Alternate Solutions

Pictured above is a Horseshoe crab rearing habitat that would feature a metal frame and shelves, PVC pipes  four individual containers for the crabs, and a water delivery system controlled by four individual knobs.     

The second habitat option features a metal frame, plastic tubing, two fiberglass containers, a UV light, constant water flow and drainage.

 The third alternate solution features one larger habitat with a fiberglass base, plastic tubing, constant water flow and drainage.

The final alternate solution is glass walls with metal edges, the habitat is a large rectangularly shaped container with a removable lid.   

Background Information

Systems Engineering II

September 16, 2013

Background Information

Horseshoe crab populations are declining at a steady rate, the crabs are not currently endangered but if their decline continues at the current rate there will be problems in the near future.  Horseshoe crabs are a vital link in the food chain; specifically the crabs are prey for other animals, as their population dwindles other species populations will decrease as well.  Migratory shoe birds rely on Horseshoe crabs as food while migrating. 

   (History of the Horseshoe Crab Fishery. 2005, July 16)

(Oceana. 2012)

(Goforth, C.  2011, March 15)

(Toon, S. 2011, December 11)

(Catania, T and M, Danihel. 2013)

The problem of declining Horseshoe crab populations is a major issue that needs to be addressed immediately.  Many people are involved in the decline of the crab’s populations and would be affected if their populations increased.  Examples of people involved with the problem are researchers who use Horseshoe crabs, researchers who study horseshoe crabs themselves, fishermen who use Horseshoe crabs as bait, Horseshoe crab harvesters who collect the crabs then sell them and medical companies who use the crabs’ blood in their products.

(Deep Sea Fishing. 2011, June 13)

(Seckel, H. 2010, April 2)

(Medical Research Studies. 2013, January 24)

(Hurdle, J. 2013, February 25)

(Smith, L. 2010, March 3)

            The problem of declining Horseshoe crab populations must be addressed because the crabs are a vital link in the food chain, one of the oldest living species on the planet and are widely used in the fields of fishing and biomedical engineering.  A successfully built habitat for horseshoe crab research and breeding would help to increase crab populations and provide a way to obtain horseshoe crabs without taking them from the wild. 

(Bossard, A. 2010, May 14)

(Goehring, D. 2006, July 19)

(Burgeson, J. 2013, May 7)

(Reynolds, J. 2011, June 7)

            The stakeholders involved in the success of a Horseshoe crab rearing habitat are Horseshoe Crabs, migratory birds that eat Horseshoe crabs specifically Red Knots, scientists or students that will study Horseshoe crabs raised in the habitat, future MAST oceanography students that will use the rearing habitat and fishermen that could utilize crabs raised in a habitat as bait. 

(Switek, B. 2011, November 22)

(Our Amazing Planet Staff. 2012, May 21)

(Park, H. 2012, March 28)

(Cramer, D. 2012)

(Alyssa van Doorn)

            The indented mood of the final habitat is scientific.  The habitat should fit in a laboratory habitat effortlessly. 

(Kukla, M. 2008, September 17)

(McGrath, K. 2011, May 18)

(Bell, M. 2007, October 15)

            There are currently products on the market that are designed for raising different types of fish but there are none for raising horseshoe crabs specifically.  On the market are also regular fish tanks found in a person’s home.  Oceanography students are currently raising horseshoe crabs in compartmentalized tanks. 

(Bias, A. 2013, August 26)

(van Doorn, A. 2013, September 13)

(van Doorn, A. 2013, September 13)

(van Doorn, A. 2013, September 13)

            Horseshoe crab populations are declining at a considerable rate, the lack of crabs puts a strain on migratory bird populations because the birds eat Horseshoe crabs.  As well Horseshoe crabs are harvested to use as bait while fishing and used by medical companies.  Increasing the abundance of Horseshoe crabs will help increase shore bird populations, and harvesters can continue to harvest the crabs.  The primary objective of creating a rearing habitat for Horseshoe crabs is to design a habitat that can successfully function to research, test and breed horseshoe crabs.   

Works Cited

Bell, M (2007, October 15). (2013, September 15). Crary Lab Critters. Retrieved from http://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/antarctic-undersea-rov/journals/2007-10-15

Bias, A (2013, August 26). (2013, September 15). Swordtail Guppies *. Retrieved from http://swordtailguppies.blogspot.com

Brossard, A (2010, May 14). (2013, September 13). A Day in the Life of a Horseshoe Crab Biologist. Retrieved from http://dnerr.blogs.delaware.gov/tag/horseshoe-crabs/

Burgeson, J (2013, May 7). (2013, September 14). Horseshoe Crabs Link Sacred Heart U. to Mystic Aquarium. Retrieved from http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Horseshoe-crabs-link-Sacred-Heart-U-to-Mystic-4492978.php#photo-4557105

Catania, T and M, Danihel (2013). (2013, September 13). New Jersey’s Endangered and Threatened Species Field Guide. Retrieved from http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/species/fieldguide/view/Limulus%20polyphemus/

Cramer, D (2012). (2013, September 15). Fate of Migrating Red Knots Tied to Horseshoe Crabs. Retrieved from http://seaaroundyou.com/fate-of-migrating-red-knots-tied-to-horseshoe-crabs/

Goehring, D (2006, July 19). (2013, September 15). Horseshoe Crab Ancestor. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Horseshoe_Crab_Ancestor.jpg

Goforth, C (2011, March 15). (2013, March 29).  Wordless Wednesday: Horseshoe Crab.  Retrieved from http://thedragonflywoman.com/2011/03/16/wordless-wednesday-horseshoe-crab

Hurdle, J (2013, February 25). (2013, September 13). Horseshoe Crab Rescue and Research Programme. Retrieved from  http://www.nss.org.sg/project.aspx?id=12

Kukla, M (2008, September 17). (2013, September 15). Perrigo purchase brings rich payday at JB Laboratories. Retrieved from http://www.mlive.com/grpress/business/index.ssf/2008/09/perrigo_purchase_brings_rich_p.html

McGrath, K (2011, May 18). (2013, September 14) Wake Forest News: Year in Review. Retrieved from http://news.wfu.edu/2011/05/18/wake-forest-news-year-in-review/

Oceana (2012). (2013, September 13). Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://oceana.org/en/explore/marine-wildlife/american-horseshoe-crab

Our Amazing Planet Staff (2012, May 21). (2013, September 15).  Horseshoe Crab Sex Lures Students to the Beach. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/31456-horseshoe-crab-census.html

Park, H (2012, March 28). (2013, September 14). Office of the President. Retrieved from

http://www.plymouth.edu/office/president/877/plymouth-state-university-educational-innovation-and-collaboration/

Reynolds, J (2011, June 7). (2013, September 14). Baby Horseshoe Crab in Lower New York Bay. Retrieved from http://natureontheedgenyc.blogspot.com/2011/06/baby-horseshoe-crab-in-lower-new-york.html

Seckel, H (2010, April 2). Horseshoe Crabs: Excessive Harvests. Retrieved from http://www.citizenscampaign.org/campaigns/horseshoe-crabs.asp

Smith, L (2012, March 3). (2013, September 13). The Horseshoe Crab. Retrieved from http://www.horseshoecrab.org/med/med.html

Switek, B (2011, November 22). (2013, September 15). In Evolution’s Race, Horseshoe Crabs took a Slower Pace. Retrieved from

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/11/in-evolutions-race-horseshoe-crabs-took-a-slower-pace/

Toon, S (2011, December 11). A Week by the Sea. Retrieved from http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/a0272/cb2fd/

van Doorn, A (2013, September 13).

van Doorn, A (2011, October)

(2005, July 16). (2013, March 29).  History of the Horseshoe Crab Fishery. Retrieved from   http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/horseshoecrab/fhistory.html

(2011, June 13). (2013, March 31). Deep Sea Fishing Adventures.  Retrieved from http://tomcatcharters.com.au/

(2013, January 24). (2013, March 31). Medical Research studies. Retrieved from http://www.unn-edu.net/medical-research-studies.html

                      

Specifications and Limitations

Specifications 

The final habitat must:

•          Be designed to fit in a laboratory setting

•          Provide a setting for Horseshoe crabs to mature

•          Be water tight

•          Be portable

•          Be able to be cleaned and maintained easily

•          Be made of materials that can with stand salt water

•          Have enough space for 500 Horseshoe crabs to live    

Limitations

•          May not use any materials that may leach toxins into the habitat 

•          No chemicals, dies or any others materials that can harm the Horseshoe crabs may be used

•          May not use any materials that can degrade over a short period of time when exposed to salt water

•          Cannot use materials that are not water proof

•          May not cost more that $500 to build

•          May not be any larger than 3X3X3

•          May not be heavier than a single person can easily lift

• Can not have any gaps or crevasses the Horseshoe crabs can be caught in
• May not use wood or any metal that can rust
•  

 

Design Briefs

Team Design Brief: Design, build and test a rearing habitat for a climate controlled laboratory setting, large enough to accommodate 500,three-month old Horseshoe crabs for future MAST students or scientists to rear until the crabs are six months for the purpose of research and/or breeding and to increase the survival rate from about 0.01% to 5%.

Individual Design Brief: Design and build a marine rearing habitat structure for use in a climate controlled laboratory setting, large enough to accommodate 500, three-month old Horseshoe crabs for future MAST students or scientists to rear to the age of six months for the purpose of research and/or breeding with the goal of increasing the survival rate from about 0.01% to 5%.

MP1 Work Schedule

Marking Period 1 Work Schedule 

• September 13-16: Work on Background Information, Specifications, Limitations, Brainstorming and Alternative Solutions   
• Due September 16: Background Information, Specifications, Limitations, Brainstorming and Alternative Solutions
• September 16: Discuss and choose a final solution with partner, write a log entry, post Specifications, Limitations, Brainstorming and Alternative Solutions to blog
• September 16-19: Draw final solution model can be built off of 
• September 20: Write a log entry, hand in weekly log, and check to ensure web blog is in working order 
• September 20-22:Write rationale report and build model
• September 23: Revise rationale report and put final touches on model
• Due September 23: Rationale report and model
• September 24: Post rationale report and photos of model on the blog
• September 25:  Write a log entry and check to ensure web blog is in working order 
• September 27: Write a log entry and hand in weekly log 
• September 24- October 22: Work on developmental work
• October 2: Write a log entry
• October 4: Write a log entry and hand in weekly log sheet 
• October 11: Write a log entry
• October 13: Write a log entry and hand in weekly log sheet
• October 18: Write a log entry and check in with mentors
• October 20: Write a log entry and hand in weekly log sheet
• October 23-24: Revise and edit Developmental work  
• October 24: Post Developmental work to blog and check to ensure web blog is in working order 
• Due October 25: Developmental work
• October 25: Create an outline for the Formal Progress Update Presentation, write a log entry
• October 26-29: Prepare for Formal Progress Update Presentation 
• October 27: Write a log entry, hand in weekly log sheet and checkin with mentors
• Due October 30: Outline for Formal Progress Update Presentation
• October 30: Revise and edit Formal Progress Update Presentation
• Due October 31: Formal Progress Update Presentation