Sequential Treatment Application Robot (STAR) for high-replication marine experimentation.

Autor:	Enochs IC; Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, 4301 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA., Soderberg N; Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, 4301 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA.; Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA., Palacio-Castro AM; Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, 4301 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA.; Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA., Eaton K; Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, 4301 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA.; Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	HardwareX [HardwareX] 2024 Mar 28; Vol. 18, pp. e00524. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 28 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI:	10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00524
Abstrakt:	Marine organisms are often subject to numerous anthropogenic stressors, resulting in widespread ecosystem degradation. Physiological responses to these stressors, however, are complicated by high biological variability, species-specific sensitivities, nonlinear relationships, and countless permutations of stressor combinations. Nevertheless, quantification of these relationships is paramount for parameterizing predictive tools and ultimately for effective management of marine resources. Multi-level, multi-stressor experimentation is therefore key, yet the high replication required has remained a logistical challenge and a financial barrier. To overcome these issues, we created an automated system for experimentation on marine organisms, the Sequential Treatment Application Robot (STAR). The system consists of a track-mounted robotic arm that sequentially applies precision treatments to independent aquaria via syringe and peristaltic pumps. The accuracy and precision were validated with dye and spectrophotometry, and stability was demonstrated by maintaining corals under treatment conditions for more than a month. The system is open source and scalable in that additional treatments and replicates may be added without incurring multiplicative costs. While STAR was designed for investigating the combined impacts of nutrients, warming, and disease on reef-building corals, it is highly customizable and may be used for experimentation involving a diverse array of treatments and species. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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