This proposal requests funds to purchase a portable Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) workstation. The portable system would be housed primarily at the University of South Carolina's Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research Field Laboratory, but would be available to Baruch Institute scientists, visiting investigators, and graduate students for work along the entire east coast. A GPS and GIS and the type requested is required to answer many basic questions related to spatial variability of cophysiological parameters with respect to disturbance, point and nonpoint source pollutant impacts, and natural habitat gradients. This technology would enable the PI's to pursue many new and exciting research directions which have been hindered in the past by necessary reliance on existing technology (traditional costly and time-consuming surveying methods and two dimensional database management and analytical tools). In addition, the purchase of this instrumentation would allow them to address many of the new questions which have resulted from the Long-Term Ecological Research Program field studies in North Inlet. equipment. Acquisition of this equipment would greatly enhance current research and create many new opportunities for Baruch Institute scientists and also increase the attraction for visiting scientists to conduct research at our facility.
