CAREER: Octocoral-Algal Symbioses -- the Future of Caribbean Coral Reefs?

在共生关系中，至少有两个生物体共存，连为一体。共生关系极大地影响着地球上碳、氮、磷的循环，影响着生态系统中竞争和演替的结果。在珊瑚礁中，硬珊瑚、软珊瑚（八栖珊瑚）、海葵和虫黄藻（藻类）之间的共生关系创造了一个生态系统，支持着巨大的多样性。珊瑚研究主要集中在硬珊瑚上，而对八角珊瑚的研究相对滞后。随着气候变化和硬珊瑚的减少，八角珊瑚可能在维持珊瑚礁生物多样性方面发挥关键作用。本研究将重点关注加勒比地区八珊瑚与虫黄藻（Symbiodinium sp.）之间的共生关系，并将确定变化的环境参数如何影响八珊瑚与虫黄藻的共生关系。虫黄藻的遗传特性和八珊瑚物种及其虫黄藻的生理特性将被确定。此外，还将确定海水温度、紫外线照射和海洋酸化加剧等环境参数的变化对八珊瑚-虫黄藻共生生理的影响。这些数据对于了解和预测八角珊瑚和加勒比海珊瑚礁的生存至关重要。课堂上的共生关系将通过学生对社区中的人进行访谈来教授，并使用个人回应系统（“点击器”）收集回应。这种被称为“你和共生”的方法将在本科阶段教授，然后在K-12阶段进行修改。主题的例子包括：豆科植物葛根；人类和他们的肠道菌群；西尼罗河病毒实验课程将为学生提供应用于共生研究的分子和生理技术的经验。通过结合研究和创新的教学技术，向学生和公众展示共生关系在他们生活中的适用性，个人可能会对珊瑚礁生态系统产生更大的个人兴趣。

In symbiosis a minimum of two organisms co-exist, linked in one entity. Symbioses greatly influence carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling on earth and affect the outcome of competition and succession in ecosystems. In a coral reef, the symbioses between hard corals, soft corals (octocorals), sea anemones and zooxanthellae (algae) create an ecosystem, supporting tremendous diversity. Coral research predominantly focuses on hard corals, while research on octocorals lags behind. With climate change and the decline in hard corals, octocorals may provide a critical role in maintaining diversity of organisms on coral reefs. This research will focus on the symbiosis between Caribbean octocorals and zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium sp.) and will determine how changing environmental parameters may affect octocoral-zooxanthella symbioses. The genetic identity of the zooxanthellae and the physiology of octocoral species and their zooxanthellae will be determined. In addition, the effects of changing environmental parameters such as seawater temperatures, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and increased ocean acidification on the physiology of octocoral-zooxanthella symbioses will be determined. These data are crucial to understanding and predicting the survival of octocorals and of Caribbean coral reefs. Symbiosis in the classroom will be taught using student created interviews of people in their community and responses will be gathered using personal response systems ("clickers"). This approach, termed 'you and symbiosis,' will be taught at the undergraduate level then modified for K-12. Examples of topics include: the legume Kudzu; humans and their gut flora; and West Nile virus. A laboratory course will provide students experience with molecular and physiological techniques applied to research of symbioses. By merging research and innovative teaching techniques to show students and the public the applicability of symbioses to their lives, individuals may develop greater personal interest in coral reef ecosystems.