SGER: Development of a Great River Potamocorral and Applications for Determining Ecosystem Metabolism and Community Interactions among Potamoplankton

一条大河的发展potamocorral和应用确定生态系统代谢和社区之间的相互作用potamocorphins在大型河流尚未得到很好的研究，因为困难和危险与采样。此外，在较小的河流上使用的标准采样技术尚未被证明是有效的，充分表征这些复杂的瞬态系统。该项目将解决大型河流生态系统的运作问题。PI和他们的本科生助理将构建一套“potamocorphins”，以执行对圣劳伦斯河的实证调查。涉及大型河流浮游生物的大规模现场实验目前超出了水生科学家的能力。这些研究人员打算测试食物网和生态系统代谢假说，涉及到我们的一般理论理解的大型河流异养系统。具体的实验将考虑：1）两种外来贻贝物种对浮游生物食物网的生态影响; 2）不同水平的浮游植物对生态系统代谢的影响; 3）贻贝摄食对摄食性仔鱼生长的影响。在后一个实验中，研究人员假设，德莱塞贻贝是圣劳伦斯河鲈鱼和海象通过竞争性摄食下降的一个因素。

Abstract98-18273ThorpDevelopment of a great river potamocorral and applications for determining ecosystem metabolism and community interactions among potamoplanktonLarge rivers have not been well-studied because of the difficulty and hazards associated with sampling. In addition, standard sampling techniques used on smaller rivers have not been shown to be effective in adequately characterizing these complex and transient systems. This project will address the functioning of large river ecosystems. The PIs and their undergraduate assistants will construct a set of "potamocorrals" in order to perform empirical investigations on the St. Lawrence River. Large-scale, in situ field experiments involving large river plankton are currently beyond the capabilities of aquatic scientists. These investigators intend to test food web and ecosystem metabolism hypotheses that relate to our general theoretical understanding of large rivers as heterotrophic systems. Specific experiments will consider: 1) the ecological effects of two exotic mussel species on plankton food webs; 2) the effects of differing levels of phytoplankton on ecosystem metabolism; and 3) the effects of mussel planktivory on the growth of planktivorous larval fish. In this latter experiment, the investigators hypothesize that dreissenid mussels are a factor in the decline of bass and walleye in the St. Lawrence through competitive planktivory.