SGER: Exploratory research in the use of neutrally buoyant magnetic beads to track dispersal of planktonic organisms

University Of North Carolina At Wilmington, Wilmington NC

Investigators

Abstract

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research award provides funding for the PI to conduct a field study to track the dispersal of coral larvae after a mass-spawning event in the Florida Keys in August 2004. NOAA/NURP, NURC/UNCW and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are supporting various components of the overall project. This SGER provides supplementary funding to test a new concept, of using magnetic particles of the size and buoyancy of the coral larvae, and an array of magnetic collectors, to measure the potential time-integrated dispersal patterns of the coral larvae. This is a conceptually new method that if it works, can be applied to many types of dispersal studies. The development has the potential to constitute a major advance in methods available for biological oceanographic studies.