The Influence of Sensory and Morphological Characteristics on Prey and Patch Choice by Portunid and Cancrid Crabs

少数族裔机构研究改进计划（RIMI）的设立是为了提供支持，加强以少数族裔为主的机构或拥有大量少数族裔学生的机构的研究环境和能力。符合条件的机构还必须有科学或工程方面的研究生课程。该基金为教师在科学和工程领域的研究提供资金，并为购置研究仪器提供资金。马里兰大学东岸分校（University of Maryland - Eastern Shore）将利用RIMI的支持，研究感觉和形态特征对梭子蟹和梭子蟹摄食习性的影响。这些动物的觅食行为和辨别猎物的感觉机制尚不清楚。研究的一个阶段将分析螃蟹如何探测猎物并判断猎物的质量。另一个阶段将研究处理时间和猎物选择之间的关系，包括爪子形态和微栖息地（底部位置）对猎物选择的影响。研究人员将使用最先进的数据收集和分析仪器来收集三种螃蟹行为的实时数据。首席研究员有多年的海洋生物，特别是甲壳类生物的研究经验。基金会之所以支持这个项目，是因为少数民族将有机会参与有价值的海洋研究，这是少数民族很少选择职业的领域。

The Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (RIMI) program was established to provide support to strengthen the research environments and capabilities of predominantly minority institutions or institutions that have substantial minority student populations. Eligible institutions must also have graduate programs in science or programs in engineering. Funding is provided for faculty research in fields of science and engineering supported by the Foundation and for the acquisition of research instrumentation. The University of Maryland - Eastern Shore (UMES) will use RIMI support to study the influence of sensory and morphological characteristics on the feeding habits of Portunid and Cancrid crabs. The foraging behaviors and sensory mechanisms involved in discriminating among prey items are poorly understood in these animals. One phase of the study will analyze how the crabs detect prey and judge prey quality. Another phase will examine the relationship between handling time and prey selection, including effects of claw morphology, and microhabitat (position on the bottom), on prey selection. Researchers at UMES will use state of the art data collecting and analysis instrumentation to collect real time data on the behavior of three crab species. The principal investigator has many years of research experience with marine organisms, especially crustacea. The Foundation has supported this project because minorities will have opportunities to participate in meritorious marine research, and area where very few minorities choose careers.