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Microplastics are substrates for microbial activity and can influence biomass production. This has potentially important implications at the sea-surface microlayer, the marine boundary layer that controls gas exchange with the atmosphere and where biologically produced organic compounds can accumulate. In the present study, we used large scale mesocosms (filled with 3 m3 of seawater) to simulate future ocean scenarios. We explored microbial organic matter dynamics in the sea-surface microlayer in the presence and absence of microplastic contamination of the underlying water. Our study shows that microplastics increased both biomass production and enrichment of particulate carbohydrates and proteins in the sea-surface microlayer. Importantly, this resulted in a 3% reduction in the concentration of dissolved CO2 in the underlying water. This reduction suggests direct and indirect impacts of microplastic pollution on the marine uptake of CO2, by modifying the biogenic composition of the sea’s boundary layer with the atmosphere.

The documents in these folders represent part of the qualitative data collection documentation. Research has been performed in Flanders (Belgium) in 2016 and 2017. Involved stakehodlers were flemish sugar beet farmers, processors as well as other value chain members. Though, the main stakeholders involved were farmers. The raw data cannot be published. Anonymized interview transcripts and focus group transcripts exist. However, as indicated in the informed consent, farmers did not agree to the raw data being published. The codes that resulted from data analysis are in this folder. Interview questions differed slightly from farmer to farmer as follow up questions may have been posed if needed. First interviews were performed, then focus groups were conducted and finally a workshop was organized. The qualitative reserach followed the research strategy and plan determined by the SUFISA project. On the project webpage (https://www.sufisa.eu/) more information can be found.

This is the English version of the informed consent that has been used for staekholder interactions. Similar forms have been used for focus groups and workshops.

Comparison of the equatorial upwelling system, the northern coastal upwelling system of the Gulf of Guinea and the tropical Angolan upwelling system.

We report the results of an aquaria-based experiment testing the effects of suspended particles generated during potential mining activities, on a common habitat-building coral species in the Azores, Dentomuricea aff. meteor. Corals were collected from the summit of Condor Seamount (Azores, NE Atlantic) at depths between 185-210 m in August 2014. Coral fragments were maintained in 10-L aquaria and exposed to three experimental treatments for a period of four weeks at the DeepSeaLab aquaria facilities (Okeanos-University of the Azores): (1) control conditions (no added sediments); (2) suspended polymetallic sulphide (PMS) particles; (3) suspended quartz particles. PMS particles were obtained by grinding PMS inactive chimney rocks collected at the hydrothermal vent field Lucky Strike. Both particle types were delivered at a concentration of 25 mg L-1. The putative effects of PMS particles were evaluated through measurements of the coral physiological responses at the levels of the organism (oxygen consumption, ammonium excretion), tissue (bioaccumulation of metals) and cell (enzyme activity and gene expression).

Physical oceanography variables and carbon remineralisation (juveniles/adults of Cyclothone species and Argyropelecus hemigymnus) were analysed during the BATHYPELAGIC cruise (North Atlantic, June 2018). This dataset contains the depth, temperature, and conductivity which were recorded from surface to a maximum depth of 2000 m using a SeaBird SBE 25plus CTD equipped with a Seabird-43 Dissolved Oxygen sensor and a Seapoint Fluorometer. Values of numerical abundance, biomass, specific ETS activity, specific respiraton and respiration flux data analyzed from Northwest Africa (20° N, 20° W) to the South of Iceland are presented. A. hemigymnus specimens were collected using a ''Mesopelagos” net (5 x7 m mouth opening, 58 m total length) equipped with graded-mesh netting (starting with 30 mm and ending with 4 mm) and a multi-sampler for collecting samples from 5 different depth layers. However, Cyclothone specimens were collected using the Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS-1 m²) zooplankton net with a 0.2 mm mesh size and with several nets for collecting samples from 8 different depth layers. The Mesopelagos catches were sorted out and identified on board to the lowest possible taxon, and specimens selected for Electron Transfer System (ETS) analyses were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen for later analysis in the laboratory. MOCNESS samples were preserved in 5% buffered formalin, and specimens were sorted out later in the laboratory. Stomiiforms respiration in the meso- and bathypelagic zones of the ocean were estimated along the transect. Abundance, biomass, specific ETS activity, specific respiration and respiration are given by layer between e.g. 100 m and 1000 m depth (MOCNESS net, 1900–1600 m, 1600–1300 m, 1300–1000 m, 1000–700 m, 700–400 m, 400–200 m, 200–100 m and 100–0 m; Mesopelagos, 1900–1200 m, 1200–800 m, 800–500 m, 500–200 m and 200–0 m).

This dataset contains the results of the fluorescent dissolved organic matter characterisation (FDOM) and water mass optimum multiparameter analysis from the MAFIA cruise (Migrants and Active Flux In the Atlantic ocean). Samples were collected in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic during the MAFIA cruise (April 2015) on board the BIO Hespérides. Seawater samples for biogeochemical analyses were collected at 13 stations (from the Brazilian coast to the Canary Islands), from the surface down to 3500 m, using a General Oceanics oceanographic rosette equipped with 24 l PVC Niskin bottles. Fluorescence measurements were performed with a Perkin-Elmer LS55 spectrofluorometer and FDOM was characterised by means of a Parallel Factor analysis. The contribution of each water mass to each sample was objectively quantified applying an optimum multiparameter analysis (excluding mixed layer samples, here < 100 m). The aim of this dataset was to jointly characterise the FDOM and water mass distributions to infer the processes that shape the dissolved organic matter pool in the deep ocean (water mass mixing and history vs local processes).

These datasets of sediment core EN18224-4 from Lake Satagay (63°04'40.8N 117°59'52.8E), Central Yakutia, Russia, comprise the following data: (I) Radiocarbon age dating results by AWI MICADAS; (II) continuous macroscopic charcoal counts (> 150 µm), including the sum of particles per sample, their respective distributions in size classes (>150 µm, 300-500 µm, > 500 µm) and morphotype groups, as well as a low-resolution record of microscopic charcoal concentration from pollen slides (III) pollen and non-pollen palynomorph counts. The datasets have been described in more detail in the accompanying research paper. Metabarcoding results of sedimentary ancient DNA of terrestrial plants, also featured in the research paper, will be uploaded to the Dryad database (datadryad.org).

Physical oceanography variables and carbon flux (for juveniles/adults of dominant mesopelagic migratory species) were determined during the CAPEGOLCA XIII and CAPEGOLCA XIV cruises (June-October 2018). This dataset contains the depth, temperature, and conductivity that were recorded with a Star-ODDI CTD attached to a Bongo net during CAPEGOLCA XIII and with a SeaBird SB11 CTD attached to an oceanographic rosette in CAPEGOLCA XIV. Values of numerical abundance, migrant biomass, specific respiration and respiration flux data for each individual of fishes, decapods and large euphausiids analyzed at the north-central regions in the Gulf of California are given. Specimens were collected during the nighttime (20:00–05:00 h local) using a standard Bongo net (0.61 m mouth diameter, 505 µm mesh net). The integrated layer from maximum depth to surface (32–272 m) was evaluated through oblique hauls for each cruise. Collected specimens were identified on board to the lowest possible taxonomic level and those selected for electron transfer system (ETS) activity analysis were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen contained for posterior chemical analyses in the land-based laboratory. Values of abundance, migrant biomass, specific respiration and respiration flux were integrated from sampling depth to surface.