naa a22 4500 528783521 20180924065515.0 cr unu---uuuuu 180924e20150602xx s 000 0 eng 10.3929/ethz-b-000102226 doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0129175 doi (ETHRESEARCH)oai:www.research-collection.ethz.ch:20.500.11850/102226 Handheld Lasers Allow Efficient Detection of Fluorescent Marked Organisms in the Field [Elektronische Daten] [Kevin B. Rice, Shelby J. Fleischer, Consuelo M. De Moraes, Mark C. Mescher, John F. Tooker, Moshe Gish] PLoS ONE Open access ethresearch Marking organisms with fluorescent dyes and powders is a common technique used in ecological field studies that monitor movement of organisms to examine life history traits, behaviors, and population dynamics. External fluorescent marking is relatively inexpensive and can be readily employed to quickly mark large numbers of individuals; however, the ability to detect marked organisms in the field at night has been hampered by the limited detection distances provided by portable fluorescent ultraviolet lamps. In recent years, significant advances in LED lamp and laser technology have led to development of powerful, low-cost ultraviolet light sources. In this study, we evaluate the potential of these new technologies to improve detection of fluorescent-marked organisms in the field and to create new possibilities for tracking marked organisms in visually challenging environments such as tree canopies and aquatic habitats. Using handheld lasers, we document a method that provides a fivefold increase in detection distance over previously available technologies. This method allows easy scouting of tree canopies (from the ground), as well as shallow aquatic systems. This novel detection method for fluorescent-marked organisms thus promises to significantly enhance the use of fluorescent marking as a non-destructive technique for tracking organisms in natural environments, facilitating field studies that aim to document otherwise inaccessible aspects of the movement, behavior, and population dynamics of study organisms, including species with significant economic impacts or relevance for ecology and human health. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 ethresearch Rice Kevin B. joint author Fleischer Shelby J. joint author De Moraes Consuelo M. joint author Mescher Mark C. joint author Tooker John F. joint author Gish Moshe joint author PLoS ONE San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science 10 (6), p. e0129175 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/102226 text/html WWW-Backlink auf das Repository (Open access) 1 Journal Article ethresearch ETHRESEARCH 856 40 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/102226 text/html WWW-Backlink auf das Repository (Open access) ETHRESEARCH 700 1- Rice Kevin B. joint author ETHRESEARCH 700 1- Fleischer Shelby J. joint author ETHRESEARCH 700 1- De Moraes Consuelo M. joint author ETHRESEARCH 700 1- Mescher Mark C. joint author ETHRESEARCH 700 1- Tooker John F. joint author ETHRESEARCH 700 1- Gish Moshe joint author ETHRESEARCH 773 0- PLoS ONE San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science 10 (6), p. e0129175 1932-6203 BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 ETHRESEARCH ETHRESEARCH ETHRESEARCH Journal Article Open access