Collaborative Research: The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。南极半岛（WAP）西部的近海岸环境拥有极高密度的中食草动物（长度约1-25 mm的小型无脊椎动物捕食者），如底栖端足类动物，以及大型藻类，内生菌和大型无脊椎动物的丰富组合。与温带和热带浅海环境不同，鱼类和海胆是构成群落的关键食草动物，中食草动物在WAP中似乎更为重要。 因此，拟议的研究有两个主要目标： (1)进一步研究生态优势大型植物、丝状表生/内生植物与中食动物之间的相互作用;（2）确定中食动物与固着无脊椎动物之间的相互作用性质。 具体而言，本研究将检验以下假设：1：内生菌对水生植物的影响往往是负面的，因此水生植物防御内生菌感染。2：中型草食动物阻止丝状藻类物种，常见于潮间带，占主导地位的潮下带组合。第三章：Mesograzer捕食压力固着底栖大型无脊椎动物，主要是海绵和被囊类动物，是最大的浅水栖息地为主的大型植物，这影响深度分布的大型无脊椎动物物种。第四章：底栖大型无脊椎动物可以用影响蜕皮和/或阻止进食的次级代谢物来抵御中食动物。更广泛的影响包括大学生，包括少数民族，参与研究;培训研究生，以及继续非常成功的UAB在南极洲的互动网络计划（两次获得美国促进和支持教育理事会的优秀奖）。 研究人员还将在南极洲居住期间与教师，K-12学生和其他社区成员分享他们的科学努力。此外，研究者将要求PolarTREC教师参与。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The near shore environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) harbor extremely high densities of mesograzers (small invertebrate predators approximately 1-25 mm in length) such as benthic amphipods, as well as rich assemblages of macroalgae, endophytes, and macroinvertebrates. Unlike temperate and tropical shallow marine environments, where fish and sea urchins are key grazers structuring the community, mesograzers appear to be much more important in the WAP. Accordingly, the proposed research has two main objectives: (1) To further investigate the interactions between the ecologically dominant large macrophytes, filamentous epi/endophytes, and mesograzers and (2) To determine the nature of interactions between mesograzers and sessile invertebrates. Specifically, the research will examine the following hypotheses: 1: The effects of endophytes on macrophytes are often negative, and consequently macrophytes defend against endophytic infection. 2: Mesoherbivores prevent filamentous algal species, common in the intertidal, from dominating subtidal assemblages. 3: Mesograzer predation pressure on sessile benthic macroinvertebrates, primarily sponges and tunicates, is greatest in shallow habitats dominated by macrophytes, and this impacts depth distributions of macroinvertebrate species. 4: Benthic macroinvertebrates may defend against mesograzers with secondary metabolites which effect molting and/or deter feeding.Broader impacts include involvement of undergraduates, including minorities, in research; training of graduate students, and continuation of the highly successful UAB IN ANTARCTICA interactive web program (two time recipient of awards of excellence from the US Council for Advancement and Support of Education). The researchers also will share their scientific endeavors with teachers, K-12 students, and other members of the community at large while in residence in Antarctica. In addition, the investigators will request the participation of a PolarTREC teacher.