Chincoteague Bay surface carbon and nitrogen data from the spring sampling trip of 2014

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Chincoteague Bay surface carbon and nitrogen data from the spring sampling trip of 2014
Abstract:
Following Hurricane Sandy, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a seasonal collection of estuarine, marsh, and sandy overwash surface sediments from Chincoteague Bay, Tom’s Cove, and the surrounding Assateague Island and Delmarva Peninsula in March–April and October 2014. Surplus surface sediment was analyzed for metals, percent carbon and nitrogen, d13C, and d15N as part of a complementary U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program Sea-level and Storm Impacts on Estuarine Environments and Shorelines project study. The geochemical subsample analyzed for metals and stable isotopes at each site may be used for comparison with past data sets, to create a modern baseline of the natural distribution of the area, to understand seasonal variability as it relates to the health of the local environment, and to assess marsh-to-bay interactions. The use of metals, stable carbon, and stable nitrogen isotopes allows for a more cohesive snapshot of factors influencing the environment and could aid in tracking environmental change. This report serves as an archive for chemical data derived from the surface sediment. Data are available for a seasonal comparison between the March–April 2014 and October 2014 sampling trips. Downloadable data are available as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata (data downloads).
Supplemental_Information:
This publication contains data for two field activities conducted in 2014: Spring March 26–April 4, 2014 (14CTB01); and fall October 21–30, 2014 (14CTB02).
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Ellis, Alisha M., and Smith, Christopher G., 20170811, Chincoteague Bay surface carbon and nitrogen data from the spring sampling trip of 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series DS1059.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Ellis, Alisha M., and Smith, Christopher G., 20170811, A Seasonal and Spatial Distribution of Metals, and Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes, in Chincoteague Bay and the Marsh Deposits of Assateague Island and the Adjacent Vicinity, Maryland and Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series DS1059, U.S. Geological Survey– St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.46667
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.11111
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.26667
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.82222
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 26-Mar-2014
    Ending_Date: 30-Oct-2014
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    14CTB_Raw_Spring_CN_G_Data.xlsx
    Bulk and stable carbon and nitrogen results of surface sediment collected in Chincoteague Bay, Maryland and Virginia. (Source: USGS)
    Sample ID
    Sample identification number (Source: USGS) Character string. Sample IDs listed within the table used the naming convention ##CTB-^^G. Where “##” is the two-digit representation of the data collection year (14 for 2014), “^^” is the site location number, and “G” are lagoonal PONAR grab sites). FR following the sample name indicates that the same is a field replicate and what the field replicate sample identification number is.
    Latitude (NAD83)
    Latitude of sample location in decimal degrees (NAD83) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:37.87582
    Maximum:38.24609
    Units:decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    Longitude -(NAD83)
    Longitude of sample location in decimal degrees (NAD83) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-75.41255
    Maximum:-75.18498
    Units:decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    Packing
    The type of material the sediment was packed in which is dependent upon the type of analysis. (Source: USGS) Character string. Samples were packed into either a single 5x8-mm tin capsule or a single 5x8-mm silver capsule followed by a 5x8-mm tin capsule.
    Weight (mg)
    The weight of the sample submitted for analysis in milligrams. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:12.9
    Maximum:75.0
    Units:milligrams
    Resolution:0.1
    d15Nair
    The ratio of nitrogen-14 to nitrogen-15 expressed as a ratio relative to the air standard (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-14.7
    Maximum:14.3
    d13CVPDB
    The ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-13 expressed as a ratio relative to the Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite standard (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-21.4
    Maximum:-14.3
    %N
    Percent of the sample that is composed of nitrogen. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.1
    Maximum:0.29
    %C
    Percent of the sample that is composed of carbon. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0
    Maximum:3.5
    C:N
    The ratio of the amount of carbon in the sample to the amount of nitrogen. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0
    Maximum:13.0
    Comments
    Comments about sample analyses (Source: USGS) Character string. These are direct comments received from the contracted lab regarding issues, abnormalities, or notes about the sample that was submitted for analyses.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Alisha M. Ellis
    • Christopher G. Smith
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    U.S. Geological Survey
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    US

    (727) 502-8056 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The 14CTB_Raw_Spring_CN_G_Data.zip file includes all fumigated and unfumigated bulk and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values from lagoonal surface sediments collected in Chincoteague Bay in March and April 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2014 (process 1 of 3)
    At each sample location, the top 1 cm of the recovered, undisturbed surface material from the Ponar grab was subsampled for sediment characterization, placed in individual storage bags, and stored on ice. The surface samples were transported to the USGS SPCMSC. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8056 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
    Date: 2015 (process 2 of 3)
    Sediment samples were submitted to the Yale Analytical and Stable Isotope Center (YASIC), a Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies (YIBS) research center, for percent organic carbon, percent nitrogen, carbon-nitrogen ratio, d13C, and d15N. Dried and homogenized sediment was placed in 8 x 5 millimeter (mm) silver capsules, wet with 50 microliters (µL) of deionized water, and fumigated in a desiccator with 100 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid for 6 hours to remove inorganic carbon (Harris and others, 2001). Samples were then dried at 60 °C overnight, and double encapsulated in tin for combustion purposes. Unfumigated sediment samples were also submitted for percent carbon, percent nitrogen, carbon-nitrogen ratio, d13C, and d15N by way of dried and homogenized sediments submitted in tin capsules. All samples were analyzed using a Costech ESC 4010 Elemental Combustion System interfaced with a Thermo Finnigan DELTAplus Advantage isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Values are relative to international standards: the VPDB (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite) for carbon, and air for nitrogen. The standard deviation of the provided values is estimated at ±0.4 per mille. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8056 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 3 of 3)
    Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: VeeAnn A. Cross
    Marine Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    vatnipp@usgs.gov
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Harris, D., Horwath, W. R., and Van Kessel, C., 2001, Acid fumigation of soils to remove carbonates prior to total organic carbon or carbon-13 isotopic analysis: Soil Science Society of American Journal vol. 65.

    Online Links:

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The stable and bulk carbon and nitrogen data reported in the tables were analyzed at the Yale Analytical and Stable Isotope Center, a Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies research center. These data were not independently verified for accuracy. Replicate analyses of all parameters are presented for quality assurance.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This is a complete, processed carbon and nitrogen data file for the spring for a Chincoteague Bay seasonal comparison archive.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The data includes sample ID, latitude, longitude, packing material, sample weight, d15N, d13C, percent nitrogen, percent carbon, carbon nitrogen ratio and comments from the lab about the sample.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints:
The U.S. Geological Survey requests that it be referenced as the originator of this dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    502-8056 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Downloadable data
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Although these data were processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution imply any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. Is there some other way to get the data?
    none
  6. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    The spreadsheets included in this .zip file were created for use with Microsoft Excel 2016. They may also be viewed with the Microsoft Excel viewer or by downloading a Microsoft Compatibility Pack to view with older versions of Microsoft Excel.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 23-Sep-2021
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
Geologist
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
U.S.

(727) 502-8056 (voice)
aellis@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/DS1059_Spring_CN_G-met.faq.html>
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