Development of an Autonomous, Time-Series Benthic Recruitment Sampler

PI建议开发和测试一种自主的、按时间序列的、原位底栖无脊椎动物补充取样器，用于各种软沉积物生境。 取样器的设计将基于以前开发的仪器（称为ELVIS），该仪器是为对水柱进行取样而建造的。新的采样器将允许幼虫沉降基质受控和重复暴露于不同的物理条件（例如水流、光照水平、温度）。 该项目有三个主要目标：第一，设计和建造一个沉积物部署补充采样器，将集成到一个嵌入式微处理器和环境传感器，使采样器在完全自主的模式下运行。第二，进行一系列实验室和实地测试，以评估该装置的操作限制和取样假设。 第三，研究在一些浅水生境中取样装置的性能和局限性。

The PI proposes to develop and test an autonomous, time-series, in situ benthic invertebrate recruitment sampler for use in a variety of soft-sediment habitats. The sampler design will be based on a previously developed instrument (called ELVIS) that was constructed for sampling the water column. The new sampler will permit controlled and repeated exposure of larval settlement substrates to different physical conditions (e.g. water flow, light levels, temperature ). This project has three primary objectives: First, to design and construct a sediment-deployed recruitment sampler which will be integrated to a controller-microprocessor and environmental sensors to permit the sampler to operate in fully autonomous mode. Second, to conduct a series of laboratory and field tests to assess operational constraints and sampling assumptions of the device. Third, to examine the sampling device's performance and limitations in a number of shallow water habitats.