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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Biological, physical, and chemical data collected from inshore and shelf surface waters in Alabama from 2009-07 to 2011-12 (NCEI Accession 0117507)

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Quantifying the linkages between primary production and higher trophic levels is necessary to understand why particular regions can support high fisheries production. Modified dilution experiments were employed to characterize microbial communities in surface waters at four sites from within a bay to the shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Inshore surface waters were more variable than shelf surface waters due to the strong influence of river discharge. Phytoplankton (Chl a) and prokaryote biomass were both significantly higher inshore than on the shelf, with phytoplankton significantly higher than prokaryotes inshore. Virus and heterotrophic nanoflagellate abundances, however, did not differ between inshore and shelf waters. Samples were amended with nutrients (N + P) to examine the impact of nutrient limitation. Prokaryotes were nutrient limited in 14 (28%) of the experiments, while phytoplankton were nutrient limited in 26 (52%) of the experiments. When phytoplankton were nutrient limited, prokaryote growth rates were significantly altered. A similar impact on phytoplankton growth rates occurred when prokaryotes were nutrient limited, suggesting that the two groups are in competition for resources. Grazing was detected in the majority of experiments, while viral lysis was only detected in 24% of phytoplankton and 12% of prokaryote experiments. Growth and grazing rates for both phytoplankton and prokaryotes were tightly coupled inshore and on the shelf, with significantly more phytoplankton and prokaryotes grazed inshore (average = 106% and 75%, respectively) than on the shelf (average = 55% and 57%). These findings indicate that surface waters across the estuary are highly productive, with microzooplankton grazing transferring the majority of the microbial production to higher trophic levels.
  • Cite as: Ortmann, Alice (2014). Biological, physical, and chemical data collected from inshore and shelf surface waters in Alabama from 2009-07 to 2011-12 (NCEI Accession 0117507). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0117507. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0117507
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  • Originator data format
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2009-07-01 to 2011-12-31
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -88.2116
East: -88.0113
South: 29.79887
North: 30.4374
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • A. C. Ortmann, R. C. Metzger, J. D. Liefer, and L. Novoveska. 2011. Grazing and viral lysis vary for different components of the microbial community across an estuarine gradient. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 65:143-157
  • N. Ortell and A. C. Ortmann (2014) Interactions among members of the microbial loop in an estuary dominated by microzooplankton grazing. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 72:63-71
  • A. C. Ortmann and N. Ortell (2014) Changes in free-living bacterial community diversity reflect the magnitude of environmental variability. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 87:291-301
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2014-04-21
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Supplemental Information
PI: Dr. Alice Ortmann

This data was collected with the FOCAL (Fisheries Oceanography of Coastal Alabama) program. More information about FOCAL can be found at http://focal.disl.org/

This data has been used in the following peer-reviewed publications:

A. C. Ortmann, R. C. Metzger, J. D. Liefer, and L. Novoveska. 2011. Grazing and viral lysis vary for different components of the microbial community across an estuarine gradient. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 65:143-157.

N. Ortell and A. C. Ortmann (2014) Interactions among members of the microbial loop in an estuary dominated by microzooplankton grazing. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 72:63-71.

A. C. Ortmann and N. Ortell. (2014) Changes in free-living bacterial community diversity reflect the magnitude of environmental variability. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 87:291-301.
Purpose These experiments were designed to determine the relative roles of grazing and viral lysis on the microbial communities in Mobile Bay, Alabama
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Ortmann, Alice (2014). Biological, physical, and chemical data collected from inshore and shelf surface waters in Alabama from 2009-07 to 2011-12 (NCEI Accession 0117507). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0117507. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
  • Ortmann, Alice
Principal Investigators
  • Alice Ortmann
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ortmann, Alice (2014). Biological, physical, and chemical data collected from inshore and shelf surface waters in Alabama from 2009-07 to 2011-12 (NCEI Accession 0117507). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0117507. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2014-04-21T15:36:08Z - NCEI Accession 0117507 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • bottle
  • CTD
  • Flow Cytometer
  • fluorescence microscope
  • fluorometer
  • laboratory analysis
  • nutrient autoanalyzer
Last Modified: 2022-10-19T15:43:00Z
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