Welcome to the PhytoChop Coastal Observatory!
The PhytoChop Coastal Observatory, located on the Choptank River at the Horn Point Laboratory (Cambridge, MD), is a premier platform for advancing molecular ecology and autonomous instrumentation for studying plankton ecology. Housed in a climate-controlled enclosure, the PhytoChop Observatory hosts several state-of-the-art instruments that collectively provide a detailed view of phytoplankton community dynamics at a range of scales.
Since June 2023, we have been collecting samples weekly for the DNA analysis of microbial communities (free-living and particle-attached), alongside eDNA, which is a useful proxy for detecting the presence of animals.
The PhytoChop Observatory is a collaborative project involving multiple faculty at the Horn Point Laboratory. For further enquiries about the science activities at the PhytoChop Observatory, please contact Greg Silsbe.
Critter of the Month
In March 2025, we began a “Critter of the Month” series, which pairs an original water color of a Chesapeake Bay organism by Julie Trommatter with an informative narrative.
For further enquiries about the Critter of the Month series, please contact Claire Otterbein.
Thank you to our funders for making this project possible:
The Bailey Wildlife Foundation
National Science Foundation
NSF FSML 202299