Dear John, Philip, All, In my last message I said: > > In addition I will modify the definitions of the eleven existing > primary_production and primary_productivity names to make sure that they > all use consistent wording as discussed under this thread. >
In fact, a total of eighteen existing names will be affected by the changes discussed in this thread. The definitions of six tendency_of_mole_concentration_of_particulate_organic_matter_expressed_as_carbon_in_sea_water_due_to_net_primary_production names need to be slightly modified to ensure all the wording is consistent. In addition, Philip Cameron-Smith pointed out that "productivity|production_of_carbon" means the same as "productivity|production_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon (see http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/pipermail/cf-metadata/2013/056627.html and http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/pipermail/cf-metadata/2013/056965.html). We use the expressed_as terminology in 160 existing atmospheric and oceanic chemistry names. Its definition is: 'The phrase "expressed_as" is used in the construction A_expressed_as_B, where B is a chemical constituent of A. It means that the quantity indicated by the standard name is calculated solely with respect to the B contained in A, neglecting all other chemical constituents of A.' I think it is sensible to make the carbon names consistent with other chemical species and thus standardize on a single and easily recognizable method of referring to a single chemical constituent of a compound substance. As a result the following twelve aliases will be created in the next update of the standard name table: gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon -> gross_primary_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon net_primary_productivity_of_carbon -> net_primary_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_leaves -> net_primary_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_accumulated_in_leaves net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_roots -> net_primary_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_accumulated_in_roots net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_wood -> net_primary_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_accumulated_in_wood net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_phytoplankton -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_phytoplankton net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_picophytoplankton -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_picophytoplankton net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_calcareous_phytoplankton -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_calcareous_phytoplankton net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_diatoms -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_diatoms net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_diazotrophs -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_diazotrophs net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_miscellaneous_phytoplankton -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_miscellaneous_phytoplankton net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_due_to_nitrate_utilization -> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_due_to_nitrate_utilization Best wishes, Alison ------ Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065 NCAS/British Atmospheric Data Centre Email: alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory R25, 2.22 Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K. > -----Original Message----- > From: CF-metadata [mailto:cf-metadata-boun...@cgd.ucar.edu] On Behalf > Of alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk > Sent: 27 November 2013 11:24 > To: cf-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > Cc: john.grayb...@marinexplore.com > Subject: Re: [CF-metadata] new standard name for primary production of > carbon per unit volume > > Dear John, > > Thanks for your reply. The name > net_primary_production_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_per_unit_volu > me_in_sea_water (kg m-3 s-1) > is accepted for inclusion in the standard name table and will be added at the > next update. > > I have modified the definition as suggested by John and added the usual > explanatory sentence for 'expressed_as', thus the full definition is now as > follows: > ' "Production of carbon" means the production of biomass expressed as the > mass of carbon which it contains. Net primary production is the excess of > gross primary production (rate of synthesis of biomass from inorganic > precursors) by autotrophs ("producers"), for example, photosynthesis in > plants or phytoplankton, over the rate at which the autotrophs themselves > respire some of this biomass. In the oceans, carbon production per unit > volume is often found at a number of depths at a given horizontal location. > That quantity can then be integrated to calculate production per unit area at > the location. Standard names for production per unit area use the term > "productivity". The phrase "expressed_as" is used in the construction > A_expressed_as_B, where B is a chemical constituent of A. It means that the > quantity indicated by the standard name is calculated solely with respect to > the B contained in A, neglecting all other chemical constiuents of A.' > > In addition I will modify the definitions of the eleven existing > primary_production and primary_productivity names to make sure that they > all use consistent wording as discussed under this thread. > > Best wishes, > Alison > > ------ > Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065 > NCAS/British Atmospheric Data Centre Email: alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk > STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory > R25, 2.22 > Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: John Graybeal [mailto:john.grayb...@marinexplore.com] > > Sent: 26 November 2013 16:23 > > To: Pamment, Alison (STFC,RAL,RALSP) > > Cc: cf-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > > Subject: Re: [CF-metadata] new standard name for primary production of > > carbon per unit volume > > > > Alison, sorry for the delay, This proposal is great, though I suggest > > wordsmithing the added explanation to be more generic (models as well > as > > observations). > > > > "In the oceans carbon production is often found for multiple depths in a > > given horizontal location, giving a production per unit volume. The > quantity > > can then be integrated..." > > > > Hopefully this is minor enough to not arouse any concerns.... > > > > john > > > > On Nov 5, 2013, at 04:48, alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk wrote: > > > > > Dear John and Roy, > > > > > > I think, then, that we are agreed the name should be: > > > > > > net_primary_production_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_per_unit_volu > > me_in_sea_water (kg m-3). > > > > > > Sorry if I wasn't clear about the definitions. John is correct that we > > > need > to > > distinguish between "productivity" and "production" because they have > > different implications for the units. "Productivity" has long been defined > in > > standard names as meaning "production per unit area" which implies units > > of m-2. I am not suggesting any change to this. The quantity of > "production", > > for example, in existing names such as > > > tendency_of_mole_concentration_of_particulate_organic_matter_expresse > > d_as_carbon_in_sea_water_due_to_net_primary_production_by_diatoms, > > has not in fact been used to specify "per unit volume". It implies only that > a > > quantity of biomass carbon is being produced; the quantity itself may be > > measured as mass in kg or amount of substance in moles. The "m-3" in the > > existing names comes from the definition of mole concentration: ' "Mole > > concentration" means number of moles per unit volume'. > > > > > > The upshot of this is that we do need different wording for the > definitions > > of production and productivity names. Production names would contain > the > > following: > > > ' "Production of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed > as > > the mass of carbon which it contains. Net primary production is the > > > excess of gross primary production (rate of synthesis of biomass from > > inorganic precursors) by autotrophs ("producers"), for example, > > photosynthesis in plants or phytoplankton, over the rate at which the > > autotrophs themselves respire some of this biomass.' > > > > > > For productivity names we would add an additional explanatory > sentence > > (as already used in standard names definitions): > > > ' "Production of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed > as > > the mass of carbon which it contains. Net primary production is the > > > excess of gross primary production (rate of synthesis of biomass from > > inorganic precursors) by autotrophs ("producers"), for example, > > photosynthesis in plants or phytoplankton, over the rate at which the > > autotrophs themselves respire some of this biomass. "Productivity" > means > > production per unit area.' > > > > > > All mention of "per unit mass" or "per unit volume" is then removed > from > > the definition of production itself, which I think it should be. Also, these > > definitions would allow standard wording regardless of whether the > > production is land or ocean based, which was my original intention. I > would > > need to go through the eleven existing names to make sure their > > definitions all follow one or other of the above templates. > > > > > > For John's new name we can certainly add some extra explanation to the > > definition as to how the parameter might be used. Based on Roy's > > explanation I suggest the following: > > > ' In the oceans it is usual to measure carbon production per unit volume > at > > a number of depths for a given horizontal location. The quantity can then > be > > integrated to calculate production per unit area at that location. Standard > > names for production per unit area use the term "productivity".' > > > > > > This would be appended to the earlier text about production. > > > > > > All OK? If so, I will include these changes in the next standard name > table > > update which is currently in preparation, hopefully to be published this > > week. > > > > > > Best wishes, > > > Alison > > > > > > ------ > > > Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065 > > > NCAS/British Atmospheric Data Centre Email: > > alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk > > > STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory > > > R25, 2.22 > > > Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K. > > > > > > > > >> -----Original Message----- > > >> From: John Graybeal [mailto:john.grayb...@marinexplore.com] > > >> Sent: 04 November 2013 22:54 > > >> To: Lowry, Roy K. > > >> Cc: Pamment, Alison (STFC,RAL,RALSP); cf-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > > >> Subject: Re: [CF-metadata] new standard name for primary production > of > > >> carbon per unit volume > > >> > > >> Hi Roy, > > >> > > >> The indication I had received from other sources (when I asked them > why > > CF > > >> didn't seem to have any production per unit volume names that I could > > find) > > >> was that this parameter was generally measured only at the ocean > > surface, > > >> via satellites -- hence per unit area was the common unit. Your > > explanation > > >> adds a lot to my understanding -- and maybe should be reflected in the > > >> descriptions! > > >> > > >> Thanks! > > >> > > >> John > > >> > > >> On Nov 4, 2013, at 14:18, "Lowry, Roy K." <r...@bodc.ac.uk> wrote: > > >> > > >>> Hi John, > > >>> > > >>> Production per unit volume is the usual parameter measured in the > > >> oceans. What is usually done is to measure this at maybe half a dozen > > >> depths at a given position between the surface and 100m and then > there > > is > > >> an integration procedure that can be done on this dataset to produce a > > >> single value of production per unit area for that position - I guess with > > the > > >> objective of making oceanographic data compatible with terrestrial for > > >> global aggregates. > > >>> > > >>> The tow oceanographic parameters have different dimensionality and > > >> therefore need to be described by different standard names. > > >>> > > >>> Cheers, Roy. > > >>> > > >>> ________________________________________ > > >>> From: CF-metadata [cf-metadata-boun...@cgd.ucar.edu] On Behalf > Of > > >> John Graybeal [john.grayb...@marinexplore.com] > > >>> Sent: 04 November 2013 15:55 > > >>> To: alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk > > >>> Cc: cf-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > > >>> Subject: Re: [CF-metadata] new standard name for primary production > > of > > >> carbon per unit volume > > >>> > > >>> Hi Alison, > > >>> > > >>> First change is fine by me. > > >>> > > >>> Second change is fine for _my_ request. I note that most terms to date > > >> (and all terrestrial terms?) consider productivity per unit area; mine is > > the > > >> first, or one of the first, that is per unit volume. (The difference is > > reflected > > >> in the units.) The definition of "net primary production" needs to > either > > be > > >> written generically (e.g., "per unit area or volume according to the > > units"), > > >> or we'll need two different concepts. (I vaguely recall a notion that > > >> productivity could be by unit area and production by unit volume, but > > have > > >> no personal expertise.) > > >>> > > >>> John > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> On Nov 4, 2013, at 01:33, alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk wrote: > > >>> > > >>>> Dear John G., > > >>>> > > >>>> Some time ago you proposed a standard name > > >> net_primary_production_of_carbon_per_unit_volume_in_sea_water > > with > > >> canonical units of kg m-3 s-1. > > >>>> > > >>>> The proposal is certainly consistent with the syntax of existing > > >> productivity_of_carbon names. However, there ensued some > discussion > > as > > >> to whether production|productivity_of_carbon means the same as > > >> production|productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon. I think the > > >> answer to this question is actually 'yes'. The definitions even say ' > > >> "Production of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed > as > > the > > >> mass of carbon which it contains.' I think we need to be careful to > retain > > the > > >> terms "productivity" or "production" of carbon as part of the names > > because > > >> these are the terms widely used and understood by the land surface > > >> modellers and ocean biogeochemists. However, in the interests of > > making > > >> standard names as standard as possible, I suggest that we should in fact > > >> insert "expressed_as". For example, > > >> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_diatoms would become > > >> > > > net_primary_mole_productivity_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_by_diat > > >> oms and your proposed name would be > > >>> co > > >>>> me > > >> > > > net_primary_production_of_biomass_expressed_as_carbon_per_unit_volu > > >> me_in_sea_water. The change would affect eleven existing names. > > Would > > >> that be acceptable? Does anyone else object to the change? > > >>>> > > >>>> Regarding the definition of the proposed name, I see that you have > > tried > > >> to make it consistent with existing net_primary_productivity names. > > >> Looking through the standard name table I have found that we have > two > > >> versions of the wording that have been tailored to land based or ocean > > >> based photosynthesis, respectively. See, for example, the definition of > > >> net_primary_mole_productivity_of_carbon_by_diatoms versus that of > > >> net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_leaves. I think it > > >> would be better to settle on a single wording for all > > >> net_primary_production/productivity names, regardless of where the > > >> process is taking place, so I suggest the following: > > >>>> " "Production of carbon" refers to the production of biomass > expressed > > >> as the mass of carbon which it contains. Net primary production is the > > >> excess of gross primary production (rate of synthesis of biomass per > unit > > >> volume from inorganic precursors) by autotrophs ("producers"), for > > >> example, photosynthesis in plants or phytoplankton, over the rate at > > which > > >> the autotrophs themselves respire some of this biomass. " > > >>>> > > >>>> Is this OK? If so, I will amend the definitions of the existing names > > >>>> to > > all > > >> have consistent wording. > > >>>> > > >>>> Thanks for your patience, > > >>>> Alison > > >>>> > > >>>> ------ > > >>>> Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065 > > >>>> NCAS/British Atmospheric Data Centre Email: > > >> alison.pamm...@stfc.ac.uk > > >>>> STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory > > >>>> R25, 2.22 > > >>>> Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K. > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>>> -----Original Message----- > > >>>>> From: CF-metadata [mailto:cf-metadata-boun...@cgd.ucar.edu] On > > >> Behalf > > >>>>> Of John Graybeal > > >>>>> Sent: 02 July 2013 22:56 > > >>>>> To: CF Metadata List > > >>>>> Subject: Re: [CF-metadata] new standard name for primary > > production > > >> of > > >>>>> carbon per unit volume > > >>>>> > > >>>>> As of June 5 this revised name was requested to go with the > > previously > > >>>>> submitted definition: > > >>>>> > > >>>>> On Jun 5, 2013, at 11:38, John Graybeal > <grayb...@marinexplore.com> > > >>>>> wrote: > > >>>>>> So I think we have the replacement name of > > >>>>>> > net_primary_production_of_carbon_per_unit_volume_in_sea_water > > >>>>>> pending further thoughts and responses. > > >>>>> > > >>>>> There has been some discussion (thank you), but to my knowledge, > > no > > >>>>> outstanding requests for changes since that posting. > > >>>>> > > >>>>> In the definition below, I've modified bits of that definition to > match > > >> the > > >>>>> new term (production). Is this request approvable at this point? > > >>>>> > > >>>>> Name: > > >> net_primary_production_of_carbon_per_unit_volume_in_sea_water > > >>>>> Units: kg m-3 s-1 > > >>>>> Definition: Net primary production is the excess of gross primary > > >> production > > >>>>> (rate of synthesis of biomass per unit volume from inorganic > > precursors > > >> by > > >>>>> autotrophs, or "producers", especially by photosynthesising plants > > using > > >>>>> sunlight for energy) over the rate at which they themselves respire > > >> some of > > >>>>> this biomass (plant_respiration, assuming all producers to be > plants). > > >>>>> "Production of carbon" refers to the production of biomass > expressed > > as > > >> the > > >>>>> mass of carbon which it contains. > > >>>>> > > >>>>> John > > >>>>> > > >>>>> ------------------------------------ > > >>>>> John Graybeal > > >>>>> Senior Data Manager, Metadata and Semantics > > >>>>> > > >>>>> Marinexplore > > >>>>> 920 Stewart Drive > > >>>>> Sunnyvale, CA > > >>>>> > > >>>>> > > >>>>> > > >>>>> _______________________________________________ > > >>>>> CF-metadata mailing list > > >>>>> CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > > >>>>> http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata > > >>>> -- > > >> > > > > > > -- > > > Scanned by iCritical. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > CF-metadata mailing list > > > CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > > > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata > > > > ------------------------------------ > > John Graybeal > > Sr. Data Manager, Metadata & Semantics > > > > M +1 408 675-5445 > > skype: graybealski > > Marinexplore > > 920 Stewart Drive > > Sunnyvale 94085 > > California, USA > > www.marinexplore.com > > -- > Scanned by iCritical. > _______________________________________________ > CF-metadata mailing list > CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata -- Scanned by iCritical. _______________________________________________ CF-metadata mailing list CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
