• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    Test module for simulations of heterogeneous landscape distribution in multi-habitat scenarios for replication of a plurality of environmental conditions and spatial distributions, and device composed of a plurality of said test modules. The module comprises a body (1) inside which a central cavity (2) is defined, with at least two passage channels (4) in the side wall (3). Each channel (4) comprises a through opening (5), a groove (6) defined in the perimeter edge of the opening (5), and a slope (8) extending on an upward slope from the central cavity (2) to the opening (5). A cover (9) covers the cavities (2) superiorly to prevent evaporation of the contents, and a plurality of gates (7) is interposed in the channels (4) to control the communication between two contiguous modules. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
    公开号:ES2717145A1
    申请号:ES201731426
    申请日:2017-12-19
    公开日:2019-06-19
    发明作者:Matos Araujo Cristiano Venicius De；Moreno Julian Blasco；Roque David Atienza；Lobo Girao Ribeiro Rui Godinho；Dos Santos Matilde Maria Moreira；Penalver Sergio Barro
    申请人:Aquatic Biotechnology S L；Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas CSIC；DE COIMBRA, University of；Universidade de Coimbra；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0001]
    [0002]
    [0003]
    [0004]
    [0005] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
    [0006]
    [0007] The present invention fits into the technical field of the devices of investigation and analysis of materials by determination of their properties, and refers in particular to a test module for simulation of heterogeneous habitats, to a device composed of a plurality of modules of test and the test procedure associated with said device.
    [0008]
    [0009] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    [0010]
    [0011] Ecotoxicology is a multidisciplinary field that integrates toxicology, ecology and environmental chemistry and consists mainly of the study of the effect of toxic chemical compounds on living beings, especially in terms of populations, communities and ecosystems.
    [0012]
    [0013] In general, the effects of pollutants are evaluated at the individual and population level, or even at lower biological levels such as sub-organisms, through bioassays with forced exposure to contamination. In these types of tests, organisms are first exposed to a single environmental sample or to a certain concentration of a pollutant in a reductionist environment, since they are necessarily in contact with the contaminant, for second and after a time measure a response or bioaccumulation resulting from exposure to pollution. Thus, it is assumed that organisms are passive agents and that, under natural conditions, they are subject to the toxic effects of pollution without the possibility of escape.
    [0014]
    [0015] This assumption leads us to consider that the loss of biodiversity due to pollution is due to the lethal or sub-lethal toxic effects that organisms suffer, leading to a short, medium or long term reduction in the number of individuals Although important under some conditions, forced exposure lacks realism because it does not take into account factors such as that mobile organisms can avoid pollution by fleeing to less impacted environments, or the relationship that may exist between pollution and other factors when it comes to select a habitat. Likewise, it is not considered that the connectivity between adjacent habitats to the polluted with different levels of pollution can play an important role in terms of the obligatory or temporary exposure to pollutants.
    [0016]
    [0017] Thus, ecotoxicological studies lack an approach in which the effects of pollution can be assessed in a more complex exposure scenario, in which the simulation of exposure conditions, at least in terms of the spatial distribution of the impact , be closer to reality. In line with what is indicated, the following are included as references:
    [0018]
    [0019] -the patent document with publication number JPH09178731 which refers to a method and an apparatus for monitoring the presence of toxic substances in water, by observing and analyzing the evasion behavior, in order to monitor the water quality and the possible presence of toxicity. The apparatus has a plurality of tanks or containers aligned and filled with water to house aquatic organisms, and connecting routes between vessels that provide a path to allow organisms to move freely between adjacent vessels. The possible presence of a toxic substance manifests itself at an early stage by analyzing the habit (evasion behavior) by which organisms try to escape and move downstream when fish detect water containing contaminants. The movement of aquatic organisms from one vessel to the next is detected by a series of sensor electrodes that detect the electrical potential and are immersed in both ends of each vessel. However, despite the fact that the organisms are in conditions of non-forced exposure, they are restricted to a gradient of the on-line contaminant and do not allow a connectivity between habitats different from the linear one; Y
    [0020]
    [0021] - the document "Preferences and avoidance responses by tadpoles: The fungicide pyrimethanil as a habitat disturber" (Araujo CVM, Shinn C, Ribeiro R, Espíndola ELG, Ecotoxicology, 2014 July, Vol 23. Issue 5. pp: 851-860) in which a system is described formed by multiple modules or interconnected vessels through which organisms can move, so that organisms are not passive agents and when they are subject to the toxic effects of pollution have the possibility of escape, so that it constitutes a system with exposure not forced to the contamination that allows the monitoring of the behavior of evasion of the organisms, in which the organisms are in conditions of not forced exposure, but that is restricted to a gradient of the contaminant in line. The system does not allow a connectivity between habitats different from the linear one.
    [0022]
    [0023] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
    [0024]
    [0025] The object of the invention consists of a test device for simulation of heterogeneous habitats, which finds application, among other fields, in ecotoxicology, as well as in the procedure associated with said device, whose objective is to simulate the heterogeneous distribution of the landscape in a scenario multi-habitat, in which different conditions and spatial distributions can be replicated, such as different levels of contamination. The system, formed by multiple units of experimentation, also referred to as modules, connected to each other, allows the realization of trials of habitat selection and ecotoxicity, creating a heterogeneous environment in which each module represents a habitat and through which the organisms can move.
    [0026]
    [0027] This device is intended to solve the aforementioned problems, derived from the approach or approach with which, in general, environmental studies address the effects of pollutants on organisms and ecosystems. In this way, the device allows assessing the habitat selection capacity of organisms exposed to heterogeneous environments, through an approach based on tests with unforced exposure to adverse conditions, such as pollution, to assess their impact on organisms and ecosystems, by monitoring evasion behavior.
    [0028]
    [0029] The proposed device aims to simulate different habitats within an ecological landscape or to vary the importance of certain resources or factors within a multi-habitat scenario, which is why it offers an evaluation alternative that seeks understand the importance of connectivity between ecosystems with different degrees of disturbance, and how that heterogeneity of the landscape can influence the processes of migration, habitat selection and spatial distribution.
    [0030]
    [0031] The application of the device is directly related to environmental studies in which attractive and repulsive factors can condition the behavior of organisms. With the proposed device, suitable for use with water and sediment samples, it is intended to understand the role of these factors in a more relevant spatial scale, including habitats not directly affected by the factors, the chemical fragmentation caused and the consequent isolation of the populations that flee to less impacted areas.
    [0032]
    [0033] In those studies in which the mobility of organisms is taken into account, the responses analyzed are focused on changes in swimming patterns, such as distance, speed and frequency, but always under conditions of forced exposure or, in the case of of unforced exposure, the system is restricted to a gradient of the on-line contaminant. The proposed device can simulate different habitats within an ecological landscape or vary the importance of certain resources or factors within a relatively similar multi-habitat scenario.
    [0034]
    [0035] The main characteristics of the device derive from the essentially concave geometry of each of the modules and their union through channels with a slope that directs the organisms towards the adjacent compartments. Some gates regulate the passage of organisms between each module, as well as allow controlling the mixture of substances.
    [0036]
    [0037] If the modules did not have the concave geometry and the connection channels did not present a certain slope, the flow of the organisms between modules would be hindered by the formation of a wall that would not lead them to the neighboring modules, becoming an impediment for the displacement of organisms. Also, the absence of slope would lead to the formation of a vertical gradient inside the module, instead of a horizontal gradient between modules. The gates also allow to modify the gradient in different directions, cutting and opening the way for the mixture of substance and the movement of organisms.
    [0038] The optimum operation of the device requires modules comprising at least two connection channels, with preferably non-linear connectivity between them. The modules may also comprise three connection channels, while in the most preferred embodiment each module comprises four connection channels, although a larger number of channels is also contemplated. When the number of connection channels of the module is greater than two, it is contemplated that the connectivity between two opposed channels is linear.
    [0039]
    [0040] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    [0041]
    [0042] To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, with illustrative and non-limiting character, the following has been represented:
    [0043]
    [0044] Figure 1 .- Shows a top perspective view of the module.
    [0045]
    [0046] Figure 2.- Shows a top perspective view of the device, in which its main constituent elements are appreciated.
    [0047]
    [0048] Figure 3 .- Shows a detailed view of the device.
    [0049]
    [0050] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of one of the covers.
    [0051]
    [0052] Figure 5.- Shows a perspective view of one of the gates.
    [0053]
    [0054] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
    [0055]
    [0056] A detailed explanation of a preferred embodiment of the object of the present invention is given below, with the help of the aforementioned figures.
    [0057]
    [0058] The test module for simulation of heterogeneous habitats that is described is aimed at simulating the heterogeneous distribution of a landscape in a multi-habitat scenario to replicate different spatial conditions and distributions, for example, levels of contam ination. For this, the module comprises a body (1) which, as seen in Figure 1, in this preferred embodiment has a polygonal geometry with four sides, inside which a hollow central cavity (2) is defined and of essentially concave geom etry, limited perimetrally by a lateral and curved surrounding wall (3) in which channels (4) are defined for passage intended to allow communication with the interior of the cavity (2) .
    [0059]
    [0060] Each of the channels (4) comprises a through opening (5) defined in the wall (3), a groove (6) defined in the perimeter edge of the opening (5), intended to house a door (7) , and a slope (8) that extends on an upward slope from the central cavity (2) to the opening (5) of the wall (3). Said slope (8) prevents the accumulation of solid deposits that could block the opening (5), blocking the channel (4). In the preferred embodiment shown, the slope (8) ascending from the cavity (2) to the opening (5) has a slope of 40 °, but is also contemplated as preferred slopes between 35 ° and 45 ° .
    [0061]
    [0062] Also, a removable cover (9) covers the cavity (2) superiorly to avoid evaporation of the contained liquid and to avoid the possible exit of organisms. As shown in Figure 4, the cover (9) has a geometry essentially similar to that presented in the cavity (2).
    [0063]
    [0064] Figure 5 shows a door (7) which, as can be seen, comprises a laminar body insertable in the peripheral groove (6) of the opening (5) to cover it. A through hole (10) defined in the laminar body allows a controlled and adjustable commication with the outside.
    [0065]
    [0066] The grouping of a plurality of the modules so described gives rise to a test device for simulation of heterogeneous habitats, in which the modules are linked to each other through their corresponding channels (4). In this case, the slope (8) described above further facilitates the flow between modules.
    [0067]
    [0068] In the preferred embodiment shown here, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the device It comprises a total of 18 modules, distributed in 3 columns and 6 rows. The cavity (2) of each module has an essentially ovoid geometry, with dimensions of 606x306x70 mm and a total volume of 320 milliliters. The body (1) is made in acetal, while both the gates (7) and the covers (9) materialize in methacrylate, to facilitate the observation through it.
    [0069]
    [0070] The device is used, as indicated above, for conducting environmental studies, especially for studies of habitat selection for aquatic organisms, as well as for toxicity studies with gradients or pollution patches, and in heterogeneous environments, which can be simulated in a simultaneous a plurality of heterogeneous environments in the different modules. The aquatic organisms most susceptible to be studied by this device are, by way of indication and not limitation, those included in the group of fish, tadpoles, shrimps, gastropods, amphipods, cladocerans, copepods and microalgae, or combinations thereof.
    [0071]
    [0072] The procedure to evaluate the capacity of habitat selection by aquatic organisms exposed to different heterogeneous environments, or to perform toxicity studies with gradients, which makes use of the device described in this way, comprises the following stages:
    [0073]
    [0074] - Closing of the channels (4) communicating with each other to the modules by means of coupling the gates (7) in the corresponding slots (6),
    [0075]
    [0076] - Generation of the conditions of each habitat, through the introduction in each of the modules of the physical and / or chemical elements characteristic of each specific habitat, in which said elements are selected among sediment, sand, vegetation, chemical substances or combinations thereof,
    [0077]
    [0078] - Opening of the channels (4) by sliding the gates (7) inside the slots (6), allowing communication between adjacent modules through the corresponding holes (10) of the gates (7),
    [0079]
    [0080] - Introduction of aquatic organisms in the device,
    [0081] - Coating of the modules with the corresponding covers (9), and
    [0082]
    [0083] - M onitoring the change in the behavior of aquatic organisms, through the study of their movement patterns and the m igratory routes between modules. For this purpose, a variation of parameters selected by way of indicative and nonlimiting, between point location, distance traveled, migration and frequency of displacement is studied.
    权利要求:
    Claims (9)
    [1]
    1. Test module for simulation of heterogeneous habitats, intended to perform simulations of heterogeneous landscape distribution in multi-habitat scenarios for replication of a plurality of environmental conditions and spatial distributions, the test module being characterized in that it comprises:
    - a body (1) inside which is defined:
    - a hollow and essentially concave central cavity (2), - a lateral and curved surrounding wall (3) delimiting perimetrically the cavity (2), and
    - at least two passage channels (4) located on the wall (3) for communication with the interior of the cavity (2), wherein each channel (4) comprises:
    - a through opening (5) defined in the wall (3),
    - a groove (6) defined in the perimeter edge of the opening (5), and - a slope (8) extending on an upward slope from the central cavity (2) to the opening (5),
    - a top covering cover (9) of the cavity (2), and
    - gates (7) for control of communication through channels (4), in which each gate (7) comprises in turn:
    - a laminar body insertable in the perimetric slot (6) of the opening (5) for sealing the channel (4), and
    - a through hole (10) defined in the laminar body for passing the contents of the cavity (2) through the channel (4).
    [2]
    2. Test module according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least two channels (4) are not located in the wall (3) aligned on the same axis.
    [3]
    3. Test module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises four channels (4).
    [4]
    Test module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slope (9) ascending from the cavity (2) to the opening (6) has a slope comprised between 35 ° and 45 °.
    [5]
    5. Test module according to claim 4, characterized in that the slope (9) presents a slope of 40 °.
    [6]
    6. Test device characterized in that it comprises a plurality of test modules according to claims 1 to 5, adjacent and linked together by their respective channels (4).
    [7]
    7. Use of the module according to claims 1 to 5 for conducting simulation tests of heterogeneous landscape distribution in multi-habitat scenarios for replication of a plurality of environmental conditions and spatial distributions.
    [8]
    8. Use of the device according to claim 6 for performing simulation tests of heterogeneous landscape distribution in multi-habitat scenarios for replication of a plurality of environmental conditions and spatial distributions.
    [9]
    9. Procedure for assessing the capacity of habitat selection by aquatic organisms exposed to heterogeneous environments, which makes use of the device described in claim 6, characterized in that it comprises the following stages:
    - closing of the channels (4) communicating with each other to the modules by means of coupling the gates (7) in the corresponding slots (6),
    - generation of the conditions of each habitat, by introducing in each of the modules the physical and / or chemical elements characteristic of each specific habitat, in which said elements are selected among sediment, sand, vegetation, chemical substances or combinations thereof,
    - opening of the channels (4) by sliding the gates (7) inside the slots (6) to allow communication between adjacent modules through the holes (10) of the gates (7),
    - introduction of aquatic organisms in the device,
    - coating of the cavities (2) with the corresponding covers (9), and - monitoring of the behavior change of aquatic organisms, through the study of migration patterns and migration routes between modules.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    ES2717145B2|2020-01-07|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US3857364A|1973-03-30|1974-12-31|F Miller|Adjustable animal maze device|
    US4201153A|1978-03-27|1980-05-06|The Regents Of The University Of Michigan|Animal enclosure system|
    JPH09178731A|1995-12-27|1997-07-11|Osaka Prefecture|Method and device for monitoring water quality using aquatic life|
    WO2009126116A1|2008-04-09|2009-10-15|Agency For Science, Technology And Research|System and method for monitoring water quality|
    US9226475B2|2012-02-13|2016-01-05|R&D Aquatics, LLC|Apparatus and method for research and testing of small aquatic species|
    法律状态:
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    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
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