Assessment of the spatial variability of intertidal benthic communities by axial tomodensitometry: importance of fine-scale heterogeneity

3D visualization and quantification of marine benthic biogenic structures and particle transport utilizing computer-aided tomography

“…Since the pioneering work by Perez et al (1999), the use of CT for analyzing biogenic structures in marine sediments have been used in several Canadian studies (Mermillod-Blondin et al 2003, Dufour et al 2005. In these studies (op.…”

“…The CT technique was initially used in the marine field in a pollution gradient study in Rhode Island, USA (Perez et al 1999). Scientists in Canada later used this technique to estimate the space occupied by biogenic structures by depth in sediment from some different areas (Mermillod-Blondin et al 2003, Dufour et al 2005. Recently a more detailed examination of the sediment from Swedish fjords was done using CT where, for example, the occupied space of recent and relic worm tubes and mollusk shells were visualized and quantified ).…”

A new method for three‐dimensional visualization and quantification of biogenic structures in aquatic sediments using axial tomodensitometry

“…Among the various sediment features that could be observed by this technique, it was noted that biogenic structures were visible, due to their reduced density compared with surrounding sediments (Crémer et al 2002). In the past few years, the use of CT scanning to visualize biogenic structures within cores of marine sediments has increased Mermillod-Blondin et al 2003;Michaud et al 2003). CT scanning has also been used in the terrestrial environment for visualizing and quantifying earthworm burrows (Pierret et al 2002;Bastardie et al 2003;Capowiez et al 2003).…”

“…Determination of the space occupied by biogenic structures-A method was developed to calculate the percentage of space occupied by biogenic structures on the transverse sections obtained by CT scan (Mermillod-Blondin et al 2003;Michaud et al 2003), using the freeware Osiris. Briefly, the technique consisted of determining, on each transverse section, the maximal tomographic intensity (MTI) from the mean of five points within the three least visible of the clearly identified biogenic structures (having intensity values closest to the surrounding sediment).…”

“…This procedure is repeated for consecutive transverse sections, and a curve of the percentage biogenic occupation with depth is obtained (see Fig. 2B in Mermillod-Blondin et al 2003;Figs. 8, 9 in Michaud et al 2003).…”