Surface Sample Variation in the Atlantic Ocean and the

Caribbean Sea
David Glicini, Helen Mendenhall, Cam Young
Department of Biology and Agricultural Sciences, Penn State University

RESULTS METHODS
ABSTRACT ● Sea Gear Neuston tow net
● Near-shore levels for Chlorophyll-a and PO4 where higher than in open water.
Aboard cruise C289A, we examined differences ○ deployed every ~12 hours
● Transmissivity is higher away from islands. ● Flowthrough
between chemical makeups of surface samples in
● Temperature, CDOM, pH, and salinity did not vary significantly between the Caribbean and the Atlantic. ○ a system of connected instruments that use water
the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean near the
Virgin Islands. Water parameters such as taken from a subsurface port in the Corwith
phosphate and chlorophyll-a levels, which influence Cramer’s hull to gather data on temperature,
primary production, were studied. No significant salinity, transmissivity, and Color Dissolved
difference between the two bodies of water was Organic Material (CDOM) from seawater. Called
“flowthrough” because water is constantly flowing
found, but data showed a potential correlation
through
between chemical makeup and proximity to land.
● Surface Sampling
Further studies should examine the impact of land ○ deployed a bucket overboard
proximity on the chemical makeup of oceans. ■ triple rinsed both the bucket and sample
containers
○ pH, PO4, chlorophyll-a
■ pH measured with an Ocean Optics Flame
Spectrometer
■ PO4 measured using a spectrophotometer
INDTRODUCTION ■ chlorophyll-a levels were found using a
The SSV Corwith Cramer departed from St.
Figure 6. Phosphate concentrations between 0.0μM and 0.3μM were recorded Figure 7. Surface Fluorescence (nm) collected during C289A. Fluorescence varied fluorometer
Croix of United States Virgin Islands (USVI) on
approximately every six hours of the voyage.Absorbance of blue light was compared from 400nm (purple) in the open water to 650nm near the British Virgin Islands. ○ every ~6 hours
December 31st, 2019 and arrived at San Juan, to a standard solution.
Puerto Rico on January 5th, 2020 (Figure 1). The
Corwith Cramer is a 134-foot long tall ship outfitted
with a laboratory and research equipment such as
a hydrowinch. Our goal was to study the
differences between the Caribbean and the Atlantic
and contribute to 40 years of ongoing research.
Differences examined include the chemical and
nutrient makeup of seawater. We hypothesized
that proximity to land would increase sea
temperatures and the levels of nutrients within the Figure 3. Filter rig funnel with Figure 4. Ocean Optics Flame Spectrophotometer
a 500mL seawater graduated
Caribbean Sea and that these island effects would cylinder
cause higher density of zooplankton and plastic
counts.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Figure 8. Transmissivity measured in gpd/ft. Variance from 5gpd/ft to Figure 9. Surface Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM, units) throughout the cruise
17.5gpd/ft was recorded in both the Caribbean Sea (Virgin Islands) and Atlantic track. CDOM (units) varied from -0.3units (purple) in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Figure 5. Cam deploying a bucket to
Special Thanks to The Corwith Cramer Crew, Ocean (Puerto Rican Trench). Ocean to approximately 0.15units (peach) near St. Croix. capture our surface sample water
Monica Medina, the Penn State Student
Engagement Network and our peers who sailed
the seas with us

REFERENCES
Chen, Y., Fredericks, T., Glicini, D. et. al. (2020). Surface
Conditions as Observed by the Corwith Cramer’s
Scientists. Biology 497, Penn State University.
Grove, J. M., Mcmanus, M. A., Neuheimer, A. B.,
Polovina, J. J., Drazen, J. C., Smith, C. R., Williams, CONCLUSION
G. J. (2016). Near-island biological hotspots in ● Terrigenous runoff is more important to primary
barren ocean basins. Nature Communications, 7(1). production than expected.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms1058 ● Caribbean and Atlantic waters mix constantly.
● Transmissivity was lower near-shore due to higher
SEA Semester. (2020). [Photograph]. sea.edu. Figure 1. Map displaying the itinerary planned for cruise C289A Figure 2. Photograph of the Corwith Cramer (sea.edu, 2020) productivity.
https://www.sea.edu/ships_crew/cramer