Ecological Stoichiometry Cooperative

ESC

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Data Inclusion Requirements

The dataset must include stoichiometry data deriving from an organism or primarily organic source.

Water chemistry and other similar data can be included, but is not required.
Examples of aquatic organisms and primarily organic source materials:
  • Microbes/Microorganisms
  • Periphyton
  • Macrophytes
  • Epiphytes
  • Phytoplankton
  • Metaphyton
  • Leaf litter
  • Seston
  • Wood
  • Fine or Suspended Particulate Organic Matter (FPOM, SPOM)
  • Peat

This stoichiometry sample must be representative of the entire organism.

Example: Muscle plugs from a fish do not qualify for the database, as a muscle plug is not necessarily representative of the entire organism.
Exceptions: Invertebrate gut removal, snail shell removal

The organic sample must have at least two of the following measurements: Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorous

  • Isotopes of these elements are acceptable: C12, C13, N14, N15

The stoichiometry data must be collected in the field

  • Organisms that spend extensive time in a laboratory or in any manipulated setting for the express purpose of experimentation aren't included in our dataset
  • Organisms that are involved in an experiment, BUT are in the control group of a field experiment are acceptable