The Plankton Pump at Barkley Canyon measures zooplankton abundance. Combined measurements from the Plankton Pump and the Sediment Trap are able to study the larval, zooplankton and particle flux of the water column and sediment on the bottom of the seafloor.
The Plankton Pump (and Sediment Trap) both have a unique sampling period. Instrument sampling is scheduled by the instruments themselves and is based on event detection. The Plankton Pump collects a sample and waits for the end of an event to trigger another sample. Samples from the plankton pump must be retrieved during maintenance cruises every 6-12 months. The samples are brought back to a lab for analysis, which includes looking at size distribution, content etc.
Deployment, September 2009
Recovery, May 2010