Department (s)
Genetics, Physical Antropology and Animal Physiology

Knowledge area
Animal Physiology /Experimental zoology

Members

Enrique Navarro, Juan Ignacio Pérez, Irrintzi Ibarrola, Maite Martínez, Iñaki Urrutxurtu, Maitane Pérez and  Miren Bego Urrutia

Keywords

Physiological energetics, marine bivalves, growth rates

Description

The research activity of the group is focused on the analysis of the effect that both environmental variables (such as temperature, food availability and pollution) and inter-individual endogenous differences (genetic or epigenetic) exert on the growth capacity of bivalve mollusk populations of species with commercial interest (mussels, Manila clams, Carpet shell clam). The general aim of the research is to stablish the physiological bases of the endogenously determined differences in the growth rate and the genetic factors underlying such a differential physiological performance.   

Research lines

1. The role of environmental factors in determining the segregation of fast versus slow growing individuals in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
2. Physiological characterization and transcriptomic analysis of inter-specific, inter-populational and inter-individual differences in the growth capacity of the clams Ruditapes decussatus y R. phillpinarum.
3. Carbon and Nitrogen balance and biochemical composition of fast and slow growing individuals in the clams R. decussatus y R. phillpinarum.

Equipment

• Marine water mesocosms.
• Coulter-Counter granulometers: Multisizer III y Z1
• Semi-continuous system for Phytoplankton  cultures.
• Lyophilizer equipment.
• MUFFLE furnace, desiccation ovens.
• Equipment for determination of oxygen consumption: oxygen probes and oxymeters
• Equipment for water filtration.
• Precision balance (10-6).

Website link

Contact

946012500 / 946018400

Inaki.urrutxurtu@ehu.eus
mirenbego.urrutia@ehu.eus