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EVOLUTION OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE WITHIN A CLOSED CHAMBER USED FOR ENTOMOLOGICAL STUDIES

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

S. Marcandier  and
G.G. Khachatourians
S. Marcandier
Affiliation:
Bioinsecticide Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Canada S7N 0W0
G.G. Khachatourians*
Affiliation:
Bioinsecticide Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Canada S7N 0W0
*
2 Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
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Abstract

A simple experimental device has been described for controlling relative humidity (RH) using saturated salt solutions. This device was suitable for studies requiring a 14–82% RH (± 3%) at 27 ± 0.7°C. The RH and temperature set points were not affected by the presence of grasshoppers. Perturbations of 1.5 min due to daily insect provisioning introduced a 9- to 60-min disturbance of the RH and temperature equilibria in the chambers containing NaCl and LiCl, and a 7.5-h disturbance in the MgCl2 chamber.

Résumé

Les enceintes décrites, contenant des solutions salines saturées, permettent un contrôle de ± 3% de l’humidité relative (HR) et de ± 1°C. Les valeurs de l’HR et de la température aux points d’équilibre ne sont pas modifiées par la présence des insectes. Les perturbations de ces deux paramètres, provoquées par l’alimentation quotidienne des insectes, sont éliminées très rapidement (9–60 min) dans les enceintes contenant du NaCl et du LiCl. La rééquilibration de l’HR est beaucoup plus lente (7.5 h) dans l’enceinte contenant du MgCl2 et des insectes.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 119 , Issue 10 , October 1987 , pp. 893 - 900
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1987

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