Citizens and scientists collect comparable oceanographic data: measurements of ocean transparency from the Secchi Disk study and science programmes
Marine phytoplankton accounts for approximately 50% of all photosynthesis on Earth, underpins the marine food chain and plays a central role in the Earth’s biogeochemical cycles and climate. In situ measurements of ocean transparency can be used to estimate phytoplankton biomass. The scale and chall...
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Published in | Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 15499 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
London
Nature Publishing Group UK
29.07.2021
Nature Publishing Group Nature Portfolio |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Marine phytoplankton accounts for approximately 50% of all photosynthesis on Earth, underpins the marine food chain and plays a central role in the Earth’s biogeochemical cycles and climate. In situ measurements of ocean transparency can be used to estimate phytoplankton biomass. The scale and challenging conditions of the ocean make it a difficult environment for in situ studies, however. Here, we show that citizen scientists (seafarers) using a simple white Secchi Disk can collect ocean transparency data to complement formal scientific efforts using similar equipment. Citizen scientist data can therefore help understand current climate-driven changes in phytoplankton biomass at a global scale. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 2045-2322 2045-2322 |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-021-95029-z |