SGER: Population Studies at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute San Blas Field Station

对巴拿马San Blas Point地区的柳珊瑚Plexaura kna的种群研究已经确定了死亡模式，这表明克隆人对环境应激源具有特定的敏感性。这种模式是从实验室研究中得知的，自然界中的一些模式与克隆特有的死亡率是一致的，但还没有证据表明这种模式在自然种群中是重要的。由于我们关于圣布拉斯种群克隆结构的广泛数据库，这样的演示在库纳种群中是可能的。为了证明克隆的特定模式，有必要对以前调查过的许多种群进行重新抽样和分析。由于位于圣布拉斯的史密森热带研究所野外站关闭，必须立即进行这种分析。还需要立即取样，以确定在我们预测的1998年“珊瑚漂白”开始期间，库纳原虫中虫黄藻密度减少的性质和影响。4月和6月的虫黄虫密度和生殖产量数据将进行比较，并将与过去10年收集的历史样本进行比较。

Population studies of the gorgonian coral Plexaura kuna in the San Blas Point region of Panama have identified patterns of mortality which suggest clone specific sensitivity to environmental stressors. Such patterns are known from laboratory studies and some patterns in nature are consistent with clone specific mortality, but there has not been a demonstration of such patterns being important among natural populations. Such a demonstration is possible among P. kuna populations due to our extensive database on the clonal structure of populations in the San Blas. In order to demonstrate clone specific patterns it will be necessary to resample and analyze many of the populations that were previously surveyed. Such analyses must be undertaken immediately due to the closure of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute field station in the San Blas. Immediate sampling is also required in order to characterize the nature and effects of reduced zooxanthellae densities among P. kuna during the onset of `coral bleaching` that we predict for 1998. Data on zooxanthellae density and reproductive output will be compared from April and June and will be compared with historical samples collected over the past 10 years.