This study investigates eukaryotic plankton diversity and populations distribution in water masses and across major frontal zones of the southwest Pacific. The aims of this study are 1) to characterize the diversity of protistan communities in subtropical and subantarctic waters east of New Zealand and across the subtropical front that separates these water masses, and 2) to investigate the distributional patterns of main protistan taxonomic groups and species in relation to physical and chemical variability. The southwest Pacific occupies a vast area of the Southern Ocean and planktonic communities contributes significantly to global biogeochemical cycles including the carbon cycle. Characterizing the composition of plankton communities and how they change across different water masses and regions is hence key to understand their role in pelagic ecosystems
DNA samples were collected from 5 to 7 depths during TAN1802 and 3 to 6 depths during TAN1901 by filtering 1.5 to 2 L of seawater from each depth through 0.2 μm polyethersulfone SterivexTM filter units (Millipore), using a peristaltic pump (Masterflex L/S; Cole-Parmer). In total, 48 samples for DNA were collected from 8 stations during TAN1802 and 92 samples from 31 stations during TAN1901. DNA was extracted using the “Easy Blood and Tissue Kit” (Qiagen) according to methods described in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102809.
Related publication: Cristi, A., Law, C.S., Pinkerton, M., Lopes dos Santos, A., Safi, K. and Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, A. (2024), Environmental driving forces and phytoplankton diversity across the Ross Sea region during a summer–autumn transition. Limnol Oceanogr, 69: 772-788. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12526
GET DATA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA756172/
GET DATA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA974160/
