In the MAAMERI 2 project, several sectoral research institutes and universities collaboratively investigate how the ecosystem of the Archipelago Sea reacts to changes in nutrient load. The project is lead by the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke). Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) participates in the project by collecting continuous and discrete water-quality data from four estuarine monitoring platforms. Additionally, TUAS controls the quality of the data, implements the necessary corrections and calibrations, and curates and publishes the validated data sets. Two of the platforms are moored in the Mynälahti bay, close to the mouths of the Laajoki and Mynäjoki rivers. The other two are moored in the Paimionlahti bay, outside the mouth of the Paimionjoki river. Each platform is equipped with an EXO2 or an EXO3 multiparameter sonde (Xylem Inc, USA). The sensor assemblages vary depending on the platform. The setup includes sensors for total algae (chlorophyll a/phycocyanin), turbidity, fluorescent dissolved matter, temperature/conductivity, pH and oxygen. Data are registered every ten minutes. The sensors are wiped once per hour. All sondes are manually cleaned on a weekly basis. Discrete water samples are collected for the laboratory analysis of turbidity, pH, color number (0.45 µm), solids (0.4 µm), conductivity, conductometric salinity, total phosphorus, phosphate phosphorus, total nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, total organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, chlorophyll-a and chromophoric dissolved organic matter. The samples are collected once a week at each platform. The samples are delivered to the Eurofins laboratory for an accredited analysis through the national mail service, immediately after collection.

2024