PRF: Grazing of Epiphytes from Cladophora: Biological, Physical, and Chemical Interactions

该研究将由Walter K. Dodds进行，旨在探索大型植物-食草-附生植物系统中的生态关系。如果附生植物降低了大型植物的生长速度，那么放牧这些附生植物可以促进大型植物的生长。以丝状绿藻Cladophora及其附生植物和附生植物的食草动物为模型系统。田间试验将通过天然垫层和人工垫层（棉花）的物种丰度、光合作用、氧、pH和流量等特征来研究毛藻垫层的垂直结构。实验室实验将证明附生植物覆盖如何影响Cladophora的生长，放牧水平如何影响附生植物的生长，以及食草动物是否具有适合他们在Cladophora垫中生活的特定适应性。这个为期两年的博士后研究奖学金的主办机构是蒙大拿州立大学。

The study to be conducted by Walter K. Dodds is designed to explore the ecological relationships in a macrophyte-grazer-epiphyte system. If epiphytes decrease macrophyte growth rate, then grazing of those epiphytes can promote macrophyte growth. The filamentous green alga Cladophora, its epiphytes, and grazers of those epiphytes will be used as a model system. Field experiments will investigate vertical structure in Cladophora mats via profiles of species abundance, photosynthesis, oxygen, pH and flow in natural mats and mats of artificial substrate (cotton). Laboratory experiments will demonstrate how epiphyte cover affects Cladophora growth, how grazing levels affect epiphyte growth, and if grazers have specific adaptations which suit them for life in Cladophora mats. The host institution for this two- year postdoctoral research fellowship is Montana State University.