Translocation and Energetic Contribution of Zooxanthellae toAnimal Reproductive Effort

虫黄藻的易位和对动物繁殖力的能量贡献

• 批准号: 9018698
• 负责人: Stephen Kempf
• 金额: $ 11.9万
• 依托单位: Auburn University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1991
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1991-02-15 至 1995-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9018698&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Translocation; Energetic; Contribution; Zooxanthellae; toAnimal

Symbiotic associations are common in our environment and, may be extremely important to the success of both plant and animal species. Some of the most interesting are found in the coral reef environment and involve an algal symbiont known as zooxanthellae and various invertebrate hosts. Coral reefs constitute a major ecosystem that is dependent on algal symbiosis. Global warming is thought to cause bleaching in coral symbionts and this inhibits reproduction of coral. An understanding of the relationship between symbiosis and reproduction in host organisms is essential to the understanding of symbiotic ecosystems. Algal symbionts form the basis for much of the reef's primary productivity since they convert carbon dioxide and other inorganic compounds into organic substances that can be utilized by host species. A high diversity of species may be supported in large numbers in the reef environment. Perhaps the most important, unasked, question about zooxanthellae symbiosis is: "What effects do symbiotic zooxanthellae have on the reproductive success of their invertebrate hosts?" The species to be used is Berghia verrucicornis, a marine slug. This species has a number of characteristics that make it particularly useful for studying the reproductive ramifications of zooxanthealle symbiosis. These include (1) its own zooxanthellae symbiosis, (2) its ease of culture in the lab, and (3) the fact that it lays discrete, easily collected egg masses. This project will utilize biochemical analyses, radioisotopes, and energetic analysis to determine what portion of the organic materials produced by zooxanthellae are incorporated into the eggs of Berghia verrucicornis. The results and conclusions derived from this research will provide for a better understanding of the role of zooxanthellae in the reproduction and success of reef-dwelling species that harbor these symbionts in their tissues.//

共生关系在我们的环境中很常见，可能对植物和动物物种的成功都非常重要。其中一些最有趣的是在珊瑚礁环境中发现的，涉及一种称为虫黄藻的藻类共生体和各种无脊椎动物宿主。珊瑚礁是依赖藻类共生的主要生态系统。全球变暖被认为会导致珊瑚共生体的白化，从而抑制珊瑚的繁殖。理解宿主生物的共生与繁殖之间的关系对于理解共生生态系统至关重要。藻类共生体是大部分珊瑚礁初级生产力的基础，因为它们将二氧化碳和其他无机化合物转化为可被宿主物种利用的有机物质。在珊瑚礁环境中，物种的高度多样性可以得到大量的支持。也许关于虫黄藻共生的最重要的、未被问到的问题是：“共生虫黄藻对其无脊椎宿主的繁殖成功率有什么影响？”被使用的物种是一种海洋蛞蝓——疣角Berghia verrucicornis。该物种具有许多特征，使其对研究虫黄藻共生的生殖分支特别有用。这些包括：(1)它自己的虫黄藻共生，(2)它在实验室培养的便性，(3)它产的卵是离散的，容易收集的。该项目将利用生化分析、放射性同位素和能量分析来确定虫黄藻产生的有机物质的哪一部分被纳入疣角贝氏线虫的卵中。这项研究的结果和结论将有助于更好地理解虫黄藻在其组织中含有这些共生体的珊瑚礁栖息物种的繁殖和成功中的作用