Sediment grain size and the organic content within sediments are important metrics for benthic organisms in terms of their habitat and food web requirements. For example, coarser sediments favor benthic organisms that need a hard substrate to settle on, while finer sediments favor organisms that burrow into the sediment or move over the sediment to feed on the organic matter. Sediment characteristics are being determined from small sediment subsamples from van Veen grabs. [AMBON scientist: Lee Cooper]
