A novel method for locating tagged infaunal bivalves: Submersible pulse technology metal detectors

摘要

Hardclams, Mercenaria mercenaria (Linne, 1758), tagged with brass washers attached to the outer shell surface and replanted into their natural habitat, were located remotely through the use of a commercially available, fully submersible, pulse technology metal detector. The ability to remotely locate tagged, replanted clams can increase the speed and efficiency of field operations associated with studies of clam population dynamics. Also, this methodology can reduce localized disturbances to the habitat that routinely accompany extensive hand probing to relocate experimental clams in traditional tag and recapture based studies.