Towards a new generation of sediment traps and a better measurement/understanding of settling particle flux in lakes and oceans: A hydrodynamical protocol

This article is aimed at established sediment trap specialists as well as young learning scientists. The development of sediment trap techniques and hydrodynamics are briefly reviewed, with special emphasis on the experimental and in-situ trap calibration. The ongoing controversy within the trap community on the validity of flux data obtained by sediment traps can only be overcome by understanding the effects of hydrodynamics on the entrapping of settling particles in turbulent waters. A proper trap protocol is still missing. Also, the problems of entering swimmers and preservatives are not yet fully solved. Innovative ideas and robust data are needed to improve our knowledge on trapping efficiency, particle settling flux data, and the interpretation of lake and oceanic nutrient cycles. It is emphasized that controversial papers should be published when based on documented experiments and/or theory applied.