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The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a study on the effects of climate change on ocean acidification within the Gulf of Mexico; dealing specifically with the effect of ocean acidification on marine organisms and habitats. To investigate this, the USGS participated in cruises in the West Florida Shelf and northern Gulf of Mexico regions aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, a ship of opportunity lead by Dr. Kendra Daly, of the University of South Florida (USF). This cruise occurred February 17-23, 2011, leaving from and returned to Saint Petersburg, Florida. The USGS collected data pertaining to pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and total alkalinity in discrete samples. Seventy-one underway discrete samples were collected approximately hourly over a span of 1628 kilometer (km) track line, additionally 34 samples were taken at 10 stations. Flow-through conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data were collected, which includes temperature, salinity, and pH. Corroborating the USGS data are the vertical CTD profiles collected by USF, using the following sensors: CTD, oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and transmissometer. Additionally, discrete depth samples for nutrients, chlorophyll, and particulate organic carbon/nitrogen were collected. [More]
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