UFZ--Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
Aquat Toxicol. 2012 Mar;109:243-9. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2011.09.013. Epub 2011 Sep 28.
There is a great need in environmental research for test systems that include ecologically important factors and that are also easy to use. We present here the automated test system Nanocosm, which is composed of populations of Daphnia magna and Culex pipiens molestus. The Nanocosm system allows the investigation of stressed populations in the presence of interspecific competition, which is a very important factor involved in the dynamics of ecosystems. With the Nanocosm system, the abundance and size structure of populations of both species are quantified by image analysis. The technique enables a time-efficient, non-invasive and reliable long-term monitoring of interactions between two aquatic populations. We recommend the Nanocosm system as a novel tool for the simplified integration of competition into environmental and ecotoxicological research as well as for the assessment of risk due to stressors.
在环境研究中，非常需要包含生态重要因素且易于使用的测试系统。我们在这里介绍自动化测试系统 Nanocosm，它由大型水蚤（Daphnia magna）和致倦库蚊（Culex pipiens molestus）种群组成。Nanocosm 系统允许在存在种间竞争的情况下研究受压种群，这是生态系统动态中非常重要的一个因素。使用 Nanocosm 系统，可以通过图像分析来量化两种物种的种群丰度和大小结构。该技术能够实现高效、非侵入性和可靠的长期监测两种水生种群之间的相互作用。我们推荐 Nanocosm 系统作为一种新颖的工具，用于将竞争简化地纳入环境和生态毒理学研究中，以及评估因胁迫而产生的风险。
