[Coral-List] Mucus Sampling

[shashank Keshavmurthy]

Dear Researchers
I want to know the best way to sample mucus form
coral surface(between surface to 10cm above) at
about 2m depth. At present we are collecting it
using a 50ml syringe but I have a doubt. How much
of the sample is really representative of the
mucus, because the sample will also have
surrounding water. If I want to study the
bacterial populations, nutrient characteristics
and other parameters in the released mucus, how
can I normalize the data after I collect the
sample. I believe that I am overestimating the
parameters. Especially when dealing with the
nutrient dynamics.
I have read some already published work on this
aspect, but I still cannot understand how to out
the results when I know, for instance Bacterial
number will include bacteria in mucus + bacteria
in seawater.
I hope someone will be able to help me out with
this problem....
Thanks in advance
Shashank

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"the role of infinitely small in nature is infinitely large"-Louis Pasteur                

Keshavmurthy Shashank
Kochi University, Faculty of Agriculture
Lab. of AQUa. Environ. Sci. (LAQUES)
Otsu 200, Monobe, Nankoku-shi
783-8502, Kochi, Japan
alt. id: shashank at cc.kochi-u.ac.jp
phone: 81 090 8285 9012

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