RUI: The Physiological Basis of Grazing Effects on the Primary Productivity of Algal Turfs

就物种而言，珊瑚礁是世界上最多样化的生态系统类型之一，也是生产力最高的生态系统类型之一。由于大多数珊瑚礁周围的水域营养稀少(即营养极度匮乏)，浮游动物和光合作用生物的群落非常稀薄，不能为珊瑚礁生物提供太多食物。珊瑚礁的大部分高生产力最终建立在海藻和含藻珊瑚的光合作用基础上。因此，影响海藻初级生产的因素对珊瑚礁外系统的整个组织和功能有很大贡献。华盛顿大学的卡彭特博士和他的合作者苏珊·威廉姆斯博士希望研究在这种营养不良的环境中维持这种高珊瑚礁产量的可能机制。他们假设，大量的珊瑚礁食草动物能够迅速将营养物质循环到海藻中，固氮可能是一个重要的就地营养生产过程。卡彭特博士和威廉姆斯博士都是非常熟悉加勒比海珊瑚礁生态的多产的年轻研究人员。卡彭特博士在珊瑚礁食草动物和藻类生产力方面的背景将与威廉博士丰富的营养动态经验相平衡。建议支持这项为期两年的调查。

Coral reefs represent one of the world's most diverse ecosystem types in terms of species and also one of the most highly productive. As the waters surrounding most coral reefs are oligotrophic (i.e., extremely depauperate in nutrients), planktonic assemblages of animals and photosynthesizers are very dilute and do not provide much in the way of food for coral reef organisms. Most of the high productivity of reefs is based ultimately on the photosynthesis of seaweeds and algal-containing corals. Thus factors that affect seaweed primary production contribute greatly to the entire organization and functioning of coral reef exosystems. Dr. Carpenter and collaborator Dr. Susan Williams, of the University of Washington, want to look at possible mechanisms by which this high reef production is maintained in such nutrient poor environs. They hypothesize that the high numbers of reef herbivores are able to rapidly recycle nutrients bach to the seaweeds, and that nitgrogen fixation may be an important, in situ nutrient-producing process. Both Drs. Carpenter and Williams are productive young researchers very familiar with the ecology of coral reefs in the Caribbean. Dr. Carpenter's background in reef herbivores and algal productivity will balance nicley with Dr. William's considerable nutrients dynamics experience. Support for this two-year investigation is recommended.