02 Probe is Used to Study How Sharks Burn Up Calories
Scientists have studied the bioenergetics (the biological
study of energy in living systems) of lemon sharks.
Bioenergetics can be thought of as the economics of an
organism. Instead of dollars, the currency is energy measured
in calories.
A series of laboratory and field experiments were conducted to
determine the shark's rate of food consumption, digestion,
excretion and growth.
The measurement of metabolism in sharks involves the indirect
method of measuring the oxygen consumption of the shark and
converting that value to calories. Generally, for each
milliliter of oxygen consumed, a shark gives off about 5
calories of heat.
A Lazar Model DO-166 Dissolved Oxygen Probe was used to
measure the oxygen content of water within a test tank holding
the shark during various levels of shark activity.
Research findings show that daily metabolic changes in sharks
appear to be internally times. Lemon sharks seem to have an
internal clock and "know" what time it is even if they are
kept in constant darkness. Scientists have observed such built-
in day-night cycles, called ciradian rhythms, in human beings
and many other animals, but this was the first time daily
metabolic rhythms had been found in sharks.
The Lazar DO-166 Dissolved Oxygen probe is a versatile
instrument that can be used in lab studies such as this one or
also in field applications where the entire probe is
submerged in lakes and streams. A Micro PO2 electrode and
micro flow through PO2 electrode are also available from
Lazar. All oxygen probes feature a non-breakable Clark style
electrodes with a signal conditioning module that allow
direct readout on a pH-MV meters, or strip chart recorders.
Go to Technical Data Sheet on This Product
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