Renovation and Expansion of Seawater Facilities for Experimental Marine Research at Mote Marine Laboratory

在Robert Hueter博士的指导下，Mote海洋实验室获得了一笔拨款，为佛罗里达州萨拉索塔的Mote海洋实验室（MML）的实验海洋研究和教育提供部分支持，以翻新和扩建海水设施。需要改进的地方包括：大幅度提高储水和臭氧消毒能力；改进海水机械过滤设施；大型动物饲养池，可在受控条件下饲养更多、更大的健康实验动物；一个通用的水路由系统，允许灵活的模块化使用设施；和一个设施围场，以允许操纵和控制环境条件。新增的主要设施包括两个椭圆形水池，分别为16.5米× 8.5米× 2米和12.2米× 6.1米× 2米，用于饲养大型动物，如鲨鱼、鳐鱼、大型硬骨鱼和海龟，供圈养研究之用。这一改造后的海水设施的研究应用将包括大型弹性鳃类的生理和行为研究、现场部署前的仪器测试、生物毒素和培养中的无脊椎动物的研究。本科生和研究生的教育和培训也将利用新设施进行学生项目。这些改造将大大提高系统的整体可靠性、质量和通用性，为到访的科学家、学生和在MML进行海洋生物实验研究的职员提供适当的海水设施。

A grant has been awarded to the Mote Marine Laboratory, under the direction of Dr. Robert Hueter to provide partial support to renovate and expand seawater facilities for experimental marine research and education at Mote Marine Laboratory (MML) in Sarasota, Florida. Improvements to be made include: significant increases in water storage and ozone sterilization capabilities; improved facilities for mechanical filtration of seawater; large animal holding tanks to hold more and larger experimental animals in good health under controlled conditions; a versatile water routing system to allow for flexibility in modular use of the facility; and a facilities enclosure to permit manipulation and control of environmental conditions. Among major additions will be two new oval tanks, 16.5 m x 8.5 m x 2 m and 12.2 m x 6.1 m x 2 m, for holding large animals such as sharks, rays, large teleosts and sea turtles for captive study. Research applications of this renovated seawater facility will include physiological and behavioral studies of large elasmobranchs, instrumentation testing prior to field deployment, and studies of biotoxins and invertebrates in culture. Education and training of undergraduate and graduate students will also utilize the new facilities for student projects. These alterations will significantly enhance the overall reliability, quality, and versatility of the system, necessary improvements to provide the proper seawater facilities to visiting scientists, students and staff conducting experimental research on marine organisms at MML.