Data underlying the report: Primary Production - Ems-Dollard estuary

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires EU member states to achieve good ecological and chemical status of all designated water bodies (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) by 2015. Therefore Rijkswaterstaat Waterdienst has initiated the project ‘Research mud dynamics Ems Estuary’ (Onderzoek slibhuishouding Eems‐Dollard). The aim of this project, carried out by Deltares and IMARES, is to (1) improve our knowledge on the mud dynamics in the Ems Estuary (Figure 1.1), (2) to identify the reasons for the increase in turbidity and (3) to quantify measures to improve the ecological status of the estuary. The whole research consists of an analysis of available data, the collection of new data as well as the improvement and application of numerical models. The IMARES task, reported in this document, is to provide the numerical models with ecological data, and to answer a number of primary production related questions which are important for reaching aim (3). The last detailed research on ecological characteristics of the Ems‐Dollard estuary has been performed between 1976 and 1980. IMARES performed new research on phytoplankton presence and primary production in 2012 and 2103, and on phytobenthos presence and primary production in 2013. Beside this, concentrations of nutrients, suspended matter and a number of associated variables were measured. Brinkman et al. (2014, C160/14) the full-data report has the following topics covered (from paragraph 1.6): Chapter 2: characteristics of the area. Chapter 3: description of the measurements: where, when and how. Chapter 4-6: the analytical and mathematical methods used to analyse the data. Chapter 4: analyse on pelagic and benthic data; Chapter 5 pocket box data; Chapter 6 regression analyses. Chapter 7-10: result. Chapter 7 results of the correlation analyses and how these were mutally used to correct other observations. Chapter 11: discussion plus conclusions All chapters include a 'what have we learnt'-section and include recommendations for future research. Main report reference with DOI or download link; Brinkman, A. G., R. Riegman, P. Jacobs, S. Kuhn, and A. Meijboom. 2015. Ems-Dollard Primary Production Research: Full Data Report. C160/14. Wageningen Marine Research. https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/ems-dollard-primary-production-research-full-data-report or https://edepot.wur.nl/350873 .