IO-5: Real-time monitoring of Narragansett Bay utilizing remote sensing and sampling platforms

December 7, 2020

Mentor: Kristofer Gomes, University of Rhode Island
Co-Mentor: Andrew Davies, University of Rhode Island

Project Location

University of Rhode Island-Bay Campus

Project Description

Sensor test
Dr. Kristofer Gomes (left) aboard R/V Cap’N Bert to launch a test buoy for RI C-AIM’s Bay Observatory.

Narragansett Bay represents an important ecological and economic resource within Rhode Island and has been the subject of the increased monitoring efforts including as part the Rhode Island Coastal Ecology Assessment Innovation and Modeling (RI-CAIM) project. This project focuses on the deployment and maintenance of a suite of sensors deployed within the Narragansett Bay observatory and the analysis of physical, chemical, and biological data they generate to provide insight into how environmental conditions in the Bay drive phytoplankton bloom formation. The data generated from these buoy platforms will provide high temporal resolution, multi-parameter datasets in real-time for modeling efforts and monitoring of Bay conditions. In addition, remote sampling platforms will allow for collection of both whole water and filtered samples allowing for analysis of changes of phytoplankton gene expression to better understand how these changes correlate to environmental conditions measured within the Bay.

This SURF project will involve field work including time spent offshore on a small boat in Narragansett Bay and opportunities for research diving to aid in the maintenance of buoy platforms and sensor suites. Onshore work will include the cleaning of sensors and testing of their performance, and the analysis of data generated from these platforms. In addition, laboratory work includes the potential for extraction of DNA and RNA from remotely collected filtered samples to help understand phytoplankton community composition and their gene expression in relation to changes in environmental conditions within the Bay.

Responsibilities will include: Testing and maintenance of sensors, assisting in deployment of sensors on buoy platforms in the Bay, DNA and RNA extractions, analysis of phytoplankton community composition and gene expression, sensor data management and analysis.

Additional Information