EID: Collaborative Research - Linking Marine Pathogens to Molluscan Shellfish; The Ecological Role of Marine Aggregates

EID：合作研究 - 将海洋病原体与软体动物贝类联系起来；

• 批准号: 0429004
• 负责人: J. Evan Ward
• 金额: $ 61.15万
• 依托单位: University of Connecticut
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2008-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0429004&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EID; Collaborative; Research; Linking; Marine

Pathogens cause many diseases of marine plants and animals, including those of molluscan shellfish (e.g., clams, oysters, scallops). Some of these diseases have resulted in catastrophic declines in shellfish populations leading to the erosion of ecological function and damage to fishery-based economies. Despite these impacts, little is known about the ecology of many marine pathogens, including the natural factors that facilitate their spread. Marine aggregates (also known as marine snow or flocs) are ubiquitous in the marine environment and range in size from microscopic to a few inches. Aggregates form by natural processes, are enriched with many types of microorganisms and tend to sink rapidly to the bottom. Consequently, bottom-dwelling shellfish are exposed to a steady supply of marine aggregates and the various microorganisms contained within. In this research, marine scientists from three institutions will combine field sampling, molecular biology, and transmission experiments to construct a model of the ecological role of aggregates in harboring and spreading shellfish pathogens. Molluscan shellfish are both ecologically and economically important, and play key roles in ecosystem processes. This research will shed light on how pathogens encounter and invade shellfish by describing and modeling a potentially important and largely unknown path by which water-born pathogens could be transmitted. This work will lead to a better understanding of how marine diseases spread, and the potential impacts on important populations. The collaborative effort will unite the expertise of specialists in shellfish physiology and pathology, and ecological modeling to carry-out novel research, public outreach and multidisciplinary training of students in the identification and ecology of marine infectious diseases.

病原体会引起海洋植物和动物的许多疾病，包括软体动物贝类（例如蛤、牡蛎、扇贝）的疾病。其中一些疾病导致贝类数量灾难性下降，导致生态功能受到侵蚀，渔业经济受到损害。尽管存在这些影响，但人们对许多海洋病原体的生态学知之甚少，包括促进其传播的自然因素。海洋聚集体（也称为海洋雪或絮凝物）在海洋环境中无处不在，尺寸从微观到几英寸不等。聚集体是由自然过程形成的，富含多种微生物，并且往往会迅速沉入底部。因此，底栖贝类暴露于稳定供应的海洋聚集体及其中所含的各种微生物。在这项研究中，来自三个机构的海洋科学家将结合现场采样、分子生物学和传播实验，构建聚集体在容纳和传播贝类病原体方面的生态作用模型。 软体动物贝类在生态和经济上都很重要，并且在生态系统过程中发挥着关键作用。这项研究将通过描述和模拟水生病原体传播的潜在重要且很大程度上未知的路径，揭示病原体如何遭遇和入侵贝类。这项工作将有助于更好地了解海洋疾病的传播方式及其对重要人群的潜在影响。这项合作将结合贝类生理学和病理学以及生态模型方面专家的专业知识，在海洋传染病的识别和生态学方面对学生进行新颖的研究、公共宣传和多学科培训。