Research Product

"Marine Ecosystem Testing Units" (METU) is an experimental design for integrating responses of communities of marine organisms to low level pollutants under natural conditions of temperature, weather, season, precipitation, sunlight, etc. Ninety-six testing units are arranged in a regimen for pollutant exposure and systematic sampling. Organisms harvested are sorted and enumerated first to major taxa, subsequently to species level. Data are subjected to multi-variate statistical analysis to elucidate relative effects of pollutant, duration of test (harvest), season, and type of organism. Sampling is replicated in time and space. The first year of operation has demonstrated distinct responses to chlorination at levels below chemical detectability.