Image analysis as a method for the study of particulate matter concentrations, zooplankton size and feeding in estuarine environment
Flachier Troya, A.L. (1995). Image analysis as a method for the study of particulate matter concentrations, zooplankton size and feeding in estuarine environment. MSc Thesis. Vrije Universiteit Brussel: Brussel. 46, app. pp.
Image-analysis measurements of particulate matter and copepod body as well as gut content dimensions, were made on samples of the Westerschelde and the Elbe estuaries. The copepods analysed were Eurytemora affinis and Acartia tonsa, typical estuarine species. The aim was to verify the applicability of image-analysis for feeding studies on estuarine zooplankton, as proposed by Tackx et all, in press. Particulate matter calculated from image-analysis measurements were significantly correlated with the particulate matter as dry weight, and the coefficients of variation encountered for the copepods body and gut content dimensions were small, so that image-analysis can be considered an adequate tool for these measurements. Image-analysis also demonstrated to be efficient in the studies of ecological features such as copepods body size and copepods gut content as a function of particulate matter concentration and composition along the estuarine saline gradient. The clearance rates values calculated for E. affinis in the Westerschelde were in agreement with earlier reports supporting the method proposed by Tackx et aI, in press.
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