Development of an Autonomous, Time-Series Benthic Recruitment Sampler

PI建议开发和测试一种自主的、时间序列的、原位底栖无脊椎动物采集采样器，用于各种软沉积物栖息地。采样器的设计将基于先前开发的用于水柱采样的仪器（称为ELVIS）。新的采样器将允许幼虫沉降基质在不同的物理条件下（如水流、光照水平、温度）受控和重复暴露。该项目有三个主要目标：首先，设计和建造一个沉积物采集采样器，该采样器将集成到控制器微处理器和环境传感器中，以使采样器在完全自主模式下运行。其次，进行一系列实验室和现场测试，以评估设备的操作限制和采样假设。第三，在一些浅水生境中检查采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.