Nunavut Baseline Phytoplankton Taxonomy

Summary of the Requirement:

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) requires taxonomic analysis of Arctic ice algae and phytoplankton, in the size range of micro and nanoplankton, at the lowest possible taxonomic level under inverted microscopy, to support ecosystem studies on the impacts of climate change and other stressors on Arctic marine ecosystems, food web structure, and biodiversity.

DFO participates in the long-term monitoring of marine ecosystems in the Canadian Arctic, including ice-associated ecosystems of the high Canadian Arctic and coastal ecosystems. Taxonomic analyses of phytoplankton and ice algae primary producers are required to evaluate community composition, and potential shifts in community structure and /or species dominance as they relate to carbon cycling and climate-driven changes in biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.

Refer to the Advance Contract Award Notice document for full requirement details.

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES (MINIMUM ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

1. Must have a certification from a recognized institution in phytoplankton taxonomy.

2. Must have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in taxonomic analysis of marine phytoplankton and sea-ice algae from the Canadian Arctic.

3. Must have specialized training in the identification, to the genus and species level, of taxa of marine phytoplankton and sea-ice algae (including diatoms, dinoflagellates and flagellate groups including Coccolithophorides, Prasinophytes, Cryptophytes, Euglenophytes). This includes, uncommon and unusual species with a minimum of 10 years of experience identifying these taxa from the Canadian Arctic including the Beaufort Sea, Baffin Bay, the Canadian Archipelago and Hudson Bay.

4. Must have extensive (5 years or more) experience identifying rare, invasive and in particular harmful marine phytoplankton and sea-ice algal species in the Canadian Arctic.

5. Must have a minimum of 10 years of experience with the taxonomic identification of samples preserved in acidic lugol’s solution and formalin and is able to identify phytoplankton or ice algae cells preserved in this manner.

6. Must provide the workspace, and laboratory equipment and materials necessary for the completion of scientifically defensible Arctic marine phytoplankton and ice algae cell identification and counts. In particular, the contractor must provide:
a. Hydro-Bios settling chambers and settling columns of a variety of sizes (5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 ml) to adapt for sample conditions;
b. Hydro-Bios bottom glass and key, and rounded glass covers for the Hydro-Bios settling chambers;
c. Pre-calibrated pipettes 100 µl – 5 ml, and high-precision volumetric measurements for samples of up to 100 ml;
d. An inverted microscope with 100X, 200X, and 400X magnification, with phase-contrast and differential interference contrast, with size measurement capability;
e. A digital camera adapted to the inverted microscope;
f. Specialized taxonomic documentation and references for the identification of ice algae and marine phytoplankton in the Canadian Arctic.

7. Must have experience with marine phytoplankton and sea-ice algae species descriptions from the local Canadian to the pan-Arctic scale being used in peer reviewed papers and/or book chapters.