Despite appearances, Chris Coccaro is not trying to become an underwater plumber, rather he is getting quite a work out assisting Daniel Jones in conducting oxygen profiles within the bottom boundary layer above the reef. This “Christmas Tree” device consists of PVC pipes: the pipe is placed at a planned and measured elevation with narrow spacing towards the bottom and increased spacing moving upward following a logarithmic scale. Divers gently lay this device on the sea floor and use an oxygen sensor to gather a time-series of oxygen measurements at each elevation. Once the data is plotted, the scientists look for patterns of the oxygen concentrations over the reef, which provides an indicator of the health and productivity of the coral system. Image courtesy of Bonaire 2008: Exploring Coral Reef Sustainability with New Technologies.
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Bonaire 2008: Exploring Coral Reef Sustainability with New Technologies
Bonaire 2008: Exploring Coral Reef Sustainability with New Technologies: Jan 17 Log
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