Physical Characteristics

Benthic temperatures are recorded at each site with a HoboTemp™ thermistor data logger (Onset Computer Corporation, Bourne, Massachusetts). Thermistors are affixed within transects and set to record at intervals of 15 minutes. Records are presented as daily averages across months.

Water currents are recorded at a subset of sites and times with Nortek Aquadopp™ Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs). Profilers are set in bases on the seafloor and set to record current speed and direction within predefined depth bins above the substrate.

Continuous fluorometric measurements of chlorophyll and turbidity were conducted at some sites for short periods (Black Point, Grammanik, Magens Bay). Wetlabs ECOFLNT fluorometers with antifouling bio-wipers were deployed and set to record for one minute at hourly intervals. Water column chlorophyll measurements detect phytoplankton abundance. Fluorometric measurements of chlorophyll are proxies for true chlorophyll concentrations. Direct chlorophyll measurements to calibrate fluorometric measurements have not been conducted at the monitoring sites.

The TCRMP daily temperature data set is available for download here. If you would like access to other environmental data listed above, please contact Dr. Tyler Smith (tsmith@uvi.edu).