Multichannel respirometer with fiber optic dissolved oxygen sensors

本拨款申请所要求的拨款，是用以资助购买一个多通道溶氧仪、溶氧感应器及四个微型呼吸仪。耗氧量测量是有用的，因为它们整合了整个动物的表现。所要求的呼吸测量系统将允许我们测量耗氧量并计算鱼类和水生无脊椎动物的代谢率。水生动物的代谢率取决于环境因素，如温度、溶解氧和水质，但也受发育阶段的影响。在鱼类中，幼体发育期间的能量受到卵黄供应的限制，卵黄供应必须在生长、发育和活动之间进行分配。当生长和发育所需的能量储备用于与运动或增加能量以补偿压力相关的活动时，可能会出现幼鱼所经历的代谢权衡。传统上，河流系统中水生昆虫的多样性一直被用作环境质量的指标。例如，石首鱼幼虫是敏感的低溶解氧和他们的情况下，从流已被用作有机污染的指标，但这种粗糙的指数有有限的效用时，流域干扰是增量的。然而，代谢率的变化是动物应激环境条件的敏感指标。因此，代谢率测量将提高我们在人口数量受到影响之前发现环境质量恶化的能力。由所要求的设备支持的研究是我们更好地了解水生动物对不同环境变量的生理反应的新方法。需要这些知识来更好地管理受自然和人为变化影响的水生生态系统。所要求的设备还将在本科生和研究生的培训和论文完成方面发挥重要作用。我们预计四个硕士和四个理学士的学生将受益于所要求的设备在头三年。

The funding requested in this grant application is to support the purchase of a multi-channel dissolved oxygen meter, dissolved oxygen sensors, and four micro-respirometers. Oxygen consumption measurements are useful as they integrate whole animal performance. The requested respirometry system will allow us to measure oxygen consumption and calculate the metabolic rate of fish and aquatic invertebrates. Metabolic rate in aquatic animals is dependent on environmental factors such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, and water quality, but is also affected by stage of development. In fish, energy during larval development is limited by yolk supply, which must be partitioned among growth, development and activity. Metabolic trade-offs experienced by larval fish may arise when energy reserves necessary for growth and development are used for activity associated with movement or increased energy to compensate for stress. Traditionally, diversity of aquatic insects in fluvial systems has been used as an indicator of environmental quality. For example, stonefly larvae are sensitive to low dissolved oxygen and their absence from streams has been used as an indicator of organic pollution, but such coarse indices have limited utility when watershed disturbances are incremental. Changes in metabolic rate, however, are sensitive indicators of environmental conditions that stress animals. Metabolic rate measures, therefore, will enhance our ability to detect deterioration in environmental quality before population numbers are impacted. The research to be supported by the requested equipment represent novel approaches for us to better understand the physiological response of aquatic animals to varying environmental variables. Such knowledge is needed to better manage aquatic ecosystems affected by natural and anthropogenic changes. The requested equipment will also play an essential role in training and thesis completion for both undergraduate and graduate students. We anticipate four MSc and four BSc students will benefit from the requested equipment within the first three years.