marshall, H.G. and M.S. Cohn. 1987b. Phytoplankton distribution along the eastern coast of the U.S.A. Part VI. Shelf waters between Cape Charles and Cape May. J. Plankton Research. 9:139 149.
Marshall, H.G. and J.A. Ranasinghe. 1989. Phytoplankton distribution along the eastern coast of the USA. Part VII. Mean cell concentration and standing crop biomass. Continental Shelf Research. 9:153¬-164.
Matta, J.F. and H.G. Marshall. 1984. A multivariate analysis of phytoplankton assemblages in the western North Atlantic. J. Plankton Research. 6:663 675.

本数据集收录了美国东部大陆架海域（北卡罗来纳州哈特拉斯角至缅因湾）的浮游植物群落组成与丰度的季节观测记录。研究期间共开展32次科考航次，沿近岸至外陆架的断面采集表层（1-4米）水样总计约828份，同步记录了测站坐标、盐度与温度数据，用于浮游植物分析。该数据集的时间跨度约为二十年，可用于该海域与浮游植物相关的气候及其他环境变化的未来对比研究。

所有采集的水样均在弗吉尼亚州诺福克市的奥多明尼昂大学浮游植物分析实验室完成检测。本次采样主要依托美国国家海洋和大气管理局（National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA）国家海洋渔业服务局的相关航次项目，包括Ocean Pulse与MARMAP。

已有配套文献对该陆架各分区的物种及藻类类群的平均浓度、体积，以及特定分布信息进行了报道，相关参考文献如下。本系列研究是当前针对该海域浮游植物组成开展的覆盖范围最广、采样最密集的调查工作。

参考文献（含本研究及相关研究）：
1. Marshall, H.G. 1984. 美国东北部大陆架海域硅藻的中尺度分布格局. 载于：D.G. Mann 主编，第七届国际硅藻研讨会论文集. Koeltz出版社，柯尼希施泰因，第393-400页.
2. Marshall, H.G. 1985. 美国马萨诸塞州科德角外陆架浮游植物类群的计数与细胞体积测量方法对比. 《水生生物学》（Hydrobiologia），120:171-179.
3. Marshall, H.G. 1986a. 美国东北部大陆架及斜坡海域的硅藻群落. 载于：M. Ricard 主编，第八届国际硅藻研讨会论文集. Koeltz出版社，柯尼希施泰因，第539-548页.
4. Marshall, H.G. 1986b. 切萨皮克湾浮游植物对大陆架的季节影响. 载于：S. Skreslet 主编，《沿海海洋生态系统中的淡水输出作用》，施普林格出版社，第319-327页.
5. Marshall, H.G. 1988a. 美国东北部大陆架广布硅藻的分布与浓度格局. 第九届国际硅藻研讨会论文集. Koeltz出版社，柯尼希施泰因，第75-85页.
6. Marshall, H.G. 1988b. 切萨皮克湾入口处的浮游植物组成. 《埃利沙·米切尔学会志》，104:81-89.
7. Marshall, H.G. 与 M.S. Cohn. 1983. 美国东北近岸海域浮游植物的分布与组成. 《河口、海岸与陆架科学》（Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science），17:119-131.
8. Marshall, H.G. 与 M.S. Cohn. 1987a. 纽约湾及邻近海域的浮游植物组成. 《浮游生物研究杂志》（Journal of Plankton Research），9:267-276.
9. Marshall, H.G. 与 M.S. Cohn. 1987b. 美国东海岸浮游植物分布 第六部分：查尔斯角至梅角之间的陆架海域. 《浮游生物研究杂志》，9:139-149.
10. Marshall, H.G. 与 J.A. Ranasinghe. 1989. 美国东海岸浮游植物分布 第七部分：平均细胞浓度与现存量生物量. 《大陆架研究》（Continental Shelf Research），9:153-164.
11. Matta, J.F. 与 H.G. Marshall. 1984. 西北大西洋浮游植物群落的多元分析. 《浮游生物研究杂志》，6:663-675.