Project Title: Monitoring zooplankton abundance and body condition in Waquoit Bay
Duration: 03/2025 – 12/2026
Lead Investigators: Dr. Ann Tarrant, Dr. Amy Apprill, Erin Lyons
Additional onsite-contact: Phil Alatalo
Affiliation: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
This project aims to better understand and quantify the mesozooplankton community in Waquoit Bay by conducting plankton net tows and water sampling. Zooplankton (e.g., copepods and barnacle larvae) will be sampled throughout the spring and fall seasons, identified in the lab and analyzed for body condition. We aim to quantify the energy availability that can be harnessed from the natural zooplankton community as it varies across the seasons. This study will also focus efforts on developing a highly efficient light trap system to maximize the collection of small zooplankton overnight. We will compare the composition, abundance and energetic content of plankton captured using the the light trap with the plankton captured through net tows.
