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

病原体引起海洋植物和动物的许多疾病，包括软体动物的疾病（例如，蛤、牡蛎、扇贝）。其中一些疾病导致贝类种群的灾难性下降，导致生态功能的侵蚀和渔业经济的破坏。尽管有这些影响，但人们对许多海洋病原体的生态学，包括促进其传播的自然因素知之甚少。海洋聚集体（也称为海洋雪或絮状物）在海洋环境中无处不在，大小从微观到几英寸不等。聚集体由自然过程形成，富含多种类型的微生物，并倾向于迅速沉入底部。因此，底栖贝类暴露于稳定供应的海洋聚集体和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联合收割机结合现场采样，分子生物学和传播实验，构建聚集体在窝藏和传播贝类病原体中的生态作用模型。 贝类具有重要的生态和经济价值，在生态系统过程中起着关键作用。这项研究将揭示病原体如何通过描述和建模一个潜在的重要和基本上未知的路径，通过该路径传播水生病原体，从而遇到和入侵贝类。这项工作将有助于更好地了解海洋疾病的传播方式以及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建模专家的专业知识，开展新颖的研究，公众宣传和对学生进行海洋传染病识别和生态学的多学科培训。

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.