TY - JOUR AU - Hughes, Stephanie N. AU - Tozzi, Sasha AU - Harris, Linden AU - Harmsen, Shawn AU - Young, Colleen AU - Rask, Jon AU - Toy-Choutka, Sharon AU - Clark, Kit AU - Cruickshank, Marilyn AU - Fennie, Hamilton AU - Kuo, Julie AU - Trent, Jonathan D. PY - 2014 DA - 2014/05/20 TI - Interactions of marine mammals and birds with offshore membrane enclosures for growing algae (OMEGA) JO - Aquatic Biosystems SP - 3 VL - 10 IS - 1 AB - OMEGA is an integrated aquatic system to produce biofuels, treat and recycle wastewater, capture CO2, and expand aquaculture production. This system includes floating photobioreactors (PBRs) that will cover hundreds of hectares in marine bays. To assess the interactions of marine mammals and birds with PBRs, 9 × 1.3 m flat panel and 9.5 × 0.2 m tubular PBRs were deployed in a harbor and monitored day and night from October 10, 2011 to Janurary 22, 2012 using infrared video. To observe interactions with pinnipeds, two trained sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and one trained harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) were observed and directed to interact with PBRs in tanks. To determine the forces required to puncture PBR plastic and the effects of weathering, Instron measurements were made with a sea otter (Enhydra lutris) tooth and bird beaks. SN - 2046-9063 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-9063-10-3 DO - 10.1186/2046-9063-10-3 ID - Hughes2014 ER -