726 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGIiESS 



Summary and Conclusions 



Since tiie Puget Sound sediments are a composite o£ many sources, 

 the sediment system is a complex one. Many of the sampling difficulties 

 probably arise due to the glacial deposits, especially from those in situ 

 and those added by the slumping of the shore bluffs. 



From the analysis obtained thus far, it appears that the local varia- 

 bility increases up the slope and that maximum variations commonly 

 occur on the upper slope regions, in areas of about 200- to 300-foot water 

 depth. The degree of reliance for the data of any one core sample, 

 in terms of horizontal extrapolation, decreases as the water depth de- 

 creases. It is also apparent from the data obtained that the greatest 

 discrepancies between any two adjacent samples usually occurs in the 

 smaller diameter sand sizes. 



Differences between adjacent samples mean very little in themselves 

 but by a continuation of systematic sampling and analysis, coupled with 

 an analysis of variance as a statistical treatment of the data, variation 

 may be placed on a quantitative basis. It is quite possible that definite 

 horizontal and vertical trends in local variations may be defined. A 

 continuation of this study may also assist in the dei-ermination of "in 

 situ" glacial deposits, if sampling is carried out on the adjacent land in 

 known glacial sediments. 



Marked variations in the character of the sediments will affect the 

 statistical values used to classify the sediments. The defining of the 

 sediments in this or similar regions, by use of isolines or other convential 

 means based on these statistical values, may be quite misleading. 



This general method of sampling is not limited to the determination 

 of local variability in physical characteristics of sediments. The sedi- 

 mentary chemist may find such a study applicable as an introductory 

 investigation of any area. The sedimentary bacteriologist and the neo- 

 ecologist, paleo-ecologist or paleontologist studying the foraminifera and 

 diatom distribution in sediments may consider this or some similar meth- 

 od useful during a preliminary investigation. 



