Energetic Consequences of Feeding in a Patchy Environment: Possible Limitations to Jellyfish Production in Coastal Ecosystems

9733441格雷厄姆这个职业奖的研究部分集中在大型水母作为墨西哥湾北部浮游动物、幼鱼和鱼卵的贪婪捕食者。水母产量的生理极限是由能量平衡决定的，因为个体水母遇到并在浓缩食物块之间移动。这项研究的目的是在猎物生产力、猎物斑块分布和水母行为的背景下，了解沿海生态系统中水母生产的可能限制。为了实现这一点，将为墨西哥湾北部的关键水母物种(主要是奥里里亚水母)建立一个基于个体的能量学模型。该模型将纳入现场确定的行为，作为对增强觅食的适应，以及对水母能量学的实验室和野外表征。计划在墨西哥湾北部进行的一系列研究巡航将用于改进自然喂养条件下的能量参数，并测试该模型的预测能力。这一职业计划的教育和推广部分广泛面向所有年龄段的人。这些活动包括以高中教师科学过程培训为重点的“K-12探索”部分、少数族裔本科生暑期辅导方案，以及在Dauphin岛海洋实验室新的教育“口腔室”举行的公共外联展示，说明胶状浮游动物在构建海洋食物网中的作用。

9733441 Graham The research component of this CAREER award focuses on large jellyfish as voracious predators of zooplankton, larval fish and fish eggs in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Physiological limitations of jellyfish production rates are set by energetic balance as individual medusae encounter, and move between, patches of concentrated food. The aim of this research is to understand possible limitations to jellyfish production in coastal ecosystems in the context of prey productivity, prey patch distribution, and medusa behavior. To accomplish this, an individual-based energetics model will be constructed for key jellyfish species of the northern Gulf of Mexico (primarliy Aurelia aurita). The model will incorporate in situ-determined behavior as an adaptation for enhanced foraging, and laboratory and field-based characterization of the jellyfish energetics. A series of planned research cruises in the northern Gulf of Mexico will be used to refine the energetic parameters under natural feeding conditions and to test the model's predictive capacity. Educational and outreach components of this CAREER program are broadly targeted at all ages. These include a `K-12 Discovery' component focussing on high-school teacher training in the scientific process, a minority undergraduate summer mentoring program, and a public outreach display at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's new educational `Estuarium' illustrating the role of gelatinous zooplankton in structuring marine food webs.