An apparatus for non-invasive in situ continuous monitoring of bivalve behaviour and physiology

一种对双壳类行为和生理进行无创原位连续监测的装置

• 批准号: RTI-2020-00205
• 负责人: Filgueira, Ramón
• 金额: $ 5.83万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=692103
• 关键词: apparatus; non; invasive; situ; continuous

Monitoring water quality to identify potential stressors for marine life is a key aspect of current ocean management plans, and it is becoming even more relevant in the context of climate change. Bivalves, particularly mussels, have been commonly used in monitoring programs around the world due to their capacity to respond to and accumulate pollutants. In this regard, two of the responses of bivalves that can be monitored are the movement of the valves and the heartbeat. Both responses inform about stressful situations for bivalves such as low oxygen, high temperatures, and the presence of harmful algal blooms. The requested custom-made equipment will provide simultaneous data on both valve movement and heartbeat from bivalves located in the wild, indicating the response of bivalves to changes in water quality. The non-invasive sensors, which are glued to the valves, and the fully underwater characteristics will allow, for the first time, the collection of this type of data on the ocean floor, the natural environment of bivalves. Furthermore, this equipment has the capability to send data in real-time to “the cloud”, so it could be used to make early-warning management decisions related to water quality. For example, the onset of an algal bloom or the presence of chemicals in the water could be detected in real-time. The novel information that will be collected is also invaluable to increase our understanding of bivalves under natural conditions. This increased knowledge could be applied to the shellfish aquaculture industry, which usually relies on information from laboratory experiments. Besides its ideal capabilities to be used in the field, the equipment can also be used under laboratory settings. The NSERC-supported Aquatron Seawater Laboratory at Dalhousie University, the largest university aquatic research facility in Canada, is the ideal complement to the equipment given that it will allow the validation of field observations under controlled conditions. Use of the equipment by students will promote a broad skill set, including knowledge on bivalves, ecology, and chemistry, but also mathematical and computational skills due to the high volume of data that will be generated. The students will interact with shellfish farmers, ocean managers, and researchers in different disciplines such as computer scientists and oceanographers, providing them with valuable communication skills and a broad understanding of the needs of various stakeholders. In summary, this equipment is the first in the world with these characteristics, and it will bring Canada to the forefront of bivalve research.

监测水质以识别海洋生物的潜在压力源是当前海洋管理计划的一个关键方面，在气候变化的背景下变得更加重要。双壳类动物，特别是贻贝，由于其对污染物做出反应和积累污染物的能力，已被广泛用于世界各地的监测项目。在这方面，可以监测的双壳类动物的两个反应是瓣膜的运动和心跳。这两种反应都表明双壳类动物面临压力，例如低氧、高温和有害藻华的存在。所要求的定制设备将提供有关野生双壳类动物瓣膜运动和心跳的同步数据，表明双壳类动物对水质变化的反应。粘在阀门上的非侵入式传感器以及完全水下特性将首次允许在海底（双壳类动物的自然环境）上收集此类数据。此外，该设备还具有将数据实时发送至“云端”的能力，可用于做出与水质相关的预警管理决策。例如，可以实时检测藻华的发生或水中化学物质的存在。将收集的新信息对于增加我们对自然条件下双壳类的了解也非常宝贵。这些增加的知识可以应用于贝类水产养殖业，该行业通常依赖于实验室实验的信息。除了其在现场使用的理想功能外，该设备还可以在实验室环境下使用。由 NSERC 支持的达尔豪斯大学 Aquatron 海水实验室是加拿大最大的大学水生研究设施，是该设备的理想补充，因为它将允许在受控条件下验证现场观测。学生使用这些设备将提高广泛的技能，包括双壳类、生态学和化学知识，而且由于将生成大量数据，还可以提高数学和计算技能。学生将与贝类养殖者、海洋管理者和不同学科的研究人员（例如计算机科学家和海洋学家）互动，为他们提供宝贵的沟通技巧和对不同利益相关者需求的广泛理解。总而言之，该设备是世界上第一个具有这些特点的设备，它将使加拿大走在双壳类研究的最前沿。