66--MICROSCOPE & Equipment

The USGS Alabama Coop Research Unit has a need to purchase a new upright microscope. Microscopes are routinely used for histological analyses of fish tissues, including gonads, liver, and muscle samples, which are important for assessing reproductive condition, health status, and physiological responses to environmental stressors. Accurate staging of oocyte maturation and reproductive development often requires detailed microscopic imaging to quantify cellular structures and document developmental changes. A mounted digital camera greatly improves this process by allowing researchers to capture high-quality images with enhanced optimal correction that can be used for image analysis software, archiving, and repeatable measurements.