Infauna are the organisms that live in the sediments on the ocean floor. Although often small and hidden in the mud, these organisms are an important part of marine ecosystems. Little is known about the infauna of the Chukchi Borderlands, so during the Hidden Ocean 2016: Chukchi Borderlands expedition, scientists used an instrument called a box corer to take sediment samples to explore the infaunal community structure.
A box corer was lowered off a ship and down through the water column until it hit the seafloor and sank into the mud. When pulled out of the mud, a triggering mechanism forced a large spade to swing down and seal the bottom of the box. The box was well-protected on its ascent, so the sediment remained in the same layers as they were on the seafloor. Scientists can then examine the collected sediment to learn more about the characteristics of the mud and the animals that call it home.
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Video courtesy of Caitlin Bailey, GFOE, The Hidden Ocean 2016: Chukchi Borderlands, Oceaneering-DSSI.