Multiplatform Researh Cruises - August 2007

Date: August 14 - September 01, 2007
Ships: Wecoma, Barnes, and Forerunner
Chief Scientists: Byron Crump (R/V Wecoma), Lydie Herfort (R/V Barnes), and Curtis Roegner (R/V Forerunner)

Project Description
This multi-platform campaign allowed for high-density sampling of the Columbia River, estuary, plume and coastal zone. Our goals were to apply a shotgun approach to characterizing river-to-ocean microbial and biogeochemical gradients in a broad range of gradient/event regions, to explore geographic diversity, to test methodologies under different regimes and regions, and to guide more targeted follow-up cruises.

We integrated numerical modeling into cruise planning efforts, and applied an adaptive sampling strategy for which we queried these models in near real-time during the cruise to decide on sampling locations/times. We occupied a grid of stations along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers from Portland to the coast, within the Estuary and Plume, and over the Oregon and Washington continental shelf and slope. We measured hydrographic (T, S, pressure), bio-optical (chlorophyll fluorescence, light transmission) chemical (nitrate, dissolved oxygen) and physical (ADCP subsurface velocity) parameters. We collected samples for DNA- and RNA-based microbial community analyses and water chemistry, and made continuous measurements of surface water chemistry with several devices attached to the seawater flow-through system. We collected sediment samples to characterize surface sediment microbial groups of special interest such as Crenarchaeota or Anammox bacteria, and collected a targeted set of estuary water samples to examine distributions and vertical migration behavior of the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. We collected large-volume DNA samples from hypoxic waters for large-scale environmental cloning/sequencing. We also coordinated with airplane-based remote sensing of Columbia River Plume.

Cruise plans for vessels:

Wecoma
CMOP_cruise_plan_14Aug2007_draft5.doc
Wecoma cruise plan 30 July 07.doc

Barnes
Detailed plan Barnes 02 Aug 2007.doc

Forerunner
CUrtis_Forerunnerplan_amb.doc

Powerpoint presentations from the August 2nd cruise coordination meeting.

Wecoma plan - Byron Crump
R/V Barnes - Lydie Herfort
M/V Forerunner - Antonio Baptista for Curtis Roegner
Airborne Measurements - Andy Jessup and Bill Plant
Data Management - Bill Howe

Latest version of power point
R/V Barnes - Lydie Herfort

Cruise Report—Wecoma
Wecoma - submitted by Byron Crump