Introducing MOCNESS, SkIO’s newest plankton sampling tool



Zooplankton are among the most abundant animals in our oceans, serving as the foundation of marine food webs and playing vital roles in ocean ecosystems. These tiny creatures are essential to ocean life.

Yet, we know surprisingly little about them.

The Skidaway Institute’s latest tool, called MOCNESS, helps scientists better understand these vital organisms, including where they live across different depth zones and what they eat. Insights from MOCNESS can help scientists analyze and predict changes to marine ecosystems, such as whether our continental shelves will be dominated by fish or jellies.

MOCNESS, or Multiple Opening and Closing Net Environmental Sensing System, allows scientists to capture plankton at specific depths while simultaneously collecting high-resolution oceanographic data like temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. Each net is tripped to close at different depths, ensuring targeted sampling. Researchers onboard receive a live feed from sensors showing the system’s position in the water column.

Marc Frischer, Adam Greer and John Bichy of the Skidaway Institute received funding for MOCNESS through a National Science Foundation grant. The system was designed and built by Biological Environmental Sampling Systems, Inc., and the data acquisition system was designed and built by The Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Once fully operational and tested, MOCNESS will be available to other users and ships through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System shared equipment pool.

About SkIO

The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) is a multidisciplinary research and training institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Institute was founded in 1967 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, SkIO was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further the understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists. For more information, visit www.skio.uga.edu.