Articles | Volume 17, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1959-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1959-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description paper
| 
09 May 2025
Data description paper |
| 09 May 2025
| 09 May 2025
Satellite-derived global-ocean phytoplankton phenology indices
Sarah-Anne Nicholson
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Southern Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory, CSIR, Cape Town, South Africa
Thomas J. Ryan-Keogh
Southern Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory, CSIR, Cape Town, South Africa
Sandy J. Thomalla
Southern Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory, CSIR, Cape Town, South Africa
Marine and Antarctic Research Centre for Innovation and Sustainability, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Nicolette Chang
Southern Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory, CSIR, Cape Town, South Africa
Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Marié E. Smith
Coastal Systems and Earth Observation Research Group, CSIR, Cape Town, South Africa
Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Nicolette Chang, Sarah-Anne Nicholson, Marcel du Plessis, Alice D. Lebehot, Thulwaneng Mashifane, Tumelo C. Moalusi, N. Precious Mongwe, and Pedro M. S. Monteiro
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2024-182, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2024-182, 2024
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Mesoscale features (10's to 100's of km) in the Southern Ocean (SO) are crucial for global heat and carbon transport, but often unresolved in models due to high computational costs. To address this source of uncertainty, we use a regional, NEMO model of the SO at 8 km resolution with coupled ocean, ice, and biogeochemistry, BIOPERIANT12. This serves as an experimental platform to explore physical-biogeochemical interactions, model parameters/formulations, and configuring future models.
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Mesoscale features (10's to 100's of km) in the Southern Ocean (SO) are crucial for global heat and carbon transport, but often unresolved in models due to high computational costs. To address this source of uncertainty, we use a regional, NEMO model of the SO at 8 km resolution with coupled ocean, ice, and biogeochemistry, BIOPERIANT12. This serves as an experimental platform to explore physical-biogeochemical interactions, model parameters/formulations, and configuring future models.
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Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4829–4848, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4829-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4829-2023, 2023
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This article studies phytoplankton (microscopic
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Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in the winter Southern Ocean show a high affinity for nitrite but require a minimum (i.e., "threshold") concentration before they increase their rates of nitrite oxidation significantly. The classic Michaelis–Menten model thus cannot be used to derive the kinetic parameters, so a modified equation was employed that also yields the threshold nitrite concentration. Dissolved iron availability may play an important role in limiting nitrite oxidation.
Natasha René van Horsten, Hélène Planquette, Géraldine Sarthou, Thomas James Ryan-Keogh, Nolwenn Lemaitre, Thato Nicholas Mtshali, Alakendra Roychoudhury, and Eva Bucciarelli
Biogeosciences, 19, 3209–3224, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3209-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3209-2022, 2022
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The remineralisation proxy, barite, was measured along 30°E in the southern Indian Ocean during early austral winter. To our knowledge this is the first reported Southern Ocean winter study. Concentrations throughout the water column were comparable to observations during spring to autumn. By linking satellite primary production to this proxy a possible annual timescale is proposed. These findings also suggest possible carbon remineralisation from satellite data on a basin scale.
Thomas J. Ryan-Keogh, Sandy J. Thomalla, Thato N. Mtshali, Natasha R. van Horsten, and Hazel J. Little
Biogeosciences, 15, 4647–4660, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4647-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4647-2018, 2018
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The availability of iron in the Southern Ocean constrains the overall extent and magnitude of the phytoplankton bloom. Uncertainty remains over the dominant supply mechanisms, which are expected to be altered by climate change. Nutrient addition experiments confirm that iron limitation is seasonal in nature, with increased responses to iron addition in late summer. This is driven by variability in the supply mechanisms across the growing season, which fail to meet the phytoplankton demand.
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Biogeosciences, 14, 3883–3897, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3883-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3883-2017, 2017
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Primary production in the Southern Ocean is a key contributor to mitigating global anthropogenic carbon dioxide; however, the controlling mechanisms are poorly understood. A series of experiments were performed to look at whether the rates of primary production are limited by the biogeochemically important micronutrient iron. The results demonstrate that any global climate models that do not take into account the effect of iron availability could underestimate primary production by up to 80 %.
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Rapidly rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations caused by human actions over the past 250 years have raised cause for concern that changes in Earth’s climate system may progress at a much faster pace and larger extent than during the past 20,000 years. Questions that yet need to be answered are what the carbon uptake kinetics of the oceans will be in the future and how the increase in oceanic carbon inventory will affect its ecosystems. Major future ocean carbon research challenges are discussed.
W. R. Joubert, S. Swart, A. Tagliabue, S. J. Thomalla, and P. M. S. Monteiro
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-4335-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-11-4335-2014, 2014
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Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 5281–5300, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5281-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5281-2023, 2023
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Changes in ocean chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration are related to ecosystem balance. Here, we present high-quality gap-filled Chl-a data in open oceans, reflecting the distribution and changes in global Chl-a concentration. Our findings highlight the efficacy of reconstructing missing satellite observations using convolutional neural networks. This dataset and model are valuable for research in ocean color remote sensing, offering data support and methodological references for related studies.
Thomas J. Ryan-Keogh, Sandy J. Thomalla, Nicolette Chang, and Tumelo Moalusi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4829–4848, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4829-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4829-2023, 2023
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Oceanic productivity has been highlighted as an important environmental indicator of climate change in comparison to other existing metrics. However, the availability of these data to assess trends and trajectories is plagued with issues, such as application to only a single satellite reducing the time period for assessment. We have applied multiple algorithms to the longest ocean colour record to provide a record for assessing climate-change-driven trends.
Raed Halawi Ghosn, Émilie Poisson-Caillault, Guillaume Charria, Armel Bonnat, Michel Repecaud, Jean-Valery Facq, Loïc Quéméner, Vincent Duquesne, Camille Blondel, and Alain Lefebvre
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4205–4218, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4205-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4205-2023, 2023
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This article describes a long-term (2004–2022) dataset from an in situ instrumented station located in the eastern English Channel and belonging to the COAST-HF network (ILICO). It provides high temporal resolution (sub-hourly) oceanographic and meteorological measurements. The MAREL Carnot dataset can be used to conduct research in marine ecology, oceanography, and data science. It was utilized to characterize recurrent, rare, and extreme events in the coastal area.
Shungudzemwoyo P. Garaba, Michelle Albinus, Guido Bonthond, Sabine Flöder, Mario L. M. Miranda, Sven Rohde, Joanne Y. L. Yong, and Jochen Wollschläger
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 4163–4179, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4163-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-4163-2023, 2023
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These high-quality data document a harmful algal bloom dominated by Nodularia spumigena, a cyanobacterium that has been recurring in waters around the world, using advanced water observation technologies. We also showcase the benefits of experiments of opportunity and the issues with obtaining synoptic spatio-temporal data for monitoring water quality. The dataset can be leveraged to gain more knowledge on related blooms, develop detection algorithms and optimize future monitoring efforts.
Fabrice Stephenson, Tom Brough, Drew Lohrer, Daniel Leduc, Shane Geange, Owen Anderson, David Bowden, Malcolm R. Clark, Niki Davey, Enrique Pardo, Dennis P. Gordon, Brittany Finucci, Michelle Kelly, Diana Macpherson, Lisa McCartain, Sadie Mills, Kate Neill, Wendy Nelson, Rachael Peart, Matthew H. Pinkerton, Geoffrey B. Read, Jodie Robertson, Ashley Rowden, Kareen Schnabel, Andrew Stewart, Carl Struthers, Leigh Tait, Di Tracey, Shaun Weston, and Carolyn Lundquist
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3931–3939, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3931-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3931-2023, 2023
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Understanding the distribution of species that live at the seafloor is critical to the management of the marine environment but is lacking in many areas. Here, we showcase an atlas of seafloor biodiversity that describes the distribution of approximately 600 organisms throughout New Zealand’s vast marine realm. Each layer in the open-access atlas has been evaluated by leading experts and provides a key resource for the sustainable use of New Zealand's marine environment.
Hubert Loisel, Daniel Schaffer Ferreira Jorge, Rick A. Reynolds, and Dariusz Stramski
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3711–3731, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3711-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3711-2023, 2023
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Studies of light fields in aquatic environments require data from radiative transfer simulations that are free of measurement errors. In contrast to previously published synthetic optical databases, the present database was created by simulations covering a broad range of seawater optical properties that exhibit probability distributions consistent with a global ocean dominated by open-ocean pelagic environments. This database is intended to support ocean color science and applications.
Philippe Massicotte, Marcel Babin, Frank Fell, Vincent Fournier-Sicre, and David Doxaran
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3529–3545, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3529-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3529-2023, 2023
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The COASTlOOC oceanographic expeditions in 1997 and 1998 studied the relationship between seawater properties and biology and chemistry across the European coasts. The team collected data from 379 stations using ships and helicopters to support the development of ocean color remote-sensing algorithms. This unique and consistent dataset is still used today by researchers.
Valentin Siebert, Brivaëla Moriceau, Lukas Fröhlich, Bernd R. Schöne, Erwan Amice, Beatriz Beker, Kevin Bihannic, Isabelle Bihannic, Gaspard Delebecq, Jérémy Devesa, Morgane Gallinari, Yoan Germain, Émilie Grossteffan, Klaus Peter Jochum, Thierry Le Bec, Manon Le Goff, Céline Liorzou, Aude Leynaert, Claudie Marec, Marc Picheral, Peggy Rimmelin-Maury, Marie-Laure Rouget, Matthieu Waeles, and Julien Thébault
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 3263–3281, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3263-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-3263-2023, 2023
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This article presents an overview of the results of biological, chemical and physical parameters measured at high temporal resolution (sampling once and twice per week) during environmental monitoring that took place in 2021 in the Bay of Brest. We strongly believe that this dataset could be very useful for other scientists performing sclerochronological investigations, studying biogeochemical cycles or conducting various ecological research projects.
Sofie Vranken, Marine Robuchon, Stefanie Dekeyzer, Ignacio Bárbara, Inka Bartsch, Aurélie Blanfuné, Charles-François Boudouresque, Wim Decock, Christophe Destombe, Bruno de Reviers, Pilar Díaz-Tapia, Anne Herbst, Romain Julliard, Rolf Karez, Priit Kersen, Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield, Ralph Kuhlenkamp, Akira F. Peters, Viviana Peña, Cristina Piñeiro-Corbeira, Fabio Rindi, Florence Rousseau, Jan Rueness, Hendrik Schubert, Kjersti Sjøtun, Marta Sansón, Dan Smale, Thierry Thibaut, Myriam Valero, Leen Vandepitte, Bart Vanhoorne, Alba Vergés, Marc Verlaque, Christophe Vieira, Line Le Gall, Frederik Leliaert, and Olivier De Clerck
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2711–2754, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2711-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2711-2023, 2023
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We present AlgaeTraits, a high-quality seaweed trait database. The data are structured within the framework of WoRMS and are supported by an expert editor community. With 45 175 trait records for 21 prioritised biological and ecological traits, and a taxonomic coverage of 1 745 European species, AlgaeTraits significantly advances previous efforts to provide standardised seaweed trait data. AlgaeTraits will serve as a foundation for future research on diversity and evolution of seaweeds.
Alain Lefebvre and David Devreker
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 1077–1092, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1077-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1077-2023, 2023
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The Suivi Regional des Nutriments (SRN) data set includes long-term time series on marine phytoplankton and physicochemical measures in the eastern English Channel and the Southern Bight of the North Sea. These data sets should be useful for comparing contrasted coastal marine ecosystems to further knowledge about the direct and indirect effects of human pressures and environmental changes on ecosystem structure and function, including eutrophication and harmful algal bloom issues.
Jacopo Pulcinella, Enrico Nicola Armelloni, Carmen Ferrà, Giuseppe Scarcella, and Anna Nora Tassetti
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 809–820, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-809-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-809-2023, 2023
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Deep-sea fishery in the Mediterranean Sea was historically driven by the commercial profitability of deepwater red shrimps. Understanding spatiotemporal dynamics of fishing is key to comprehensively evaluate the status of these resources and prevent stock collapse. The observed monthly fishing effort and frequency dataset released by the automatic identification system (AIS) may help researchers as well as those involved in fishery management and in the update of existing management plans.
Simone Strydom, Roisin McCallum, Anna Lafratta, Chanelle L. Webster, Caitlyn M. O'Dea, Nicole E. Said, Natasha Dunham, Karina Inostroza, Cristian Salinas, Samuel Billinghurst, Charlie M. Phelps, Connor Campbell, Connor Gorham, Rachele Bernasconi, Anna M. Frouws, Axel Werner, Federico Vitelli, Viena Puigcorbé, Alexandra D'Cruz, Kathryn M. McMahon, Jack Robinson, Megan J. Huggett, Sian McNamara, Glenn A. Hyndes, and Oscar Serrano
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 511–519, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-511-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-511-2023, 2023
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Seagrasses are important underwater plants that provide valuable ecosystem services to humans, including mitigating climate change. Understanding the natural history of seagrass meadows across different types of environments is crucial to conserving seagrasses in the global ocean. This dataset contains data extracted from peer-reviewed publications and highlights which seagrasses have been studied and in which locations and is useful for pointing out which need further investigation.
Flavienne Bruyant, Rémi Amiraux, Marie-Pier Amyot, Philippe Archambault, Lise Artigue, Lucas Barbedo de Freitas, Guislain Bécu, Simon Bélanger, Pascaline Bourgain, Annick Bricaud, Etienne Brouard, Camille Brunet, Tonya Burgers, Danielle Caleb, Katrine Chalut, Hervé Claustre, Véronique Cornet-Barthaux, Pierre Coupel, Marine Cusa, Fanny Cusset, Laeticia Dadaglio, Marty Davelaar, Gabrièle Deslongchamps, Céline Dimier, Julie Dinasquet, Dany Dumont, Brent Else, Igor Eulaers, Joannie Ferland, Gabrielle Filteau, Marie-Hélène Forget, Jérome Fort, Louis Fortier, Martí Galí, Morgane Gallinari, Svend-Erik Garbus, Nicole Garcia, Catherine Gérikas Ribeiro, Colline Gombault, Priscilla Gourvil, Clémence Goyens, Cindy Grant, Pierre-Luc Grondin, Pascal Guillot, Sandrine Hillion, Rachel Hussherr, Fabien Joux, Hannah Joy-Warren, Gabriel Joyal, David Kieber, Augustin Lafond, José Lagunas, Patrick Lajeunesse, Catherine Lalande, Jade Larivière, Florence Le Gall, Karine Leblanc, Mathieu Leblanc, Justine Legras, Keith Lévesque, Kate-M. Lewis, Edouard Leymarie, Aude Leynaert, Thomas Linkowski, Martine Lizotte, Adriana Lopes dos Santos, Claudie Marec, Dominique Marie, Guillaume Massé, Philippe Massicotte, Atsushi Matsuoka, Lisa A. Miller, Sharif Mirshak, Nathalie Morata, Brivaela Moriceau, Philippe-Israël Morin, Simon Morisset, Anders Mosbech, Alfonso Mucci, Gabrielle Nadaï, Christian Nozais, Ingrid Obernosterer, Thimoté Paire, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Marie Parenteau, Noémie Pelletier, Marc Picheral, Bernard Quéguiner, Patrick Raimbault, Joséphine Ras, Eric Rehm, Llúcia Ribot Lacosta, Jean-François Rontani, Blanche Saint-Béat, Julie Sansoulet, Noé Sardet, Catherine Schmechtig, Antoine Sciandra, Richard Sempéré, Caroline Sévigny, Jordan Toullec, Margot Tragin, Jean-Éric Tremblay, Annie-Pier Trottier, Daniel Vaulot, Anda Vladoiu, Lei Xue, Gustavo Yunda-Guarin, and Marcel Babin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4607–4642, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4607-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4607-2022, 2022
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This paper presents a dataset acquired during a research cruise held in Baffin Bay in 2016. We observed that the disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean increases both the length and spatial extent of the phytoplankton growth season. In the future, this will impact the food webs on which the local populations depend for their food supply and fisheries. This dataset will provide insight into quantifying these impacts and help the decision-making process for policymakers.
Rainer Kiko, Marc Picheral, David Antoine, Marcel Babin, Léo Berline, Tristan Biard, Emmanuel Boss, Peter Brandt, Francois Carlotti, Svenja Christiansen, Laurent Coppola, Leandro de la Cruz, Emilie Diamond-Riquier, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Amanda Elineau, Gabriel Gorsky, Lionel Guidi, Helena Hauss, Jean-Olivier Irisson, Lee Karp-Boss, Johannes Karstensen, Dong-gyun Kim, Rachel M. Lekanoff, Fabien Lombard, Rubens M. Lopes, Claudie Marec, Andrew M. P. McDonnell, Daniela Niemeyer, Margaux Noyon, Stephanie H. O'Daly, Mark D. Ohman, Jessica L. Pretty, Andreas Rogge, Sarah Searson, Masashi Shibata, Yuji Tanaka, Toste Tanhua, Jan Taucher, Emilia Trudnowska, Jessica S. Turner, Anya Waite, and Lars Stemmann
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4315–4337, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4315-2022, 2022
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The term
marine particlescomprises detrital aggregates; fecal pellets; bacterioplankton, phytoplankton and zooplankton; and even fish. Here, we present a global dataset that contains 8805 vertical particle size distribution profiles obtained with Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP5) camera systems. These data are valuable to the scientific community, as they can be used to constrain important biogeochemical processes in the ocean, such as the flux of carbon to the deep sea.
Autun Purser, Laura Hehemann, Lilian Boehringer, Ellen Werner, Santiago E. A. Pineda-Metz, Lucie Vignes, Axel Nordhausen, Moritz Holtappels, and Frank Wenzhoefer
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 3635–3648, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3635-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-3635-2022, 2022
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Within this paper we present the seafloor images, maps and acoustic camera data collected by a towed underwater research platform deployed in 20 locations across the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica, during the PS124 COSMUS expedition with the research icebreaker RV Polarstern in 2021. The 20 deployments highlight the great variability in seafloor structure and faunal communities present. Of key interest was the discovery of the largest fish nesting colony discovered globally to date.
Cited articles
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Short summary
The annual widespread growth of phytoplankton blooms across the global ocean has far-reaching impacts on food security, ecosystem health, and climate. This study uses satellite-derived observations to generate long-term, sustained indices of phytoplankton phenology, capturing the timing, variability, and magnitude of blooms across the global ocean. These indices support the effective monitoring and management of marine resources and help assess the impacts of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
The annual widespread growth of phytoplankton blooms across the global ocean has far-reaching...
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