2011, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Measuring the effects of suspended particulate matter and smothering on the behaviour, growth and survival of key species found in areas associated with aggregate dredging series https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php?tpc=015_04ca2d19d7045b0ba4f20b72fbf69fd4 Report number: MEPF_08_P76. During marine aggregate extraction and subsequent screening significant amounts of sediment are returned to the sea, the consequences of which are twofold: an initial localised increase in Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) followed by eventual settlement of particulates with a potential to bury species and habitats. Although much is known of the ecological effects of burial at the population level, very little is known about the effects of burial at the behavioural level and less still of the species responses to elevated SPM. Here we detail the experimental apparatus developed to conduct burial and elevated SPM experiments and the resulting behavioural responses of a range of organisms. 20110307 20110317