Table 1. Brief description of analytic methods used on the METEOR voyage. Full description and 
Standard Operating Procedures for each method are available in Appendix B. Method type is 
indicated as Det = Detailed analytic method or FDA, ATP or CFA for three types of indicative 
analytic methods where FDA = fluorescein diacetate, ATP = adenosine triphosphate, CFA = 
chlorophyll fluorescence activity. MLML = Moss Landing Marine Labs. BWI = Ballast Water 
index. 
Analysis 
Method 
Type 
Description 
Microscopy 
(movement) 
Det 
Samples were placed in a modified Bogorov chamber and live zooplankton (> 50 
pm) were enumerated by observing movement. 
Microscopy 
(FDA 
'staining') 
Det 
Samples were 'stained' using FDA and fluorescing organisms were counted using 
a Sedgewick-Rafter counting chamber under an epifluorescence microscope 
equipped with a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) narrow pass filter cube. 
Flow 
cytometry 
Det 
Samples are inserted into flow cytometer for measurement. Phytoplankton cells 
are separated from other particles based on scatter and the red fluorescence of 
the chlorophyll present in the phytoplankton cell. The size range of 
phytoplankton is determined using spherical beads as an internal standard. 
Satake Pulse 
Counter 
FDA 
Samples were stained using FDA and placed in portable stirring chamber that 
estimates the number of viable organisms based on the number of fluorescence 
pulses detected over a specific threshold. 
MLML 
(streamlined) 
bulk FDA 
FDA 
Organisms were captured on a filter, placed into incubation, and tagged with 
FDA. Active organisms convert FDA to fluorescein, which is measured 
quantitatively in the bulk, whole-water incubation fluid. 
MLML ATP 
ATP 
Organisms in sample were captured on a filter and immersed in a strong 
extraction fluid. Extraction tubes were mixed thoroughly after 1 hour extraction 
and measured for luminescence in the presence of luciferase enzyme; 
luminescence is linearly related to ATP concentration. 
SGS ATP 
(aqua-tools) 
ATP 
Rapidly estimates living organisms through quantification of bioluminescent 
signal coming from the reaction of Luminase™ with intracellular Adenosine 
TriPhosphate (cATP). 
Walz 
WATER-PAM 
CFA 
Desktop device to estimate phytoplankton biomass and photosynthetic activity. 
Measurements can be performed using whole water or size fractionated 
samples. 
Turner 
Designs' 
BallastCheck- 
^TM 
CFA 
Estimates abundance and assesses viability of phytoplankton based on 
fluorescence produced by organisms. 
bbe lOcells 
CFA 
Estimates the number of living cells based on variable fluorescence (Fv) of 
chlorophyll of photosynthetically-active algae. 
Hach BW680 
CFA 
Samples were deposited into a cuvette for measurement. Device displays BWI 
values and estimated risk based on average variable fluorescence response. 
Viable cell concentrations can be estimated based on BWI, which is proportional 
to variable fluorescence, F v , in conventional PAM fluorometry.