Biophysical Interdisciplinary Trophic Studies (BITS)
Abstract
The long-term goal of our joint research program is the development of data-based models to predict ecological relationships of plants and animals to the physical and chemical environment in the sea. Understanding the marine ecosystem is limited by man's inability to observe life in the sea on scales in time and space that most directly impact individual animals. In lieu of having the ability to make direct observations of the animals and their environment, much of our knowledge about how they reproduce, live, and die is inferential. Our thesis has been that improving the ability of the scientific community to detect and observe marine animals at any trophic level, especially in relation to the defining structure and characteristics of the food and physical environment, would improve the chances that we can understand and model the processes that control spatial distribution and temporal variability in marine ecosystems. Our immediate objective was to provide a small number of new acoustical tools for studying zooplankton and micronekton that scientists could afford and access. In addition to new sensors, we recognized that new methods of deployment for sensors of this kind were needed and effort was directed to developing those methods.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA551424
Entities
People
- D. V. Holliday
- R. E. Pieper
Organizations
- Tracor