Salinity, Temperature and Food Effects on Production and Survival of Chrysaora Medusae

几种胶状浮游动物，包括水母，有时会出现极高的数量(水华)。人口急剧波动的原因尚不清楚。在盐度低至7%的河口水域中繁衍生息的金枪鱼是不同寻常的。然而，其年度种群波动可能与春季水母无性繁殖期间春季条件的差异有关。这项研究旨在测试温度、盐度和食物水平对水母幼体生产和存活的综合影响。珀塞尔和赖特博士将研究息肉和水母中的离子和渗透调节，以确定它们在低盐度下是否受到生理限制。这个项目是为了了解切萨皮克湾一种主要捕食者的种群波动。这一结果对于理解水华在远洋生态系统中的形成具有重要意义。鉴于与全球变暖相关的预测温度和盐度变化，水华生物对不断变化的环境条件的反应现在尤其重要。

Several types of gelatinous zooplankton, including medusae, sometimes occur in extremely high numbers (blooms). The reasons for dramatic population fluctuations are not understood. The scyphomedusa Chrysaora quinquecirrha is unusual in thriving in estuarine waters of as little as 7% salinity. However, its annual population fluctuations may be related to differences in springtime conditions during asexual production of medusae in the spring. This research is designed to test the combined effects of temperature, salinity, and food levels on the production and survival of young medusae. Drs. Purcell and Wright will examine ionic and osmotic regulation in the polyps and medusae in order to determine if they are physiologically limited in low salinities. This project is an effort to understand population fluctuations of a major predator in Chesapeake Bay. The results are important in understanding the formation of blooms in pelagic ecosystems. Responses of bloom organisms to changing environmental conditions are of particular importance now, given the predicted temperature and salinity changes associated with global warming.