REU: Herbivory and Bioturbation as Regulators of Sea Grass Meadow Size in the N. Gulf of Mexico: Field Tests of the Effects of Urchin Grazing & Sand Dollar Sediment Disturb

REU：草食性和生物扰动作为墨西哥湾北部海草草甸大小的调节剂：海胆放牧影响的现场测试

• 批准号: 8810234
• 负责人: Kenneth Heck
• 金额: $ 10.71万
• 依托单位: University of South Alabama
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-10-15 至 1991-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8810234&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: REU; Herbivory; Bioturbation; Regulators; Sea

Sea urchin herbivory has been demostrated to be a controlling factor in limiting the distribution of kelp forest habitats. But as yet, its role in limiting the distribution of seagrass habitats in inadequately investigated. In addition, bioturbation by infaunal invertebrates, i.e., ghost shrimp and sand dollars has also been suggested as limiting the local distribution of seagrass habitats, but the relative importance of bioturbation in controlling the size of seagrass meadows is also poorly understood. Field experiments will be conducted to identify the roles of sea urchin herbivory, bioturbation of seagrasses by sand dollars, and the potential interaction between sand dollar bioturbation and sea urchin herbivory in limiting the distribution of seagrass habitats. The results of this study should add to the existing body of knowledge and untested theories concerning the factors structuring nearshore ecosystems.

海胆食草动物已经被证明是一种控制性的 限制海带森林栖息地分布的因素。 但到目前为止，它在限制海草分布方面的作用 栖息地调查不充分。 此外，本发明还提供了一种方法， 底栖无脊椎动物的生物扰动，即，幽灵虾和 沙元也被认为是限制当地 海草栖息地的分布，但相对重要性 生物扰动在控制海草草甸面积方面的作用 也不太了解。 将进行实地试验 确定海胆的食草性生物扰动作用 海草被沙元所吸引， 沙元生物扰动和海胆食草性之间的关系 限制了海草栖息地的分布。 的 这项研究的结果应增加现有的机构， 知识和未经检验的理论有关的因素 构建近岸生态系统。