Visit the Qubit booth at the International Coral Reef Symposium in Bremen Germany between July 3rd and 9th for a demonstration of our unique CISME system for in situ monitoring of coral photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification. CISME is the only diver-deployed system capable of non-destructive monitoring of CO2 and O2 exchange from corals. It also allows studies of calcification and can be used in combination with chlorophyll fluorescence measurements.
Water flow and light levels in the sample chamber are controlled by the user. Respiration rate and photosynthesis rate are derived from optical measurements of DO2 and pH. A sample loop is used to collect a water sample that can be titrated for total alkalinity (TA) from which the calcification rate is calculated. The sample loop can also be used to conduct experiments in which the user introduces substances that might affect coral metabolism (such as acidified seawater for ocean acidification studies). Learn MORE
Recent Publications
- Romano de Orte M. et al. 2021 Unexpected role of communities colonizing dead coral substrate in the calcification of coral reefs. Limnology and Oceanography March 17, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11722
- Dellisanti et al. 2020. A Diver-Portable Respirometry System for in-situ Short-Term Measurements of Coral Metabolic Health and Rates of Calcification. Front. Mar. Sci., 12 November 2020 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.571451
Q-Box AQUA
Qubit’s Q-Box Aqua may also be used for monitoring coral samples in the lab, or for monitoring O2 consumption rates of aquatic animals. Metabolic O2 consumption is measured by intermittent flow respirometry in which measurements are made sequentially without removing the sample from the chamber. The chamber is flushed with fresh water between measurements. Dissolved Oxygen data corrected for salinity, temperature, and pressure are displayed in software and used to calculate VO2. All of the components of the Q-Box AQUA Package are housed in a rugged weatherproof case for easy transport and storage. Learn MORE
Mini-AQUA for small samples For aquatic respirometry measurements of small fish and insect larvae (~1g) Qubit offers the Mini-Aqua package, a modified version of the Q-Box AQUA with a small aquatic respirometer chamber (9mL) and components for a smaller total volume system. The mini-AQUA package also features a micro-chamber (1.23mL in volume) with DO probe inserted in the top portion for measurements of VO2 of very small samples such as larvae and juvenile fish less than 0.5g. The micro-chamber is used in the intermittent stop flow mode resulting in higher sensitivity and resolution of the system.
References
- D H Hudson (2021) Metabolic response to temperature stress in the Colombian freshwater crab Neostrengeria macropa (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology, Feb 2021, 1-7 doi:10.1093/jcbiol/ruab002
- Rahi L. (2021) Temperature-induced changes in physiological traits and expression of selected candidate genes in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) larvae. Aquaculture Reports 19 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2021.100620
Click HERE to learn about all of Qubit’s Aquatic Biology and Aquatic Control Systems
Testimonial
“We have been using the Q-Box AQUA respirometry package for a year and have been impressed with the quality and versatility of the system. The mechanical systems are well designed and easily serviced and the software is intuitive and flexible enough for use in diverse applications. The technicians at Qubit are outstanding; they were able to modify the system to suit our particular needs and they have always been quick to respond when technical support was required. The fact that Qubit ships the system in a protective case was also a big plus for field work!” Dr.