This file format is used for data from field sampling of marine organisms in intertidal or subtidal habitats. The data are collected to provide information about species abundance and distribution. Data from each observation may include: cruise and station information such as vessel name, senior scientist, position, date, and time; environmental conditions such as surface temperature and salinity, wind speed and direction, and sea state; sediment and habitat descriptors; and species identification and organism counts and measurements. Data may be reported for either individual or composite samples. A text record is available for reporting comments.
Seven 126-character records: (1) File Header Record, (2) Station Header Record, (3) Site Header Record, (4) Composite Data Record, (5) Individual Sample Record, (6) Profile Data Record, (7) Text Record.
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| FILE HEADER RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '1' | 10 | 1 |
| VESSEL NAME/FIELD UNIT | ELEVEN-CHARACTER FIELD FOR PLATFORM IDENTIFICATION | 11 | 11 |
| CRUISE NUMBER | SIX-CHARACTER FIELD ASSIGNED BY THE ORIGINATOR | 22 | 6 |
| START DATE (GMT) | YYYYMMDD | 28 | 8 |
| END DATE (GMT) | YYYYMMDD | 36 | 8 |
| SENIOR SCIENTIST | 19-CHARACTER FIELD FOR SENIOR SCIENTIST OR TEAM LEADER | 44 | 19 |
| INVESTIGATOR/INSTITUTION | 64-CHARACTER FIELD FOR INVESTIGATOR AND OR INSTITUTION NAME | 63 | 64 |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| STATION HEADER RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '2' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | FIVE-CHARACTER FIELD ASSIGNED BY THE ORIGINATOR - ALSO INCLUDED ON RECORD TYPES 3,4,5,6 AND 7 | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | XXXX - USED FOR SORTING DATA RECORDS - ALSO INCLUDED ON RECORD TYPES 3,4,5,6 AND 7 | 16 | 4 |
| LATITUDE | DDMMXX (DEGREES, MINUTES TO HUNDREDTHS) | 20 | 6 |
| LATITUDE HEMISPHERE | 1-CHARACTER CODE - 'N' OR 'S' | 26 | 1 |
| LONGITUDE | DDDMMXX (DEGREES, MINUTES TO HUNDREDTHS) | 27 | 7 |
| LONGITUDE HEMISPHERE | 1-CHARACTER CODE - 'E' OR 'W' | 34 | 1 |
| DATE | YYYYMMDD | 35 | 8 |
| START TIME (GMT) | XXXX (HOURS AND MINUTES) | 43 | 4 |
| ELAPSED TIME (GMT) | XXXX (HOURS AND MINUTES) | 47 | 4 |
| TIME ZONE | TWO-DIGIT FIELD PRECEDED BY + OR - SIGN TO INDICATE GEOGRAPHIC TIME ZONE | 51 | 3 |
| SURFACE SALINITY | XXXXX (PARTS PER THOUSAND OR PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS - TO THOUSANDTHS) | 54 | 5 |
| SURFACE TEMPERATURE | XXXXX NEGATIVE TEMPERATURES ARE PRECEDED BY A MINUS SIGN ADJACENT TO TEMPERATURE VALUE (DEG C TO HUNDREDTHS) | 59 | 5 |
| AIR TEMPERATURE | XXXX NEGATIVE TEMPERATURES ARE PRECEDED BY A MINUS SIGN ADJACENT TO TEMPERATURE VALUE (DEG C TO TENTHS) | 64 | 4 |
| SECCHI DISC DEPTH | XXX (METERS TO TENTHS) | 68 | 3 |
| WEATHER | TWO-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0159 (WMO 4677) | 71 | 2 |
| CLOUD TYPE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0053 (WMO 0500) | 73 | 1 |
| CLOUD AMOUNT | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0105 (2700) | 74 | 1 |
| WIND SPEED | XX (WHOLE KNOTS) | 75 | 2 |
| WIND DIRECTION | XXX (DEGREES) - DIRECTION FROM | 77 | 3 |
| SEA STATE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0109 (WMO 3700) | 80 | 1 |
| BREAKER HEIGHT | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0109 (WMO 3700) | 81 | 1 |
| EXPOSURE DIRECTION | XXX (DEGREES) | 82 | 3 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-TERTIARY* | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0103 | 85 | 1 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-SECONDARY* | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0103 | 86 | 1 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-PRIMARY* | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0103 | 87 | 1 |
| *THERE MAY BE ANY COMBINATION OF UP TO 3 SUBSTRATA TYPE CODES. CODE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT (MOST PREDOMINANT ON THE RIGHT) | |||
| BAROMETRIC PRESSURE | XXXX (MILLIBARS TO TENTHS) | 88 | 4 |
| HABITAT GEOMORPHIC | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0098 | 92 | 1 |
| HABITAT COMPOSITION | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0008 | 93 | 1 |
| HABITAT COVER | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0009 | 94 | 1 |
| HABITAT SLOPE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0071 | 95 | 1 |
| SECCHI DISC VISIBILITY | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0220 | 96 | 1 |
| SALINITY METHOD | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - ('P'=PRACTICAL SALINITY, 'S'=SALINITY, BLANK=NOT SPECIFIED) | 97 | 1 |
| STATION IDENTIFIER | 10-CHARACTER ORIGINATOR STATION IDENTIFIER | 98 | 10 |
| BLANKS | 108 | 19 | |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| SITE HEADER RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '3' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 16 | 4 |
| CATALOG NUMBER | EIGHT-CHARACTER FIELD FOR THE ORIGINATOR'S INTERNAL NUMBER | 20 | 8 |
| PHOTOGRAPH NUMBER | TEN-CHARACTER FIELD FOR THE ORIGINATOR'S INTERNAL NUMBER | 28 | 10 |
| GEAR TYPE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0010 | 38 | 1 |
| TRANSECT NUMBER | TWO-CHARACTER FIELD ASSIGNED BY THE ORIGINATOR | 39 | 2 |
| TRANSECT DIRECTION | XXX (DEGREES TOWARD) | 41 | 3 |
| METER NUMBER | FOUR-CHARACTER FIELD DETERMINED BY THE ORIGINATOR | 44 | 2 |
| ZONE/ARROW/NO. OF SAMPLE | THREE-CHARACTER FIELD DETERMINED BY THE ORIGINATOR | 48 | 3 |
| QUADRAT SIZE | XXXXX - EXPRESSED IN SQ METERS (TO THOUSANDTHS) | 51 | 5 |
| ELEVATION | XXXX - METERS TO HUNDREDTHS PRECEDED BY MINUS SIGN FOR SAMPLES COLLECTED BELOW WATER LEVEL | 56 | 4 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-TERTIARY | SEE RECORD '2' | 60 | 1 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-SECONDARY | SEE RECORD '2' | 61 | 1 |
| SUBSTRATA TYPE-PRIMARY | SEE RECORD '2' | 62 | 1 |
| SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY III | SAME CODING SCHEME AS SUBSTRATE TYPE - USE NODC CODE 0011 | 63 | 1 |
| SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY II | SAME AS ABOVE | 64 | 1 |
| SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY I | SAME AS ABOVE | 65 | 1 |
| COLLECTION TIME (GMT) | XXXX (HOURS AND MINUTES) | 66 | 4 |
| SIEVE SIZE | XXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 70 | 4 |
| DILUTION VOLUME* | XXX (TO THOUSANDTHS) | 74 | 3 |
| *THAT PORTION OF A SAMPLE EXPRESSED IN DECIMAL EQUIVALENTS WHICH IS ANALYZED AFTER THE SAMPLE HAS BEEN DILUTED, AS A MEANS OF STATISTICALLY ESTIMATING THE COMPOSITION OF THE SAMPLE WITHOUT HAVING TO EXAMINE THE ENTIRE SAMPLE. FOR EXAMPLE, A SAMPLE IS DILUTED SO AS TO EQUAL 16 TIMES ITS ORIGINAL VOLUME, WITH ONE- SIXTEENTH BEING THE PART STUDIED, WILL HAVE ITS DILUTION VOLUME RECORDED AS .063 | |||
| QUADRAT SLOPE | XX (DEGREES) | 77 | 2 |
| DIRECTION OF QUADRAT SLOPE | XXX (DEGREES TOWARD) | 79 | 3 |
| GRAB NUMBER | XX - SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF MULTIPLE DIGS ASSIGNED BY THE ORIGINATOR | 82 | 1 |
| SEDIMENT | XXXXXXX - LITERS TO THOUSANDTHS | 84 | 7 |
| MEAN GRAIN SIZE | TWO-DIGIT FIELD - PHI GRADE SCALE BASED ON THE NEGATIVE LOGARITHM TO THE BASE 2 OF THE PARTICLE DIAMETER IN MILLIMETERS - MINUS PHI MUST BE REPORTED WITH A MINUS SIGN IN COL 91 | 91 | 2 |
| PATCH GRID SIZE | XXXXX (SQ METERS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 93 | 5 |
| MEDIUM FRAME MULTIPLE | XX - NUMBER OF GRIDS OCCUPIED BY ALL SPECIES WITHIN | 98 | 2 |
| LARGE FRAME MULTIPLE | XX - NUMBER OF GRIDS OCCUPIED BY ALL SPECIES WITHIN | 100 | 2 |
| TOTAL WORK AREA | XXXXX (SQ METERS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 102 | 5 |
| DEPTH | XXXX - DEPTH OF SAMPLE (METERS TO TENTHS) | 107 | 5 |
| DISTANCE OF NET TOW | XXX (METERS TO TENTHS) - SEE COL 118 | 112 | 3 |
| LARGE SAMPLE QUADRAT | XXX (SQ METERS TO TENTHS) | 115 | 3 |
| DISTANCE OF NET TOW | XXX - TO BE USED FOR DISTANCES OF 100 METERS OR MORE (WHOLE METERS) | 118 | 3 |
| BLANKS | 121 | 6 | |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| COMPOSITE DATA RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '4' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 16 | 4 |
| TAXONOMIC CODE | TWELVE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC TAXONOMIC CODE | 20 | 12 |
| SEX | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0101 | 32 | 1 |
| CONDITION III | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE COMBINATION OF UP TO 3 CONDITION CODES - CODE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT - USE NODC CODE 0069 | 33 | 1 |
| CONDITION II | SAME AS ABOVE | 34 | 1 |
| CONDITION I | SAME AS ABOVE | 35 | 1 |
| COVERAGE | XXX - THE PERCENTAGE OF THE QUADRAT COVERED BY SPECIES TO SMALL TO BE COUNTED OR TOO WELL ATTACHED TO THE SUBSTRATE TO BE REMOVED - WHOLE PERCENT | 36 | 3 |
| COUNT | XXXXX - TOTAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS (FOR EACH SPECIES) | 39 | 5 |
| WET WEIGHT | XXXXXXX (GRAMS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 44 | 7 |
| DRY WEIGHT | XXXXXXX (GRAMS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 51 | 7 |
| MINIMUM LENGTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 58 | 6 |
| MAXIMUM LENGTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 64 | 6 |
| DISPLACEMENT VOLUME | XXXXX (MILLILITERS TO TENTHS) | 70 | 5 |
| MEAN LENGTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 75 | 6 |
| MINIMUM WIDTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 81 | 6 |
| MAXIMUM WIDTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 87 | 6 |
| MEAN WIDTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 93 | 6 |
| MINIMUM AGE | XX (YEARS) | 99 | 2 |
| MAXIMUM AGE | XX (YEARS) | 101 | 2 |
| MEAN AGE | XX (YEARS) | 103 | 2 |
| SMALL FRAME | XXX - NUMBER OF GRIDS OCCUPIED BY SPECIES WITHIN | 105 | 3 |
| MEDIUM FRAME | XXX - NUMBER OF GRIDS OCCUPIED BY SPECIES WITHIN | 108 | 3 |
| LARGE FRAME | XX - NUMBER OF GRIDS OCCUPIED BY SPECIES WITHIN | 111 | 2 |
| DILUTION VOLUME | PPP - SEE RECORD '3' FOR EXPLANATION | 113 | 3 |
| PLANT HEIGHT | XX - FOR PLANTS LESS THAN 100 CM IN HEIGHT (WHOLE CENTIMETERS) | 116 | 2 |
| STARFISH MEASUREMENTS | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE WHEN STARFISH MEASUREMENTS (COLS 58-69, 75-80) ARE REPORTED - USE NODC CODE 0070 | 118 | 1 |
| PLANT HEIGHT | XXXX - PLANT HEIGHTS THAT EXCEED 99 CENTIMETERS - IN WHOLE CENTIMETERS | 119 | 4 |
| BLANK | 123 | 4 | |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| INDIVIDUAL SAMPLE DATA | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '5' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 16 | 4 |
| TAXONOMIC CODE | TWELVE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC TAXONOMIC CODE | 20 | 12 |
| SEX | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0101 | 32 | 1 |
| CONDITION III | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE COMBINATION OF UP TO 3 CONDITION CODES - CODE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT - USE NODC CODE 0069 | 33 | 1 |
| CONDITION II | SAME AS ABOVE | 34 | 1 |
| CONDITION I | SAME AS ABOVE | 35 | 1 |
| AGE | XX (YEARS) | 36 | 2 |
| WET WEIGHT | XXXXXXX (GRAMS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 38 | 7 |
| DRY WEIGHT | XXXXXXX (GRAMS TO THOUSANDTHS) | 45 | 7 |
| LENGTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 52 | 6 |
| WIDTH | XXXXXX (MILLIMETERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 58 | 6 |
| DISPLACEMENT VOLUME | XXXXX (MILLILITERS TO TENTHS) | 64 | 5 |
| STARFISH MEASUREMENTS | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE WHEN STARFISH MEASUREMENTS (COLS 52-63) ARE REPORTED - USE NODC CODE 0070 | 69 | 1 |
| BLANKS | 70 | 57 | |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| PROFILE DATA RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '6' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 16 | 4 |
| OXYGEN | XXX (MILLILITERS PER LITER TO TENTHS) | 20 | 3 |
| PH | XX (TO TENTHS) | 23 | 2 |
| PH SCALE | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - USE NODC CODE 0183 | 25 | 1 |
| SALINITY | XXX (PARTS PER THOUSAND OR PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS - TO TENTHS) | 26 | 3 |
| INTERSTITIAL SALINITY | XXX (PARTS PER THOUSAND OR PRACTICAL SALINITY UNITS - TO TENTHS) | 29 | 3 |
| PERMAFROST DEPTH | XX (METERS TO TENTHS) | 32 | 2 |
| WATER TEMPERATURE | XXX NEGATIVE TEMPERATURES ARE PRECEDED BY A MINUS SIGN ADJACENT TO TEMPERATURE VALUE (DEG C TO TENTHS) | 34 | 3 |
| SECCHI DISK DEPTH | XXXX (METERS TO HUNDREDTHS) | 37 | 4 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS GREATER THAN -8 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT TO TENTHS) | 41 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS -8 TO -6 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 44 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS -6 TO -4 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 47 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS -4 TO -2 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 50 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS -2 TO -1 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 53 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS -1 TO 0 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 56 | 3 |
| SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS 0 TO 1 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 59 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS 1 TO 2 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 62 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS 2 TO 3 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 65 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS 3 TO 4 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 68 | 3 |
| GRAIN SIZE IN PHI UNIT LEVELS LESS THAN 4 | XXX (PERCENT BY WEIGHT) (TO TENTHS) | 71 | 3 |
| SALINITY METHOD | ONE-CHARACTER CODE - ('P'=PRACTICAL SALINITY, 'S'=SALINITY, BLANK=NOT SPECIFIED) | 74 | 1 |
| BLANKS | 75 | 52 | |
| PARAMETER | DESCRIPTION | STARTING COLUMN | FIELD LENGTH |
| TEXT RECORD | |||
| NODC FILE NUMBER | ALWAYS '030' | 1 | 3 |
| NODC TRACK NUMBER | 6-CHARACTER UNIQUE CRUISE OR DATA SET IDENTIFIER ASSIGNED BY NODC | 4 | 6 |
| RECORD NUMBER | ALWAYS '7' | 10 | 1 |
| STATION NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 11 | 5 |
| SEQUENCE NUMBER | SEE RECORD '2' | 16 | 4 |
| TEXT | 103-CHARACTER FIELD FOR COMMENTS OR PERTINENT INFORMATION | 20 | 103 |
| BLANK | 123 | 4 | |
| CODE NUMBER C | CODE NAME |
|---|---|
| 0008 | COMPOSITION |
| 0009 | COVER (030) |
| 0010 | GEAR TYPE (030) |
| 0011 | SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY |
| 0053 | CLOUD TYPE (WMO 500) |
| 0069 | CONDITION |
| 0070 | STARFISH MEASUREMENT |
| 0071 | SLOPE (030) |
| 0098 | HABITAT |
| 0101 | SEX |
| 0103 | SUBSTRATA TYPE |
| 0105 | CLOUD AMOUNT (WMO 2700) |
| 0109 | SEA STATE (WMO 3700) |
| 0159 | WEATHER (WMO 4677) |
| 0183 | PH SCALE |
| 0220 | SECCHI VISIBILITY |