DIGITAL MICROSCOPY AND IMAGE ANALYSIS: WHERE DOES IT IMPACT ON
OCEANOGRAPHY?
D. I. Arndt-Iovin
Department of Molecular Biology
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Postfach 2841
D-W -3400 Goettingen
Fed. Rep. of Germany
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the coming of age of digital microscopy as it relates to the study of marine organisms in and
with their environment. In particular, recent advances in microscopic components as well as image analysis
techniques are reviewed.
Confocal and non-confocal systems are compared for their unique capabilities as well as the choice of camera
systems. Commercial confocal microscope systems have been optimized for their optical performance and are
undergoing a second wave of development in their image acquisition systems which should make them much
more useful in the future for biologists in all areas of research, including oceanography. The high resolution,
linearity and extreme sensitivity of scientific 2-dimensional array charge-coupled devices (CCDs) make them the
best low-light level detectors for all but extremely fast acquisition times.
The range of marine biological problems which may be addressed by digital microscopy is very broad. These
can be divided into the following areas: a) the identification of objects on the basis of size and structure; b) the
use of endogenous fluorescence molecules (e.g. chlorophyll) to both identify species and to assess viability; c)
the characterization of bioluminescence organisms; d) the measurement of physical and physiological properties
of marine organisms which provide information on water quality.
For many of the above problems a variety of software systems are already available which may be directly
applied to marine questions. In other cases, the combination of biological information with image processing
algorithms from a variety of disciplines will be necessary to implement the desired analysis. It follows from the
high resolution of digital microscopy and image analysis that only small sample volumes can be processed at any
one time, excluding high statistical precision in measurements of particle numbers but allowing precise
discrimination between biological particles and debris.
INTRODUCTION
Although diatoms have long been beloved by microscopists for demonstrating the resolution
of their optical systems, digital imaging microscopy (DIM) is only beginning to make a
significant contribution to the study of marine organisms in and with their environment.
Heterogeneity in size, abundance and species of the plant and invertebrate animal populations
found in the oceans presents an enormous challenge to the description of the interdependent
communities and to the assessment of their metabolic activity which finally determines the
NATO AS! Series, Vol. G 27
Particle Analysis in Oceanography
Edited by So Demers
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1991
OCEANOGRAPHY?
D. I. Arndt-Iovin
Department of Molecular Biology
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Postfach 2841
D-W -3400 Goettingen
Fed. Rep. of Germany
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the coming of age of digital microscopy as it relates to the study of marine organisms in and
with their environment. In particular, recent advances in microscopic components as well as image analysis
techniques are reviewed.
Confocal and non-confocal systems are compared for their unique capabilities as well as the choice of camera
systems. Commercial confocal microscope systems have been optimized for their optical performance and are
undergoing a second wave of development in their image acquisition systems which should make them much
more useful in the future for biologists in all areas of research, including oceanography. The high resolution,
linearity and extreme sensitivity of scientific 2-dimensional array charge-coupled devices (CCDs) make them the
best low-light level detectors for all but extremely fast acquisition times.
The range of marine biological problems which may be addressed by digital microscopy is very broad. These
can be divided into the following areas: a) the identification of objects on the basis of size and structure; b) the
use of endogenous fluorescence molecules (e.g. chlorophyll) to both identify species and to assess viability; c)
the characterization of bioluminescence organisms; d) the measurement of physical and physiological properties
of marine organisms which provide information on water quality.
For many of the above problems a variety of software systems are already available which may be directly
applied to marine questions. In other cases, the combination of biological information with image processing
algorithms from a variety of disciplines will be necessary to implement the desired analysis. It follows from the
high resolution of digital microscopy and image analysis that only small sample volumes can be processed at any
one time, excluding high statistical precision in measurements of particle numbers but allowing precise
discrimination between biological particles and debris.
INTRODUCTION
Although diatoms have long been beloved by microscopists for demonstrating the resolution
of their optical systems, digital imaging microscopy (DIM) is only beginning to make a
significant contribution to the study of marine organisms in and with their environment.
Heterogeneity in size, abundance and species of the plant and invertebrate animal populations
found in the oceans presents an enormous challenge to the description of the interdependent
communities and to the assessment of their metabolic activity which finally determines the
NATO AS! Series, Vol. G 27
Particle Analysis in Oceanography
Edited by So Demers
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1991