Deployment: Greenwich_Cove

Dock-based station in Greenwich Cove, RI

Field sampling was done twice weekly in 2005 and once weekly in 2006 during the hydromedusan growth season. Hydrographic data was collected using a HydroLab Datasonde 4 profiling package outfitted with sensors for depth, conductivity,and temperature.  The potential prey field of hydromedusae consists of mesozooplankton (>200 µm) and microplankton (autotrophs and heterotrophs <200 µm). Mesozooplankton samples include both the hydromedusae and their potential mesozooplankton prey. Mesozooplankton were collected by vertical hauls of a metered 64 µm-mesh 0.5m diameter ring net. Samples were preserved in 4% buffered formaldehyde.  Samples for analysis of autotrophic and heterotrophic microplankton were collected using a Niskin bottle deployed at targeted depths, typically 3 depths perstation (surface, mid-depth and bottom of the well-mixed water column). Samples were preserved with 10% (vol/vol) acid Lugols solution, settled, and then processed by inverted microscopy (Gifford and Caron 2001).