Ethical Review
If you are undertaking a project with animals you will need to include a review of any ethical considerations. Below are some of the ethical considerations taken for this project.
Factors Q & Ans.
Consideration / Response
Q. Will your experiment directly endanger the subjects’ chance of survival?
Ans: Unfortunately due to the nature of this survey many individual species (ascidians & sponges) will be directly affected due to removal from the water on a regular basis – Many of these individuals will survive for a couple of hours out of water however.
Q. Do you need to move them from their habitat?
Ans: As this experiment is a sessile settlement panel survey the individuals may occasionally be removed from the panel for identification purposes.
Q. Will you be able to return them to their original place?
Ans: Due to their sessile nature this is not possible however; when possible other habitats will be found for them.
Q. Is it necessary to return to exact spot?
Ans: Yes it is because the survey is taking place at 3 fixed locations around the Fal estuary.
Q. Will your experiment impact the survival of non-target species?
Ans: There will be little impact to non-target species besides the odd crustacean or amphipod hunting on the panels.
Q. Are any of the species you are working with rare or endangered?
Ans: N/a
Q. Covered by legislation?
Ans: N/a
Q. Will the experiment reduce the organisms’ opportunities to feed?
Ans: Only when panels are out of water which will be a maximum of 30 minutes per week.
Q. Will they be subject to higher levels of desiccation than normal?
Ans: Only when removed from the water for 30 minutes max. With prolonged analysis organisms will be kept in a tray of seawater taken straight from their original environment.
Q. Will they be more likely to be preyed upon following the experiment?
Ans: N/a
Q. Will you need to retain any specimens for identification purposes?
(if so will you need a separate review for them?)
Ans: At the start of April 2013 a few panels will be submerged in a box of seawater and taken to the marine school or microscopic/lab analysis.
Q. Will you need to hold them in a container for any period of time?
Ans: Only when transporting to the lab at the start of April 2013
Q. If so can they be safely kept with other individuals?
Ans: Yes
Q. Appropriate conditions/water quality in that container?
Ans: Water will be taken straight from organisms’ place of origin and will be adequately filtered and monitored when kept in lab conditions.
Q. Does your experiment cause stress?
Ans: Unfortunately so, however, most of the species being targeted are invertebrates besides the ascidians that are classed as vertebrates only because of the presence of a notochord when in juvenile stages. Species which are affected by this survey are simple life forms i.e. sponges and cnidarians. Although little is known about how much stress this survey would have on these individuals.
Q. Does your experiment cause pain?
Ans. Possibly – see above.
Q. What signs of pain do your organisms exhibit?
Ans. Ascidians don’t have any obvious stressor signs besides retreat of their siphons when out of water
Factors Q & Ans.
Consideration / Response
Q. Will your experiment directly endanger the subjects’ chance of survival?
Ans: Unfortunately due to the nature of this survey many individual species (ascidians & sponges) will be directly affected due to removal from the water on a regular basis – Many of these individuals will survive for a couple of hours out of water however.
Q. Do you need to move them from their habitat?
Ans: As this experiment is a sessile settlement panel survey the individuals may occasionally be removed from the panel for identification purposes.
Q. Will you be able to return them to their original place?
Ans: Due to their sessile nature this is not possible however; when possible other habitats will be found for them.
Q. Is it necessary to return to exact spot?
Ans: Yes it is because the survey is taking place at 3 fixed locations around the Fal estuary.
Q. Will your experiment impact the survival of non-target species?
Ans: There will be little impact to non-target species besides the odd crustacean or amphipod hunting on the panels.
Q. Are any of the species you are working with rare or endangered?
Ans: N/a
Q. Covered by legislation?
Ans: N/a
Q. Will the experiment reduce the organisms’ opportunities to feed?
Ans: Only when panels are out of water which will be a maximum of 30 minutes per week.
Q. Will they be subject to higher levels of desiccation than normal?
Ans: Only when removed from the water for 30 minutes max. With prolonged analysis organisms will be kept in a tray of seawater taken straight from their original environment.
Q. Will they be more likely to be preyed upon following the experiment?
Ans: N/a
Q. Will you need to retain any specimens for identification purposes?
(if so will you need a separate review for them?)
Ans: At the start of April 2013 a few panels will be submerged in a box of seawater and taken to the marine school or microscopic/lab analysis.
Q. Will you need to hold them in a container for any period of time?
Ans: Only when transporting to the lab at the start of April 2013
Q. If so can they be safely kept with other individuals?
Ans: Yes
Q. Appropriate conditions/water quality in that container?
Ans: Water will be taken straight from organisms’ place of origin and will be adequately filtered and monitored when kept in lab conditions.
Q. Does your experiment cause stress?
Ans: Unfortunately so, however, most of the species being targeted are invertebrates besides the ascidians that are classed as vertebrates only because of the presence of a notochord when in juvenile stages. Species which are affected by this survey are simple life forms i.e. sponges and cnidarians. Although little is known about how much stress this survey would have on these individuals.
Q. Does your experiment cause pain?
Ans. Possibly – see above.
Q. What signs of pain do your organisms exhibit?
Ans. Ascidians don’t have any obvious stressor signs besides retreat of their siphons when out of water