Evaluating Impacts of Predation by Large, Motile Epifauna on Macrofauna and Meiofauna in the Deep Sea: A Test of Cage Performance

尽管捕食在概念上很重要，但捕食作为深海群落中的一种组织力量基本上没有被研究过。尽管已知有多种物种是深海中的捕食者，但大型、能动的底栖动物是本研究的重点，因为它们应该是重要的捕食者，而且一些物种似乎容易受到笼子实验操作的影响。本研究由两部分组成。本提案要求提供支助，以调查深海中的网箱性能。有了这些知识，我们将建议通过进行充分的无笼实验来研究捕食者的影响。这些调查的结果应该广泛适用，因为大多数深海群落中都有大型的、活动的表层动物。

Thistle and Eckman Despite its conceptual importance, predation as an organizing force in deep-sea communities is essentially unstudied. Although a variety of species are known to be predators in the deep sea, the large, motile epifauna are the focus of this study because they should be important predators and some species appear to be susceptible to experimental manipulations with cages. The research consists of two parts. The present proposal requests support to investigate cage performance in the deep sea. With the knowledge gained, we will propose a follow-up investigation of predator effects by conducting experiments sufficiency free of cage. The results of these investigations should be widely applicable because large, motile epifauna occur in most deep-sea communities.