海洋底栖甲藻是一类营底栖附着生活，广泛分布于热带、亚热带岛礁系统，多具有潜在毒性的藻类类群。涉及底栖甲藻时空分布研究中，如何标准定量、如何尽量少扰动原有的生态环境是研究取得突破的关键所在。申请人拟运用便于标准化的人工基质作为底栖甲藻的附着基，实验室研究我国典型底栖甲藻不同藻属、藻种、藻株、群落组成在人工基质上的附着特点，并模拟不同环境因子如底质、水流、光照、涨落潮对底栖甲藻在人工基质上附着能力的影响并探讨可能的机制。进而根据室内机理研究结果，在典型海域部署人工基质采样装置，结合传统自然基质法数据，对人工基质定量研究法进行全面评估和改进，最终建立基于人工基质的底栖甲藻标准化定量研究方法。本项目有望解决底栖甲藻定量数据标准化问题，对国际上十分薄弱的底栖甲藻标准化定量研究具有重要参考意义，并有望为我国底栖甲藻藻华研究的开展奠定方法学基础。

Benthic dinoflagellates are epiphytic organisms and commonly grow in tropical and subtropical waters, most of which can produce toxin. In the studies on Benthic Harmful Algal Blooms (BHABs) abundance, the problems inherent to normalize cell quantification and disturbance on benthic environments need to be addressed. Here, we will use the artificial substrate as an alternative to the natural substrate (macrophytes) for collection of BHABs cells. The project objectives are to clarify: 1) under laboratory conditions, how benthic dinoflagellates genera, species, strains and community react to the artificial substrate? 2) How the common environments index including natural substrates, current speed, light and tiding affect benthic dinoflagellates attachment on the artificial substrates? On the basis of the laboratory simulation, we’ll design and deploy sampling equipment using artificial substrates in the Chinese typical reef waters. For comparison benthic dinoflagellates abundance between the artificial substrates and the natural substrates, samples associated with macrophytes are also enumerated. This study will thus establish a standardized method on benthic dinoflagellates sampling and cell quantification, contribute to the world-wide BHABs abundance normalization, and also provide a sampling protocol for benthic dinoflagellates in Chinese waters.