| Summary: | These data are part of the Gulf Watch Alaska (GWA), Environmental Drivers component of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, project numbers 12120114-G, 13120114-G, 14120114-G, and 16120114-G. Gulf Watch Alaska is the long-term ecosystem monitoring program of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council for the marine ecosystem affected by the 1989 oil spill. This dataset is two comma-separated values (csv) files containing zooplankton counts by species from samples collected during Lower Cook Inlet oceanographic surveys. One data file (named KBay Zooplankton Masterfile_24Oct17_RawData.csv contains the raw zooplankton counts, whereas the other file (named KBay Zooplankton Masterfile_24Oct17_ProcessedData.csv) contains the final processed counts to the lowest possible taxon. Zooplankton samples were collected during 2012-2016 as part of a long-term oceanographic monitoring project in Kachemak Bay and lower Cook Inlet . Zooplankton were collected quarterly in lower Cook Inlet and outer Kachemak Bay and monthly in Kachemak Bay with a bongo style zooplankton net: 60 cm mouth diameter/333 μm mesh (Aquatic Research Instruments, Hope, ID). To calculate sample volume, a mechanical flow meter (General Oceanics) was attached to one side of the bongo frame; zooplankton were sampled from the net with no flow meter attached. At each station, 50 m vertical tows were conducted at a tow rate of approximately 0.5 m/s with an average of 14.15 m3 sampled. Preserved samples were identified and enumerated to lowest taxonomic classification possible by the Prince William Sound Science Center located in Cordova, Alaska.
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