FAQ
What is Bio-GO-SHIP?
Bio-GO-SHIP is a community program that measures plankton across the global ocean.
It quantifies the molecular diversity, size spectrum, chemical composition, and abundances of plankton communities, alongside the physical and chemical measurements made by GO-SHIP. Sampling began on US GO-SHIP cruises in 2015, and the program was officially recognized by NOAA, NASA, and NSF in 2021. It is based at UC Irvine.
How does Bio-GO-SHIP relate to GO-SHIP?
Bio-GO-SHIP adds biological measurements to GO-SHIP hydrographic sections.
GO-SHIP repeats ocean transects to track heat, carbon, and other physical and chemical properties. Bio-GO-SHIP samples plankton on those same lines, from the same CTD casts and the ship’s underway seawater system, so biology can be compared directly with the physical and chemical context.
Who funds Bio-GO-SHIP?
Bio-GO-SHIP in the US is supported by several US federal agencies and a private foundation.
Support has come from NOAA Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing, NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA IOOS, NASA, and NSF, with some awards made through the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP). In 2025, NOPP gave the project its 2024 Excellence in Partnering Award. Bio-GO-SHIP has also received support from the Minderoo Foundation in Australia.
Which cruises has Bio-GO-SHIP sampled?
Bio-GO-SHIP has sampled GO-SHIP sections in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern oceans, including over a dozen cruises and thousands of stations.
The Cruises page has a map of cruise tracks and a report for each cruise. The Data page lists every occupation with its expocode, ship, dates, chief scientist, and archive links.
What kinds of samples are collected?
Bio-GO-SHIP combines discrete samples from the CTD rosette and the ship’s underway seawater system with continuous sensor measurements.
Discrete samples include DNA and RNA for ‘omics, HPLC pigments, particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (POC/N and POP), particulate inorganic carbon (PIC), and flow cytometry. Continuous measurements include the Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP5) and a transmissometer on CTD casts, plus an underway optical suite (backscatter, absorption/attenuation, and FRRF), a flow cytometer and Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB), and a PIC sensor.
Exact packages vary by cruise. The Protocols page lists typical depths, timepoints, and volumes for each sample type.
What is a Bio-GO-SHIP protocol?
A protocol is a shared method for collecting or processing samples, so measurements can be compared across cruises and over time. The Bio-GO-SHIP protocols shared here allow researchers outside of Bio-GO-SHIP to generate results compatible with the Bio-GO-SHIP program.
The Protocols page lists the current standard operating procedures (SOPs), each with a short overview and a downloadable file. They cover DNA/RNA sampling and DNA extraction, HPLC pigments, particulate organic matter (POC/N and POP), flow cytometry, inline optics, and the Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP5). The same page has an overview of typical depths, timepoints, and volumes for each sample type.
How is Bio-GO-SHIP data shared?
Bio-GO-SHIP data are deposited in public archives suited to each data type.
This site does not host data itself. GO-SHIP hydrography is archived at CCHDO, ‘omics sequences at NCBI (searchable through Ocean DNA Explorer), optics and pigments at SeaBASS, plankton images at EcoTaxa, species occurrences at OBIS, and project datasets at BCO-DMO and NCEI.
The Data page links to each archive and has a table of archive links for every cruise. A blank cell in that table means nothing has been posted there yet.
How do I cite Bio-GO-SHIP data?
Cite the specific data accessions and DOIs you used, when available.
Each archive provides its own identifiers, such as an NCBI BioProject or SRA accession, a BCO-DMO dataset DOI, or a CCHDO cruise expocode. The Data page links to the archives for each cruise. If a dataset you need has no DOI yet, contact the team.
Where can I find Bio-GO-SHIP publications?
Published papers and reports are listed on the Publications page.
Each entry typically includes authors, year, source, and a DOI or URL when one is available. If something is missing, open a GitHub issue or contact the team so it can be added.
How do I get involved?
The shortest path is to contact the program team and say how you would like to contribute.
That might mean joining a cruise, sharing methods, contributing data, or collaborating on a paper. Use the Contact page, or email someone listed on the Team page.
Who can join a Bio-GO-SHIP cruise?
Cruise participation is coordinated by the investigators listed on the Team pages.
If you are interested in sailing or contributing measurements, start with the Contact page or reach out to a relevant team member. Space, permits, and berth availability depend on the specific cruise.
Are there opportunities for students?
Yes! Training is a core part of Bio-GO-SHIP.
The program trains undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students, research associates, and K-12 teachers in oceanographic sampling and analysis. In its pilot phase, 13 students gained hands-on experience at sea and in the lab. If you are interested, contact the team.