phytoplankton

Free-falling dynamically scaled models: Foraminifera as a test case

The settling speeds of small biological particles influence the distribution of organisms such as plants, corals, and phytoplankton, but these speeds are difficult to quantify without magnification. In this talk, I highlight my novel method,  using dynamic scaling principles and 3D printed models to solve this problem. Dynamic scaling involves creating models with differ in size to the original system and match the physical forces acting upon the model to the original system. I discuss the methodology behind the technique and show how it differs to previous works using dynamically scaled models. I show the flexibility of the technique and suggest how it can be applied to other free-falling particles (e.g. seeds and spores).