Integrating plankton survey observations in the california current large marine ecosystem

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Martin Johnson House, T-29, September 25-26

Meeting Objective & Agenda

The focus of this meeting is on coast-wide integration of data and future observations, including West Coast plankton-based hydrographic surveys such as IMECOCal, CalCOFI, PaCOOS extension of CalCOFI lines, the Newport (now PaCOOS) lines, and also the West Coast Canadian surveys.  We wish to emphasize the biological measurements, but physical data will also be considered.  Specific meeting objectives are:

1. Determine the extent observations from the existing, and historic plankton-based hydrographic surveys are compatible taking into account kinds of measurements, measurement protocol, and frequency and timing of cruises.
2. Determine the extent to which holistic indices or observations of the California Current pelagic ecosystem might now be possible if data from existing surveys were integrated.
3. Identify demonstration projects involving cross-survey synthesis of historic data that could or might produce holistic indices or observations of one or more aspects of the California Current pelagic ecosystem.
4. Identify the most cost effective approaches to increasing the compatibility of the biological observations taken on existing plankton-surveys, thereby yielding coast wide indices of ecosystem properties.
5. Complete a short report on these questions by early January, 2006.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
1:00 PM	Welcome and Introduction, Co-Chairs Hunter and Chavez
1:15 PM	Assess compatibility of measurements from existing surveys (meeting objective No. 1 ) using survey status forms and discussion and including: annual temporal coverage, zooplankton sampling, hydrographic, and other measurements.
	Discussion leaders: Hunter and Chavez
	Desired outcome: bullets stating the extent of coast-wide compatibility of key measurements among surveys.
2:15 PM	Review Best Practices document and identify actions required to increase compatibility of key measurements among surveys and set priorities.
	Discussion leader: Mark Ohman
	Desired outcome: 1) a revised version of best practices (or new set of bullets); and, 2) a rank-ordered list of key measurements to be made and taxawith supporting rationale.
3:15 PM	Coffee Break
3:45 PM	Review NOAA’s list of sentinel species (climate indicator species) for the California Current system. Identify critical gaps in taxa, new measurements required and candidate species that could be accomplished on plankton-based hydrographic surveys.
	Discussion leader: Bill Peterson
	Desired outcome:  1) a revised version of best practices (or new set of bullets); and, 2) a rank-ordered list of key measurements to be made and taxa to be evaluated with supporting rationale.
4:15 PM	Progress on California Current zooplankton synthesis. Presentation of the in-press paper “Zooplankton anomalies in the California Current system before and during the warm ocean conditions of 2005” by Mackas, Peterson, Ohman and Lavaniegos.
	Presentation: David Mackas
4:30 PM	Identify potential coast-wide indices of the dynamics of the California Current Ecosystem that might be generated from existing plankton-based hydrographic surveys.
	Discussion leader: John Hunter
	Desired outcome: A list of potential indices that might be developed from a cross-survey synthesis of information, with annotations regarding the surveys to be used, application and computation of each index.
5:30 PM	Assess compatibility of ichthyoplankton information among plankton-based hydrographic surveys in the California Current.
	Discussion leader: William Watson
	Desired outcome: An assessment of present status and critical barriers to coast-wide integration, processing and identification of issues, and areas of cooperation.
6:00 PM	Adjourn
6:30 PM	Dinner at T-29
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
8:00 AM	Continental breakfast at T-29
8:30 AM	Improving survey integration using bioacoustics.
	Discussion leaders: David Demer and Mark Ohman
	Desired outcome: A written section identifying the most practical approach to using bioacoustics on standard plankton-based surveys to facilitate the integration of key biological information among surveys (see best practices document).
10:00 AM	Identify and describe projects that demonstrate the value of synthesis of data among existing plankton-based hydrographic surveys.
	Discussion leader: Francisco Chavez
	Desired outcome: Short descriptions of potential synthesis projects that would use data produced by existing plankton-hydrography surveys in the California Current system. The document needs to include a description of the product generated, and the survey information that would be used to produce it.
10:30 AM	Coffee Break
10:45 AM	Continue discussion on previous agenda item.
	Discussion leaders: John Hunter and Jonathan Phinney
12:00	Lunch at T-29
1:00 PM	Processing and reporting of California Current zooplankton survey data.
	Discussion leader: Eric Bjorkstedt
	Desired outcome: Set of recommendations concerning processing metrics including units, resolution of metrics (size classes, individuals, length-carbon relations), species, or higher taxa to be considered, and minimum ancillary information needed to place biological data in an appropriate context.
1:30 PM	Action Items
	Discussion Leader: Jonathan Phinney
	Desired outcome: List of action items including writing responsibilities for portions of the report.
3:00 PM	Adjourn