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

监测水质以确定海洋生物的潜在压力来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，它正变得更加重要。双壳类，特别是贻贝，由于它们对污染物的反应和积累的能力，在世界各地的监测项目中被广泛使用。在这方面，双壳类可以监测的两种反应是瓣膜的运动和心跳。这两种反应都反映了双壳类的应激情况，如低氧、高温和有害藻华的存在。所要求的定制设备将提供位于野外的双壳类动物的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性传感器，以及完全在水下的特性，将首次允许在海底收集这种类型的数据，双壳类的自然环境。此外，该设备还具有将数据实时发送到云中的能力，因此可以用于做出与水质相关的预警管理决策。例如，可以实时检测到藻类水华的发生或水中化学物质的存在。将收集的新信息对增加我们对自然条件下双壳类的了解也是非常宝贵的。这种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。除了在野外使用的理想能力外，该设备还可以在实验室环境下使用。达尔豪西大学由NSERC支持的Aquatron海水实验室是加拿大最大的大学水产研究设施，它是设备的理想补充，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促进广泛的技能，包括双壳类、生态学和化学的知识，但也包括数学和计算技能，因为将产生大量的数据。这些学生将与贝类养殖者、海洋管理人员以及不同学科的研究人员(如计算机科学家和海洋学家)进行互动，为他们提供宝贵的沟通技能，并广泛了解各种利益相关者的需求。综上所述，该设备是世界上第一个具有这些特征的设备，它将把加拿大带入双壳类研究的前沿。

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.