The Baltic Sea Proper and the Gulf of Finland

Variable fluorescence parameters; Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies; Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column; Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column; Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column; Salinity of the water column; Silicate concentration parameters in the water column; Temperature of the water column; Phytoplankton taxonomic abundance in water bodies; Phytoplankton taxonomic biomass in water bodies

Fluorometers; thermosalinographs; discrete water samplers

The data set has been collected in order to provide spatially and temporally extensive data for the monitoring of the phytoplankton community and algal blooms. In addition to early-warning on harmful algal blooms, the collected data is used to reveal changes in the plankton community including long-term trends and introductions of new and potentially harmful species. The data set comprises of the unattended flow-through measurements onboard several merchant ships (SOOP). The water for the sensors is pumped constantly from the surface layer (5 m) while the ships are moving. The spatial resolution of the high-frequency measurements (in vivo fluorescence of chlorophyll a, temperature, salinity) is 100-300 m along the ships' route, and the temporal frequency between transects varies from 1 to 3 days during the algal intensive growth season (March - October). Additionally, water samples (analyses of chlorophyll a, phytoplankton species composition and nutrients) are automatically collected by a refrigerated sampler at certain designated locations. The amount of water samples varies with route, e.g. on the Lubeck-Helsinki transect 24 samples are collected weekly. Preliminary quality check and calibrations have been made in transferring the data into the local data base.

Finnish Environment Institute
Latokartanonkaari 11
Helsinki

00790
Finland