CPR Survey data philosophy

The CPR Survey has an open and transparent approach to data availability, data requests and data citation. The Survey believes its plankton observation, ancillary datasets and associated metadata should be freely available to collaborating researchers. Increasing the number of scientists that can access and work with CPR Survey datasets will accelerate the progress of marine ecological science and understanding; enhancing the societal benefit derived from Survey data.

Explore our data

Our data catalog

CPR Data from 1958 to present. Updated annually.  Select years/ months of data and explore abundances of phyto and zooplankton.

Monthly mean data for CPR standard areas

Explore examples of monthly mean data across the CPR database, within the CPR standard areas.

The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool

A digital tool to increase the discoverability and usability of plankton time-series data, it brings together disparate European plankton datasets into a central database from which it extracts abundance time series of plankton functional groups, called “lifeforms”, according to shared biological traits. This tool has been designed to make complex plankton datasets accessible and meaningful for policy, public interest, and scientific discovery. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool currently integrates 155 000 samples, containing over 44 million plankton records, from nine different plankton datasets within UK and European seas, collected between 1924 and 2017. 

Data request process

  1. Please contact Pierre Helaouet pihe@mba.ac.uk detailing your requirements.
  2. Data will be extracted and a custom Digital Object Identifier (DOI) will be minted and a copy of the dataset archived by the MBA Data Team
  3. The data request originator will be paired with a member of CPR Survey staff who will act as on-going point of contact and collaborator once the requested dataset has been released. The Survey staff collaborator will also provide expertise and advice in data use and interpretation
  4. Your obligation

Datasets are provided with an embedded CPR Survey attribution, suggested citation and Digital Object Identifier (DOI) which must be used to acknowledge the dataset.

The CPR Survey requires individuals in possession of CPR Survey data to report to the Survey on the use of the data, its inclusion into data products and dissemination through publication.

The CPR Survey expects that co-authorship will be offered to Survey staff in response to their active collaboration on projects requiring the use of CPR Survey data products.