Spotlight: Collecting Sample via Integrated Sampler

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Spotlight: Collecting Samples via a Discrete Sampler

Equipment

All the different kinds of equipment needed to gather phytoplankton samples. Two different pieces of equipment to gather the plankton samples: 1. Discrete Sampler - Grey cylinder with plunger ends, 2. Plankton net (integrated sampler) with long rope attached. Plastic buckets and small bottles to hold collected samples, gloves, thermometer to record the temperature of the water, tape and pens for labeling purposes.

Charging the Integrated Sampler

The Discrete Sampler is a device that can collect a water sample at a certain depth

Charging the Discrete Sampler. In this case "charging" simply means setting the sampler into the open (plungers up) position. This is done by inserting a pin in such a way so that the plungers are held in the open position.
Once the sampler is at depth, you tug on the rope - tugging the pin out (or releasing a lead "messenger" down the line to trip the sampler closed) and releasing the plungers to close the sampler.

Dan retrieving integrated sampler

Dan Hoover is a scientist at UC Santa Cruz who works with PISCO (). He maintains the CTD, which is deployed at the Santa Cruz Wharf, he occasionally takes water samples for calibration purposes for the CTD.

Sample under microscope

Checking out the sample under a microscope.

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