Increasing Controlled Environmental Chamber Capabilities to Enhance Research Using Seawater System Facilities

该合同支持切萨皮克生物实验室(CBL)购买两个温度可控的环境试验室。这些实验室将用于需要培养海洋生物的研究项目，以及海洋营养物质和污染物的底-上层耦合的实验研究。海洋实验室目前许多研究的特点是实验研究，包括与海洋生物生态有关的生化/分子和生理/生物能量学分析。为了进行这样的研究，海洋实验室的海水系统必须对海水温度进行精细的控制。CBL在生态学、海洋学、生态毒理学和环境化学/地球化学领域开展的许多研究项目都依赖于高质量的温控和过滤海水。这些额外的会议厅将极大地提高CBL为常驻科学家、访客和学生提供此类设施的能力。CBL参与了各种外展活动和K-Grey教育倡议。它的游客中心每年接待超过10,000名游客。教育已纳入CBL的整体行动。已制定机制，主要通过与该区域其他机构的合作，与K-12教育活动和面向一般公众的外联活动进行合作。此外，CBL的使命和任务规定了与区域管理机构的密切联系，而且进行的许多实验研究都是与这些机构联合进行的。

This award supports the acquisition of two controlled-temperature environmental chambers by the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL). The chambers will be used for research programs requiring the culture of marine organisms and for experimental studies of the benthic-pelagic coupling of marine nutrients and contaminants. The experimental research that characterizes much current research at marine laboratories includes biochemical/molecular and physiological/bioenergetic analyses that relate to the ecology of marine organisms. To enable such research, seawater systems at marine laboratories must have fine-scale control of seawater temperature. Many of the research programs carried out at the CBL in the fields of ecology, oceanography, ecotoxicology, and environmental chemistry/geochemistry depend on the high quality of temperature-controlled and filtered seawater. These additional chambers will greatly improve the CBL's ability to provide such facilities to resident scientists, visitors, and students. The CBL is involved in various outreach activities and K-gray education initiatives. Its visitor center hosts more than 10,000 visitors per year. Education has been integrated into the overall CBL operations. There are developed mechanisms for collaborating with K-12 education activities and outreach to the general public primarily through collaborations with other institutions in the region. In addition, the mission and mandate for CBL has provided for strong ties with regional management agencies, and much of the experimental research that is conducted has been in conjunction with those agencies.