Collaborative Research: The Role of Fatty Acids and Limiting Elements in Biogeochemical Cycling and Food Web Dynamics

摘要：脂肪酸和限制性元素在生物地球化学循环和食物网动态中的作用草食动物的食物质量可能对多种过程产生深远的影响。这些包括富营养化（或令人讨厌的藻华）、食物网中不同层次（即植物和食草动物）之间相互作用的强度、每个营养级的生物量积累以及渔业生产。本研究的目的是确定必需脂肪酸和元素如磷和氮在调节这些过程中所起的作用。实验和模型结果表明，当藻类必需脂肪酸含量高时，浮游动物生长迅速，并建立足以抑制植物的生物量。这导致了相对较高的水质（由于藻类生物量低，水的清晰度高）和较高的渔业产量。另外，必需脂肪酸含量低的藻类会导致水的清晰度和浮游动物的生长不良，从而减少渔业产量。研究人员计划使用脂肪酸分析来检查水生食物网的能量流动：从植物到食草动物，再到食肉动物，再到经济上重要的鱼类。摘要：脂肪酸和限制性元素在生物地球化学循环和食物网动态中的作用草食动物的食物质量可能对多种过程产生深远的影响。这些包括富营养化（或令人讨厌的藻华）、食物网中不同层次（即植物和食草动物）之间相互作用的强度、每个营养级的生物量积累以及渔业生产。本研究的目的是确定必需脂肪酸和元素如磷和氮在调节这些过程中所起的作用。实验和模型结果表明，当藻类必需脂肪酸含量高时，浮游动物生长迅速，并建立足以抑制植物的生物量。这导致了相对较高的水质（由于藻类生物量低，水的清晰度高）和较高的渔业产量。另外，必需脂肪酸含量低的藻类会导致水的清晰度和浮游动物的生长不良，从而减少渔业产量。研究人员计划使用脂肪酸分析来检查水生食物网的能量流动：从植物到食草动物，再到食肉动物，再到经济上重要的鱼类。

Abstract00-75616BrettCollaborative Research - The Role of Fatty Acids and Limiting Elements in Biogeochemical Cycling and Food Web DynamicsThe food quality of plants for herbivores may have profound impacts on a wide variety of processes. These include eutrophication (or nuisance algal blooms), the strength of interactions between different levels in the food web (i.e. plants and herbivores), biomass accumulation at each trophic level, and fisheries production. The objective of this research is to determine the role essential fatty acids and elements such as phosphorus and nitrogen play in regulating these processes. Experimental and modeling results suggest that when algal essential fatty acid content is high, zooplankton grow rapidly and build up a biomass sufficient to suppress plants. This results in relatively high water quality (high water clarity due to low algal biomass) and high fisheries production. Alternatively, algae with low essential fatty acid content will result in poor water clarity and zooplankton growth, and reduced fisheries production. The investigators plan to use fatty acid analyses to examine energy flow through aquatic food webs: from plants to herbivores to carnivores to economically important fish. Abstract00-75591GoldmanCollaborative Research - The Role of Fatty Acids and Limiting Elements in Biogeochemical Cycling and Food Web DynamicsThe food quality of plants for herbivores may have profound impacts on a wide variety of processes. These include eutrophication (or nuisance algal blooms), the strength of interactions between different levels in the food web (i.e. plants and herbivores), biomass accumulation at each trophic level, and fisheries production. The objective of this research is to determine the role essential fatty acids and elements such as phosphorus and nitrogen play in regulating these processes. Experimental and modeling results suggest that when algal essential fatty acid content is high, zooplankton grow rapidly and build up a biomass sufficient to suppress plants. This results in relatively high water quality (high water clarity due to low algal biomass) and high fisheries production. Alternatively, algae with low essential fatty acid content will result in poor water clarity and zooplankton growth, and reduced fisheries production. The investigators plan to use fatty acid analyses to examine energy flow through aquatic food webs: from plants to herbivores to carnivores to economically important fish.