Multichannel respirometer with fiber optic dissolved oxygen sensors

本拨款申请中要求的资金用于支持购买多通道溶解氧计、溶解氧传感器和四个微呼吸器。耗氧量测量是有用的，因为它们综合了整个动物的生产性能。所要求的呼吸测量系统将使我们能够测量氧气消耗并计算鱼类和水生无脊椎动物的代谢率。水生动物的代谢率不仅受温度、溶解氧、水质等环境因素的影响，还受发育阶段的影响。在鱼类中，幼虫发育过程中的能量受到卵黄供应的限制，卵黄必须在生长、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相关的活动或增加能量以补偿压力时，幼鱼可能会经历代谢权衡。传统上，河流系统中水生昆虫的多样性被用作环境质量的指标。例如，石蝇幼虫对低溶解氧很敏感，它们在溪流中的缺失被用作有机污染的指标，但当流域干扰增加时，这种粗糙的指标的效用有限。然而，代谢率的变化是应激动物的环境条件的敏感指标。因此，代谢率测量将提高我们在种群数量受到影响之前检测环境质量恶化的能力。所要求的设备所支持的研究为我们更好地理解水生动物对不同环境变量的生理反应提供了新的途径。为了更好地管理受自然和人为变化影响的水生生态系统，需要这些知识。所要求的设备也将在本科生和研究生的培训和论文完成中发挥重要作用。我们预计四名硕士和四名理学士学生将在前三年内受益于所要求的设备。

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.