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

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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.