A long term physical and biogeochemical database of a hyper-eutrophicated Mediterranean micro-estuary

Yair Suari; Ayelet Dadon-Pilosof; Tal Sade; Tal Amit; Merav Gilboa; Sarig Gafny; Tom Topaz; Hadar Zedaka; Shira Boneh; Gitai Yahel

doi:10.1016/j.dib.2019.104809

A long term physical and biogeochemical database of a hyper-eutrophicated Mediterranean micro-estuary

Data Brief. 2019 Nov 15:27:104809. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.104809. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Authors

Yair Suari¹, Ayelet Dadon-Pilosof¹, Tal Sade¹, Tal Amit^{1

2}, Merav Gilboa¹, Sarig Gafny¹, Tom Topaz^{1

3}, Hadar Zedaka¹, Shira Boneh¹, Gitai Yahel¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Marine Science, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel.
² Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
³ Dept. of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.

Abstract

Ruppin's Estuarine and Coastal Observatory (RECO) is a Long-Term Ecological Research station positioned on the East Mediterranean shoreline between Tel-Aviv and Haifa, Israel. We present a comprehensive online database and an accompanying website that provides direct access to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the local coastal marine ecosystem and the Alexander micro estuary. It includes three databases that are updated continuously since 2014: a) In situ stationary sensors data (10 min intervals) of surface and bottom temperature, salinity, oxygen and water level measured at three stations along the estuary. b) Monthly profiles and discrete biogeochemical samples (surface and bottom water) of multiple parameters at four stations located at the inland part of the estuary. Measured parameters include concentrations of chlorophyll-a, microalgae and bacteria (counted with a flow cytometer), Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonium, Phosphate, total N, total P, particulate organic matter (POM), total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), as well as Secchi depth in each station c) Bi-weekly profiles, chlorophyll-a concentrations and cell counts at two marine stations adjacent to the estuary, (1, and 7 Km from the estuary mouth, at bottom depths of 8 and 48 m). The database also includes historical data for the Taninim micro-estuary (2014-2016). The RECO observatory provides a unique data set documenting the interaction of highly eutrophicated estuarine water with the ultra-oligotrophic seawater of the Eastern Mediterranean. This combination results in sharp gradients of salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients over very small scales (centimeters to meters) and therefore offers an important data set for the coastal shelf research community. The data set also provide a long-term baseline of the estuary hydrography and geochemistry with the hope to foster effective science-based management and environmental planning of this and similar systems.

Keywords: Coastal; Eutrophication; Levantine; Marine; Micro-estuary.