Underwater images obtained using digital cameras have become one of the main tools for studying the behavior and ecology of marine organisms in their native environment. In this research, the acquisition of images by trawling and vertical profiling with a commercial camera mounted on a steel structure called a Bell was tested. Fifty-four videos of longer horizontal trawls (stratified) (10 minutes) and 27 videos of short vertical profiling (3 minutes) were obtained, and the quality of the images associated with the identification of organisms was evaluated. The best way to work with the Bell, the need for accessories and adaptations and the protocol for its use were determined, as well as the relationship between water transparency (Secchi disk) and the possibility of identifying and quantifying planktonic forms in the images. The results indicate that the use of the Bell at low speed, i.e., in vertical profiling and with lighting, presented the best results and greater efficiency in identifying the occurrences of organisms. The relationship between water transparency and obtaining good quality images was observed more reliably in conditions of Secchi disk measurements greater than 2.5 m. Due to the water transparency conditions and the variability in the occurrence of organisms, the probability of recording gelatinous forms was 37.5% of the total field trips. Analysis of the videos indicated a possible vertical migration behavior of the Hydrozoa Olindias sambaquiensis. The images also highlighted the abundance of Pseudo-TEPs (Transparent Exopolymer Particles), structures believed to play a relevant role in the pelagic ecology of coastal waters.
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Environmental Sciences, Aquatic and Coastal Environments.
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