First AQUABENEFIT Field Campaign: Getting our hands dirty!
- aquabenefit
- Mar 6
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 23
On February 19th, we kicked off the very first AQUABENEFIT field campaign — an exciting milestone as we moved from planning to action in the field!
Taking advantage of great weather and a perfectly timed low tide, the team headed to the Lima estuary to collect samples from the oyster farming area and a nearby control site (unfarmed) to better understand how aquaculture influences the ecosystem.
These samples will help us assess::
Macroinvertebrate diversity, a key indicator of ecosystem health;
Sediment granulometry, providing insight into habitat structure;
Organic matter content, reflecting environmental conditions and productivity.
All samples were processed on-site and transported to the lab, where they are now preserved for further analysis. The next phase will involve detailed sorting and identification of macroinvertebrate communities, providing insights into biodiversity patterns associated with intertidal oyster farming.
This winter campaign represents the first step in a year-round monitoring effort. Additional field campaigns will be conducted in the coming seasons, allowing AQUABENEFIT to better understand temporal variability and the role of aquaculture in shaping coastal ecosystems.
Stay with us as the story unfolds beneath the surface!
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