AGE & GROWTH
RESEARCH LABORATORY
This laboratory, and an adjacent Age and Growth Preparation lab,
was designed to provide Fisheries graduate students and faculty with space
and facilities
to carry out modern analysis of age and growth of fishes. The main laboratory
provides cubicle space for four graduate students and many fisheries
graduate students take advantage of the eight relatively high-powered
PC computers
and associated software (S-PLUS, ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, OCR software, etc.)
that are available in this room. Specialized equipment includes two
imaging systems
used primarily for pattern analysis of scales and otoliths. The original
system, recently upgraded, is based on digital capture of video images.
Although image capture is rapid, resolution is limited by the video
format. Our new
system is based on digital capture of images, thus greatly improving
resolution of images but producing delayed image capture due to the
large memory storage
requirements for large, detailed digital images. Both systems use the
IMAGE PRO software.
The adjacent Preparation lab provides students with equipment needed to prepare fish body parts for aging. Our new hydraulic press (temperature and pressure can be separately controlled) can be used to produce accurate acetate impressions from fish scales. Our otolith saw and grinder unit can be used to prepare polished and/or sectioned fish otoliths. Additional equipment includes microfiche readers (for basic aging from fish scales) and facilities for archival storage of scales and/or otoliths.