Fiber optic measurement system for ecophysiology and metabolic research

环境因素(温度、水氧水平、光照强度的日/季节变化、洋流、深度等)对海洋鱼类和无脊椎动物的生理、活动和行为有深远的影响。然而，这一领域的大多数研究都集中在青少年/成人身上，而不是在自然选择(死亡率)最强烈的胚胎(即卵子)和幼虫发育的“关键时期”。在该建议中，要求使用光纤氧气测量设备，以便我们能够：1)了解海洋鱼卵和仔鱼的新陈代谢如何受到具有生态重要性的环境应激源(高、低温、低氧水平等)的影响；2)研究无脊椎动物卵子和幼体发育的各个方面，以及深海无脊椎动物的新陈代谢；3)测试用于解释卵大小/质量与鱼类生存关系的理论模型；4)研究与线粒体(细胞的动力装置)的功能和鱼类代谢/生理有关的几个方面。该设备将为海洋科学中心(纽芬兰纪念大学)的4名研究人员和其他研究人员提供支助，他们研究对生活在纽芬兰和拉布拉多周围寒冷海洋环境中的沿海海洋生物的生物学和生态学有直接影响的鱼类或无脊椎动物生理学的各个方面。这项研究将使我们能够预测环境变化如何影响自然种群，并提高我们管理海洋鱼类和无脊椎动物物种的能力，以实现可持续的捕捞和保护目的。

Environmental factors (temperature, water oxygen level, daily/seasonal changes in light intensity, currents, depth etc.) have a profound effect on the physiology, activity and behaviour of marine fishes and invertebrates. However, most of the research in this area has focused on juveniles/adults, not on the "critical periods" of embryonic (i.e. the egg) and larval development where natural selection (mortality) is the most intense. In this proposal, fiber-optic oxygen measurement equipment is requested so that we can: 1) ask questions about how the metabolism of marine fish eggs and larvae is affected by environmental stressors of ecological importance (high and low temperature, low oxygen levels etc.); 2) examine aspects of invertebrate egg and larval development, and the metabolism of deep-sea invertebates; 3) test theoretical models that are used to explain the relationships between egg size/quality and fish survival, and 4) examine several aspects related to the functioning of mitochondria (the cell's powerplant) and fish metabolism/physiology. This equipment will support 4 researchers at the Ocean Sciences Centre (Memorial University of Newfoundland), and others, who investigate aspects of fish or invertebrate physiology that directly impact on the biology and ecology of coastal marine organisms inhabiting the cold-ocean environment around Newfoundland and Labrador. This research will allow us to predict how environmental change influences natural populations, and improve our ability to manage marine fish and invertebrate species for sustainable harvesting and conservation purposes.