Topic: Protocol for: sample replicates and sediment analysis
I've got some questions into how others handle replicate samples and PSA results in Marine Recorder:
Suppose we go to a single sample station and take 6 multi-grabs (but we could be talking about cores or any other replicate technique), we wish to treat each multi-grab as a sample replicate, i.e. they each have their determined species entered as separate replicate lists, but within the same sample. Standard practice would be to take a granulomerty sample for PSA from each of the 6 grabs.
In MR you can only enter one set of sediment analysis result fractions per sample, i.e. it is not possible to assign separate sediment analysis result fractions to each replicate.
So what do others do?
- do you abandon treating the replicates as such and treat them as separate samples so their respective granulometry can be applied [sort of looses the point of taking replicates - I think]?
- do you aggregate the sediment replicates and PSA in combination but assume sediment homogeneity across each of the replicates?
- or is there a longer term need for systems that can support separate sediment analysis results per replicate?