Thistle 9314150 More than 70% of marine benthic invertebrates have planktonic larvae that disperse through the water column before returning to the sea bed to settle and develop into adults. An increasing body of evidence suggests that for many benthic species dispersal and settlement are largely passive processes of fluid-borne transport. The coastal ocean exhibits a unique set of physical transport phenomena that includes mean currents, tidal currents, and wave- induced currents. To gain a better understanding of the effect that fluid transport has on dispersal and settlement in the coastal ocean. This research program will develop a model of passive larval transport along a vertical plane. The effects of tides, waves, and mean currents will be examined individually and in combination. ***
