JellyCo - A simple imaging system for in situ quantification of jellyfish

Gelatinous zooplankton (cnidarians, ctenophores, tunicates)are gaining increasing interest from researchers and the general public. This is due to their ability to form large blooms that may interfere with human activities and have a strong impact on the affected ecosystems. Early detection and monitoring of such organisms is essential for effective management and mitigation of jellyfish outbreaks. Considering the impacts that jellyfish may have, there is surprisingly little data on their distribution and abundance, that is at least in part due to problems with the sampling and monitoring of these fragile organisms.