Pot scrubber sampler
Target life cycle stage: Veligers
Sampling gear: Scouring pad or "pot scrubber" sampler as described by Martel in Marsden (1992), filamentous netting (bridal veil)
Recommended habitat(s): Especially suitable for flowing water
Type of data collected: Qualitative and quantitative
Deployment protocol: Deploy samplers below the photic zone or in the shade. Two commonly used filamentous substrate samplers can be easily constructed.
1) The "pot scrubber" samplers are built by gluing two plexiglas strips to either end of a fine mesh fiber scouring pad as per Martel (1992). Swivels are then attached to the plexiglas and a series of samplers may be deployed on a weighted line with the last at least 0.5 m above the bottom and the first at least 0.5 m below the surface.
2) The "bridal veil" samplers consist of a piece of nylon netting (bridal veil) which is rolled or crumpled into a wire or plastic mesh cylinder and capped at both ends with additional mesh. One end may be glued into place using hot glue but the other should be easily removed. The cylinder is then deployed on a weighted line below the photic zone, but above the substrate.
High collection rates are observed within 24-72 hr of deployment. After a given time interval, samplers are recovered and kept moist and cool prior to analysis or are submerged in preservative for later analysis.
Advantages: Useful qualitative or quantitative technique, especially in areas where larger samplers are likely to be disturbed.
Disadvantages: Samplers are susceptible to disturbance and vandalism even with a short deployment interval and small size. Clogging of substrates is common in areas of high suspended solids.
For information on calculating data retrieved from the pot scrubber pad or the bridal veil cylinder, see Analyzing Filamentous Substrate Samplers for Veligers.