Fluid Imaging and Particle Analysis System in Aquatic Ecosystems

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Water flow transports suspended particulate matter including phytoplankton (microscopic algae) and zooplankton (small animals) that feed upon them and each other. These small organisms and particulates are the basis for aquatic food webs that extend to fish, birds, and mammals that feed in the water column and suspension-feeding bivalves and other benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms. An examination of the number and types of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and particles is critical to determining the energy transfer of aquatic foodwebs and understanding how aquatic ecosystems function. Moreover, such understanding can provide an indication of the health of aquatic environments and help to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of control/remediation strategies. This is especially important as new invasive species and other environmental perturbations affect our inland and coastal waters. Funds are requested, therefore, for the purchase of a Fluid Imaging and Particle Analysis System for Aquatic Ecosystems to measure the size, shape, abundance and identity of particulates in lakes, rivers, and oceans as well as in experimental systems in the laboratory.