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Day 5: 7-31-06

Survey Team
  • Paula Whitfield
  • Doug Kesling
  • Norb Wu
  • Christine Addison
Collection Team
  • Jay Styron
  • Wilson Freshwater
  • Brian Degan

During this cruise, we are diving on sites previously sampled on 2004 and 2005 cruises and on new sites selected from high resolution multibeam sonar surveys.  Multibeam surveys produce a quick, georectified map of the seafloor with detailed depth information. 

habitat map
This high resolution multibeam sonar map of a portion of the seafloor illustrates where lionfish habitat is likely to be found. The red and yellow are areas of high relief, most likely calcium carbonate rock outcroppings where a variety of algae, sponges and soft corals can attach. These areas are a haven for marine life.

In 2005, Geodynamics, Inc. was contracted to multibeam a handful of our sites to aid in site selection and to understand the extent of live rock habitats.  The Nancy Foster has recently added a multibeam unit and a survey technician to oversee collection of multibeam data.  Each evening, after dive operations, we continue to survey additional areas that could yield  new sites.  Not only are these maps critical to increasing our efficiency at locating appropriate sampling locations but they will aid us in designing effective sampling strategies for future experiments.  The sites we dove today were chosen from areas previously mapped with this technology.

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Caribbean lobsters are just one of the creatures found inhabiting these natural hard bottom areas.