Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
đ Copepods are tiny creatures that have a major impact on our environment, and this new tool is helping us understand them better.
Meet Nicholas Constantino, a masterâs student in Scrippsâ biological oceanography program and member of the Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging, who is deploying a next-generation optical imaging system off Scripps Pier. This carefully designed instrument is designed to capture images of copepods and zooplankton in their natural environment, as well as their gut contents, which reveal information about their foraging.
Why does this matter? Copepods may be tiny, but they form the base of the ocean food web. By revealing their natural behaviors and even whether they fluoresce, this work brings us one step closer to understanding the invisible engine that powers marine ecosystems.
This research wouldnât have been possible without an incredible team behind the scenes.
đ¨ Huge shoutout to Paul Roberts, former Scripps Oceanography graduate student and engineer in the Jaffe Lab (now at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute), who built the device that made it all happen.
âIâm grateful to Moira Decima, associate professor and co-advisor on the thesis project; Devin Ratelle, research and development engineer in the Jaffe Lab, who played a major role in developing the system; and Joseph Snider, another Jaffe Lab team member who made key contributions along the way,â Nicholas said.
đ Copepods are tiny creatures that have a major impact on our environment, and this new tool is helping us understand them better.
Meet Nicholas Constantino, a masterâs student in Scrippsâ biological oceanography program and member of the Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging, who is deploying a next-generation optical imaging system off Scripps Pier. This carefully designed instrument is designed to capture images of copepods and zooplankton in their natural environment, as well as their gut contents, which reveal information about their foraging.
Why does this matter? Copepods may be tiny, but they form the base of the ocean food web. By revealing their natural behaviors and even whether they fluoresce, this work brings us one step closer to understanding the invisible engine that powers marine ecosystems.
This research wouldnât have been possible without an incredible team behind the scenes.
đ¨ Huge shoutout to Paul Roberts, former Scripps Oceanography graduate student and engineer in the Jaffe Lab (now at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute), who built the device that made it all happen.
âIâm grateful to Moira Decima, associate professor and co-advisor on the thesis project; Devin Ratelle, research and development engineer in the Jaffe Lab, who played a major role in developing the system; and Joseph Snider, another Jaffe Lab team member who made key contributions along the way,â Nicholas said.
