Sediments are an important component of any aquatic system. Sediment sampling is typically conducted at the same time as surface-water sampling because of the obvious physical connection between the two media. However, as is the case with soil samples, there are a number of unique features of sediment samples that must be considered when designing a sediment sampling program. This module discusses how the complexity of sediment samples affects where and how we collect sediment samples. It introduces terminology unique to sediment sampling and describes a number of common objectives of sediment sampling programs. A variety of manually deployed and mechanically deployed devices used for collection of shallow surface sediment grab samples and depth-discrete samples, and the applications and limitations of these devices are discussed in detail. Upon completion of this module, you will understand why sediment sampling is such hard work and why sampling device selection is more involved that choosing something that looks good in a catalog!
Module ES-30 (Total Length: 57 minutes) Price: $159.00 Sign in to Your E-School Account to Register
Overview of Sampling Strategies and Sampling Devices for Sediment
- What is Sediment?
- Understanding the Complexities of Sediment Samples
- The Three Fundamental Layers of Sediment Systems
- Common Objectives of Sediment Sampling Programs
- Surface Grab Samples vs. Core Samples
- Where Should Sediment Samples be Collected?
- Selection Criteria for Sediment Sampling Devices
- Overview of Surface Sediment Grab Sampling Devices
- Advantages and Limitations of Surface Sediment Grab Sampling Strategies
- Overview of Sediment Coring Devices – Manual and Mechanical
- Advantages and Limitations of Sediment Coring Strategies
Total CEUs for Module ES-30: 1 CEU