RRS Challenger CH29
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS Challenger (74CH) |
| Cruise identifier | CH29 |
| Cruise period | 1988-05-21 — 1988-06-04 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Plymouth, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Troon, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | 1. To determine size fractionated 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. 3. To determine the horizontal and vertical distribution of micro and mesozooplankton including fish and eggs larvae, in relation to hydrographic conditions. 4. To assess the quantity, composition (species identification) and quality of the various particle size fractions available as food for fish larvae. Analyses:- dissolved free amino acids, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carbon (POC, PC) nitrogen, ash free dry weight and pigments in various size classes of particulates and in fish larvae and eggs. 5. Fish larvae will be collected and stored in liquid nitrogen for determination of gut contents, RNA/DNA and biochemical analysis. |
| Chief scientist | Bob Williams (Plymouth Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | ROSIMER |
| Cruise report |  (0.50 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Irish Sea |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of profiles = 52 Description: disc |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: number of stations = 13 |
| Optics (eg underwater light levels) | Quantity: number of stations = 4 |
| Chemical oceanography | |
| Phosphate | Quantity: number of stations = 8 |
| Nitrate | Quantity: number of stations = 8 |
| Nitrite | Quantity: number of stations = 8 |
| Silicate | Quantity: number of stations = 8 |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Primary productivity | Quantity: number of stations = 8 |
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of stations = 52 |
| Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON) | Quantity: number of stations = 52 |
| Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids) | Quantity: number of stations = 52 |
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 7 |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of hauls = 110 Description: distribution,description of communities |
| Seston | Quantity: number of stations = 52 Description: disc |
| Eggs and larvae | Quantity: number of stations = 7 |
| Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms | Quantity: number of stations = 20 |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 52 Description: vitamin concentrations |
