The data set comprises measurement of physical and biological oceanographic parameters from the Western English Channel, initially collected as part of the Plankton Monitoring Programme at Station L4 from 1988 onwards. L4 is one of a series of hydrographic stations in the Western English Channel which have also been the basis of a series of hydrographic surveys carried out during the 20th Century by scientists at the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. In May 2002 sampling expanded to include Station E1, approximately 25 nautical miles south-west of Plymouth. Plankton Monitoring began through the work of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) Zooplankton Group. Other stations include Rame head, Jennycliff, Plmouth Deep and Cawsand. A long-term time-series of weekly observations has been established by exploiting the activities of small boats (Sepia, Squilla and Plymouth Quest) in an opportunistic way as by-product of their other sampling activities, for example the collection of live plankton, sea-water, trawling for fish and squid. Initially no formal research programme or long-term funding for the Plankton Monitoring existed but the series was included in NERC Oceans 2025 funding as a Sustained Observatory and continues to be funded under NERC National Capability. Funding has been provided over different time periods under various names but the programme is commonly referred to as the Western Channel Observatory (WCO), with additional funding allowing additional data collection to take place, taking advantage of the core measurements. Although every attempt has been made to standardise methodology and achieve data consistency it is important to recognize that the varied personnel and research objectives that have contributed to this dataset may impact on the nature of the data set. The core datasets are made available through the westernchannelobservatory.org website. Data are also submitted to BODC where it is archived and published with a DOI at finer granules. At BODC further meta(data) checks take place and metadata are enriched and served through BODC systems with PML originators informed of any changes to data.
Hydrographic and biological time series data from the Western Channel Observatory (WCO) UK, from 1988 onwards, predominantly at stations L4 and E1
McEvoy A., Atkinson A., Beesley A. (2022). Zooplankton abundance time series from net hauls at site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2021. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/e785f2f7-05d5-2f47-e053-6c86abc08bee
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2025). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2023 NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/28d84bdd-0c56-ba6b-e063-7086abc0ee42
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/28d84bdd-0c56-ba6b-e063-7086abc0ee42
Dixon J., Hopkins F.E., Stephens J. (2018). DMS, DMSP and DMSO for Western Channel Observatory (WCO) from the L4 site (2 and 50m) from 2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi: 10/cvp4
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2021). Micromolar nutrient concentration profiles from CTD Niskin bottles sampled at the long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2019. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/fqgq
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C. (2014). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/rf6.
Findlay H.S., Beesley A., Nunes J., Brown I.J., Kitidis V., Fishwick J., Smyth T. (2023). Inorganic carbon and total alkalinity at the Western Channel Observatory from the L4 site from 2008 to 2022 NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/0b4e44aa-cef8-4c86-e063-6c86abc04a36
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/0b4e44aa-cef8-4c86-e063-6c86abc04a36
McEvoy A. (2013). Calanus helgolandicus weekly egg production at site L4 (50 15'N, 4 13'W) in the Western English Channel from 1992 to 2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqf.
Tait K. (2013). PML Benthic Survey microbial gene abundance data from four sites (Jennycliff, Cawsand, Rame and L4) in the Western English Channel surveyed bimonthly from July 2008 to May 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqr.
Tarran G. (2013). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/ndn.
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2021). Micromolar nutrient concentration profiles from the long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2019. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/fqgs
Fishwick J. (2018). CTD profiles (depth, pressure, temperature, salinity, potential temperature, density, fluorescence, transmissance, downwelling PAR, dissolved oxygen concentration) binned to 0.5 m and 0.25 m at sites L4 and E1 in the Western English Channel between January 2002 and December 2015. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/cm63
Findlay H.S.; Cummings D.; Dashfield S.; Nunes J.; Brown I.; Fishwick J.; (2017). Inorganic carbon and total alkalinity at Western Channel Observatory station E1 (2010 - 2014). British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi: 10/b726
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2019). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2018. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/dg97
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2016). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2015. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bt6b.
Airs R.; Cummings D.; Martinez-Vicente V.; Cook I.; de Menezes A.; Llewellyn C. (2014). Western Channel Observatory HPLC pigment measurements from CTD bottle samples from site E1 for 2002 to 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/xcc.
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2015). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/42d.
Tarran G.A. (2015). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/2wb.
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2024). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2023. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/263bdd6c-43db-f51c-e063-7086abc035ec
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/263bdd6c-43db-f51c-e063-7086abc035ec
Cummings D. (2016). Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen (CHN) and fluorometric chlorophyll analysis from the Western Channel Observatory (WCO) at the L4 site, from 1992 to 2015. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bhsn
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2023). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2022. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/062bf324-63ba-464a-e063-6c86abc07749
McEvoy A., Atkinson A., Beesley A. (2024). Zooplankton abundance time series from net hauls at Western Channel Observatory site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2022. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/0fd7cc03-9b99-492c-e063-6c86abc0e52b
Mesher T., McNeill C.L. (2022). Benthic Survey Macrofauna Abundance and Biomass Data, as part of the Western Channel Observatory, UK, between 2008 and 2019. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10/hn9z
Tarran G.A., May R. (2019). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2017. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/c93x
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/908f84ec-d20c-7c88-e053-6c86abc08fda
Airs R.; Barnes M.; Cook I.; Cummings D.; Fishwick J.; Llewellyn C.; de Menezes A.; Martinez-Vicente V. (2014). Western Channel Observatory HPLC pigment measurements from CTD bottle samples from site L4 for 1999 to 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/tk5.
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/fd200bb3-308e-7c0b-e043-6c86abc01ef5
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2013). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqh.
Widdicombe C.E., Harbour D. (2021). Phytoplankton taxonomic abundance and biomass time-series at Plymouth Station L4 in the Western English Channel, 1992-2020. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC. doi: 10/grks
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2019). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2017. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/c2rb
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2019). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2018. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/dg96
Tarran G.A. (2018). Plankton abundance measured by flow cytometry from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2014 to 2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi: 10/ch57
Wilkinson B., Jones O., Rees A., Fishwick J. (2023). Fluorometric Chlorophyll-a measurements from CTD niskin collected from depth profiles at station L4 in the Western Channel Observatory (WCO) from 1992 up until end of 2022. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/0a1cac9c-1217-247e-e063-6c86abc0507c
Beesley A.; Woodward E.M.S. (2013). PML Benthic Survey sediment nutrient flux rates data from a benthic flux survey experiment at 4 different study sites off Plymouth, South West England, between 2008 and 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/ndk.
Tarran G.A. (2016). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2015. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bv6k. Landing Page=https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/27670ec3-27a0-66e8-e053-6c86abc08dbd/ ShortDOI=10/bv6k.
Woodward E.M.S.; Beesley A. (2013). PML Benthic Survey nutrient concentration data from a benthic flux survey experiment at 4 different study sites of Plymouth, South West England, between 2008 and 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqq.
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/ea6e6cee-8d7d-11e2-bbe0-1803734a77fb
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2017). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bzjg
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2023). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2022. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/062bf324-63b9-464a-e063-6c86abc07749
Dixon J., Hopkins F.E., Stephens J. (2018). DMS, DMSP and DMSO for Western Channel Observatory (WCO) from the L4 site (2 and 50m) from 2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi: 10/cvp3
Wihsgott J.U., Netting J., Palmer M.R. (2024). Realtime Quality Controlled OceanGliders Trajectory File from the SyncED-Ocean project in the Western English Channel, UK, from August to September 2024. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/288540bf-2e1d-d6be-e063-7086abc0ea05
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2016). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2015. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bt7h.
National Oceanographic Database data delivery service; pre-filtered for the data collection.
McEvoy A., Beesley A., Atkinson A. (2022). Subset of zooplankton abundance and biomass time series from net hauls at site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2020. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10/hg5b
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/d7fb6ce3-7bc9-307b-e053-6c86abc0671b
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2019). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2017. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/c2rc
Rees A.; Cummings D. (2013). PML Benthic Survey primary production and chlorophyll-a at 4 different study sites off Plymouth, South West England, between 2008 and 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/ndm.
Tarran G.A. (2018). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi: 10/ch74
Tarran G.A., May R. (2019). Plankton abundance measured by flow cytometry from the long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2014 to 2017. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/c93z
Cummings D. (2018). Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen (CHN) and fluorometric chlorophyll analysis from the Western Channel Observatory (WCO) at the L4 site, from 1992 to 2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/cmt9.
Cummings D.; Dashfield S.; Nunes J.; Brown I.; Fishwick J.; Findlay H.S. (2015). Inorganic carbon and total alkalinity at the Western Channel Observatory from the L4 site from 2008 to 2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/7dj.
Kitidis V.; Hardman-Mountford N. (2013). Underway pCO2 - Western English Channel Observatory (2007-2009). British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/ndj.
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2021). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2020. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/fx2d
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/bc3cf5ce-d18d-1f42-e053-6c86abc02e29
Fishwick J. (2013). CTD profiles (depth, pressure, temperature, salinity, potential temperature, density, fluorescence, transmissance, downwelling PAR, dissolved oxygen concentration) binned to 0.5 m and 0.25 m at sites L4 and E1 in the Western English Channel between January 2002 and December 2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mp7.
Somerfield P., Gilbert J.A., Tait K. (2021). 16S rRNA gene V6 sequence data from station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2003 - 2008. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC. doi: 10/gthg
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/caeb879f-776a-2757-e053-6c86abc0efbb
Tarran G.A. (2025). Plankton abundance measured by flow cytometry from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2024 NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/2ffe4911-3fb8-ed73-e063-7086abc030a0
Dashfield S.; McNeill C.L. (2013). Plymouth Marine Laboratory Benthic Survey macrofauna abundance and biomass data set from four sites in the Western English Channel surveyed bimonthly from 2008 to 2010 containing the data from the samples analysed as at December 2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqc.
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2013). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2012. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqn.
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2021). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2020. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/fxz8
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/bc3cf5ce-d18c-1f42-e053-6c86abc02e29
Tarran G.A. (2014). Abundance of phytoplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and bacteria through the water column at time series station L4 in the Western English Channel, 2007-2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/rf8.
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/f014becf-d6d6-3bb9-e044-000b5de50f38
McEvoy A., Atkinson A., Beesley A. (2024). Zooplankton abundance time series from net hauls at Western Channel Observatory site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2023. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/285d5ae7-934f-f7c4-e063-7086abc031fc
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2015). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/42f.
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/15026a5a-ffbe-09df-e053-6c86abc007cb
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C. (2014). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/rf5.
McEvoy A., Beesley A., Atkinson A. (2021). Zooplankton abundance time series from net hauls at site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2020. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC. doi: 10/gzh6
Published dataset - doi:10.5285/caeb879f-776f-2757-e053-6c86abc0efbb
Fishwick J. (2014). CTD profiles (depth, pressure, temperature, salinity, potential temperature, density, fluorescence, transmissance, downwelling PAR, dissolved oxygen concentration) binned to 0.5 m and 0.25 m at sites L4 and E1 in the Western English Channel between January 2002 and December 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/vrp.
Frickers T.; Dashfield S. (2013). PML Benthic Survey redox measurements from four sites (Cawsand, L4, Rame and Jennycliff) in the Western English Channel surveyed bimonthly from January 2010 to May 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqs.
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2022). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station E1 in the Western English Channel from 2002 to 2021. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10/hfh9
Woodward E.M.S., Harris C. (2022). Micromolar Nutrient concentration profiles from the long-term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2021. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10/hd4w
McEvoy A., Beesley A., Atkinson A. (2022). Calanus helgolandicus weekly egg production time series between 1992-2021, using females from the Western English Channel site L4. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC doi: 10.5285/e28496a4-0c72-0e7a-e053-6c86abc0d7c7
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Al-Moosawi L. (2017). Nutrient concentration profiles from long term time series at Station L4 in the Western English Channel from 2000 to 2016. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bzjf.
Dashfield S.; McNeill C.L. (2014). PML Benthic Survey macrofauna abundance and biomass data from five sites (Cawsand, L4, Rame, Eddystone and E1) and megafauna from one site (L4) in the Western English Channel surveyed between 2008 to 2013 containing data from samples analysed up to and including September 2013. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/vq6.
Woodward E.M.S.; Harris C.; Tait K. (2013). PML Benthic Survey water column nutrient concentrations from 4 different benthic study sites off Plymouth, South West England, between 2008 and 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mqp.
McEvoy A., Beesley A., Atkinson A. (2021). Zooplankton abundance time series from net hauls at site L4 off Plymouth, UK between 1988-2019. British Oceanographic Data Centre, National Oceanography Centre, NERC, UK. doi: 10/fqkg
Fishwick J. (2017). CTD profiles (depth, pressure, temperature, salinity, potential temperature, density, fluorescence, transmissance, downwelling PAR, dissolved oxygen concentration) binned to 0.5 m and 0.25 m at sites L4 and E1 in the Western English Channel between January 2002 and December 2014. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/bwpr.
Fishwick J. (2012). CTD profiles (depth, pressure, temperature, salinity, potential temperature, density, fluorescence, transmissance, downwelling PAR, dissolved oxygen concentration) binned to 0.5 m and 0.25 m at sites L4 and E1 in the Western English Channel between January 2002 and December 2011. British Oceanographic Data Centre - Natural Environment Research Council, UK. doi:10/mp6.
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