Global compilation of in situ particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations in coastal and open ocean waters
Year: 2026
Type: data-paper
Abstract: We present a global compilation of in situ marine particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations (POC, PON, and POP, respectively), from multiple sources to provide one of the most comprehensive collections of marine particulate organic matter (POM) to date. The dataset includes 155137 measurements (70586 POC, 69290 PON, and 15261 POP) from 25944 independent stations, more than doubling the number of previously available observations. Observations span more than three decades (1988–2025) and cover the global ocean from the surface to 6009 m depth. Notably, 52% of stations are located in shallow, coastal waters (<200 m bottom depth), enhancing coverage of productive nearshore regions and improving representation of dynamic coastal biogeochemistry. To address methodological heterogeneity among the compiled datasets, detailed metadata describing sampling strategies, filtration protocols, filter types, and analytical techniques were systematically assembled for each measurement whenever available. This dataset provides a resource for quantifying the spatial and temporal variability of POM distributions, and the elemental stoichiometry of marine particles, supporting biogeochemical modeling efforts. The dataset will also enable the development and validation of both bio-optical models and satellite-derived estimates of POM, including applications to the Sentinel-3 and the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) missions.
Source: Scientific Data
Authors: Alain Fumenia, Hubert Loisel, Thierry Moutin, Jamee C. Adams, Hélène Agogué, Lihini I. Aluwihare, Kevin R. Arrigo, Marcel Babin, Nicholas Baetge, William M. Balch, Nicholas R. Bates, Karin M. Björkman, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Sophie Bonnet, Yann Bozec, Raffaela Cattaneo, Arnaud Cauvin, Joaquín E. Chaves, Matthew J. Church, Pascal Claquin, Olivier Crispi, Muriel Crouvoisier, Yolanda Del Amo, Emmanuel Devred, Julia M. Diaz, Kahina Djaoudi, David T. Drapeau, Solange Duhamel, Andrea J. Fassbender, Catherine Garcia, Léa Giannecchini, Miguel A. Goñi, Eric Grabowski, Gérald Grégori, Olivier Grosso, Emilie Grossteffan, Cécile Guieu, Gaël Guillou, Sophia C. Johannessen, Rodney J. Johnson, Orianne Jolly, Andrew R. Juhl, David M. Karl, Irina Koester, Florian Koch, Bernd Krock, Nathalie Labourdette, Véronique Lagadec, Michael R. Landry, Karine Leblanc, Benoit Lebreton, Cédric Leroux, Aude Leynaert, Qian P. Li, Fabrice Lizon, Michael W. Lomas, Antonio Mannino, Barbara Marie, Adam C. Martiny, Sébastien Mas, Dennis J. McGillicuddy, Xavier Mériaux, Matthew M. Mills, Emilie Moisez, Behzad Mostajir, Laure Mousseau, Craig E. Nelson, Sandra Nunige, David Pecqueur, Philippe Pineau, Mireille Pujo-Pay, Elvira Pulido, Clare E. Reimers, Rick A. Reynolds, Peggy Rimmelin-Maury, Eesha Sachdev, Nicolas Savoye, Robert M. Sherrell, Deborah K. Steinberg, Dariusz Stramski, Peter G. Strutton, Michael R. Stukel, Ajit Subramaniam, Emmanuelle Sultan, Maria Tzortziou, Kendra Turk-Kubo, Patricia L. Yager, Gert van Dijken, Vincent Vantrepotte, Francesca Vidussi, Emily M. Waggoner, Linda Wegley Kelly
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Lille, Université du littoral côte d'opale, Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Toulon, Aix-Marseille Université, Institut Pytheas, Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés, Stanford University, Sorbonne Université, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Arizona State University, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, Old Dominion University, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Montana, Marine Ecosystems and oRganisms reSEArch Lab, Université de Caen Normandie, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, Université de Bordeaux, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Continentaux, Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, University of Arizona, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, University of California, Irvine, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Observatoire de Recherche Montpelliérain de l'Environnement OREME, Oregon State University, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, Chinese Academy of Sciences, South China Sea Institute Of Oceanology, State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ifremer, Université de Montpellier, Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, William & Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Florida State University, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Structure et Instabilité des Génomes, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of Georgia
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,490
OpenAlex ID: W7215783160