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RRS Challenger CH13

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Challenger (74CH)
Cruise identifierCH13
Cruise period1987-03-29 — 1987-04-19
StatusCompleted
Port of departureBarry, United Kingdom
Port of returnBarry, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
Objectives1. To determine size fractioned rates of phytoplankton production in different light regimes and bacterial production - to relate these to the production and flux of organic matter by various components of the pelagic ecosystem.
2. To relate primary production, phytoplankton biomass and species composition to the vertical structure, behaviour and feeding of the herbivorous zooplankton; to determine the availability of suitable phytoplankton as a diet for first-feeding larvae.
3. To determine the horizontal and vertical distribution of zooplankton including fish eggs and larvae, in relation to hydrographic conditions and the availability of suitable food for fish larvae.
4. To determine the dissolved free amino acids, vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids present in various zooplankton species and their developmental stages and in fish larvae and eggs; larvae of sprat will be collected for determination of RNA/DNA and histology.
Chief scientistBob Williams (Institute of Marine Environmental Research, Plymouth)
Cruise reportRRS Challenger CH13 cruise report ch13_87.pdf (0.42 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralIrish Sea and St. George's Channel
SpecificIrish Sea
Track chartsRRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328a.html RRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328b.html RRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328c.html RRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328d.html RRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328e.html RRS Challenger CH13 cruise track — trk3328f.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Surface measurements underway (T,S)
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 176
Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of profiles = 10
Chemical oceanography 
Phosphate
Nitrate
Nitrite
Silicate
Radioactivity
Biology and fisheries 
Primary productivityQuantity: number of experiments = 11
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of samples = 200
Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)Quantity: number of samples = 200
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of samples = 200
Phytoplankton
ZooplanktonQuantity: number of samples = 450
Description: survey:distribution,biomass determination,energy transfers,population studies
Seston
Eggs and larvaeQuantity: number of samples = 200
Pelagic bacteria/micro-organismsQuantity: number of stations = 11
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of samples = 100
Description: vitamin concentrations