Autonomy AUVsSUPR-REMUS: T e Next Generation of Plankton SamplingBy Kira Coleyvast number of marine animals live a sedentary exis- have developed an innovative new system for sampling small tence or with limited mobility as adults. For these in- planktonic larvae in coastal ocean waters, offering novel in-dividuals, it is the dispersal of larvae that determines sights into the intricate world of plankton dispersal and demo- A the settlement of future populations and the structure of eco- graphic connectivity. logical communities. Plankton research is hindered by obser- While species in larval stages have limited dispersal capa-vational dif? culties, as traditional sampling methods fail to bilities, many are able to in? uence their horizontal distribu-identify ? ne-scale distributions while accounting for changes tion by controlling their vertical position, affecting transport in environmental gradients. Now, a group of Woods Hole and spatial distributions on bottom habitats. For scientists, Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) researchers and engineers determining the ? ne-scale distribution of individuals in the October 2015MTR28