POSTER SESSION 1
15:30–17:30, Monday, September 14
Poster Session | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Schedule at a Glance
ABSTRACT 1103 | POSTER 185
ENHANCED CHARACTERIZATION OF SUSPENDED PARTICLES IN THE NORTH SEA USING PLANKTON IMAGING TOOLS
Suspended particulate matter (SPM), including plankton and flocs, is a key component of the water column in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) and a major driver of optical properties such as turbidity. Because turbidity depends not only on particle concentration but also on size, shape, and composition, comprehensive characterization of SPM is essential. However, current understanding of the full size and compositional spectrum of SPM remains fragmented due to instrumental limitations and the traditional separation between biological and sedimentological observations.
Here we demonstrate the potential of plankton imaging technologies for integrated SPM research in the BPNS. Using a multi-camera approach that combines ZooScan, FlowCam, and Flow cytometer instruments, we captured small microorganisms to large aggregates. Our imaging approach allows simultaneous characterization of both living and non-living particles and bridges the gap between plankton ecology and sedimentology.
SPM measurements derived from these photographic images were compared with traditional SPM and optical proxies. Image-derived particle numbers show strong correlations with filtered mass concentrations from water samples, LISST volume concentrations and turbidity measurements from Hach and OBS sensors. Furthermore, the amount of biological particles counted in images aligns well with chlorophyll and transparent exopolymer particles measured during the spring bloom. The number of fluorescent particles also closely matches the bulk organic carbon content in the water during winter.
Our results demonstrate that imaging provides robust proxies for enhanced SPM characterization in the BPNS. Hence, we strongly encourage incorporating imaging sensors into future coastal SPM monitoring frameworks.
Nore Praet, Flanders Marine Institute, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5567-3718
Rune Lagaisse, Flanders Marine Institute/Ghent University, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9191-9140
Jonas Mortelmans, Flanders Marine Institute, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8781-7915
Peter Urban, Ghent University, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0597-7772
Benjamin Van Roozendael, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7760-9517
Maarten De Rijcke, Flanders Marine Institute, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0899-8122
Samira Lashkari, Flanders Marine Institute, [email protected]
Thomas Vandorpe, Flanders Marine Institute, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1461-2484
Poster Session | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Schedule at a Glance
