A simple 19th Century tool is still useful to ocean scientists in the age of satellites, new research published in Frontiers in Marine Science shows. A Secchi disk – historically called a “dinner plate” by sailors – is used in the open ocean to measure concentrations of microscopic algae called
thFrontiers in Marine ScienceA Secchi disk – historically called a “dinner plate” by sailors – is used in the open ocean to measure concentrations of microscopic algae called phytoplankton.In the new study, a research team including the University of Exeter, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit and the Italian Institute of Marine Sciences compared the performance of Secchi disks with satellites and high-performance chromatography.
Secchi disks performed almost as well as modern methods at monitoring phytoplankton abundance – meaning Secchi measurements going back more than a century can help scientists understand long-term changes in the ocean. “Phytoplankton produce half the world’s oxygen and form the base of ocean food webs, so monitoring them helps us track everything from climate change to the health of ecosystems,” said Dr. Bob Brewin, from the Centre for Geography and Environmental Science on Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
“New technology undoubtedly gives us new opportunities, but our study shows Secchi disks do a good job of estimating chlorophyll – which means we should be able to integrate data from the past with modern measurements.Secchi disks are still used all around the world to monitor ocean biomass and water quality, and co-author Dr. Jaime Pitarch, from ISMAR, said the findings support their continued use.In fact, researchers including Dr.
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