CRUI: Biogeochemical and Ecological Processes Within a Reservoir Littoral Zone

这项提案提出了一项计划，旨在加强默里州立大学的本科生研究经验。该提案的研究重点是水库生态系统的跨学科研究，是来自生物科学、化学和地质科学系的初级和高级教员之间的合作努力。具体地说，教师导师和本科生参与者将就人类引发的水位波动对东南部大型水库肯塔基湖的滨海地带生态系统的影响进行研究。利用综合的、协作的观察和中观实验，我们将确定这种波动如何影响生物组织的三个层次的生态系统功能。由于只对水库进行了稀少的生态系统研究，这项研究将为全世界普遍存在的水生系统提供重要的新数据。此外，这项研究将导致每年培养10名优秀本科生，为他们进入研究生院和科学职业生涯做准备。它还将通过采用新的跨学科课程和讲习班系列，改进默里州的课程发展。这项建议建立在之前通过默里州立大学水库研究中心在本科生研究和教育方面所做的努力的基础上，并利用了最近由NSF授予默里州立大学的一个新的格拉斯舒斯/Mesocosm设施。

This proposal presents a plan for enhancing the undergraduate research experience at Murray State University. The research focus of the proposal is interdisciplinary studies of reservoir ecosystems and is a collaborative effort between junior and senior faculty from the departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Geosciences. Specifically, faculty mentors and undergraduate participants will conduct research on the effects of human-induced water fluctuations on the littoral zone ecosystem of Kentucky Lake, a large southeastern reservoir. Using integrated, collaborative observations and mesocosm experiments, we will determine how such fluctuation influences ecosystem function across three levels of biological organization. Because only sparse ecosystem research has been conducted on reservoirs, this study will provide important new data on an aquatic system that is ubiquitous worldwide. Furthermore, this study will lead to the training of ten outstanding undergraduates per year, preparing them for graduate school and scientific careers. It will also lead to improved curricular development at Murray State through the introduction of a new interdisciplinary course and workshop series. This proposal builds upon previous efforts in undergraduate research and education through Murray State's Center for Reservoir Research, and utilizes a new Glasshouse/Mesocosm facility, which was recently awarded to Murray State by the NSF.