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

该奖项由2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助。西南极半岛(WAP)的近岸环境拥有极高密度的中食动物(长度约1-25毫米的小型无脊椎动物捕食者)，如底栖双足类，以及丰富的大型藻类、内生植物和大型无脊椎动物的组合。与温带和热带浅海环境不同，在温带和热带浅海环境中，鱼类和海胆是构建群落的关键食草动物，中食动物似乎在WAP中要重要得多。因此，拟议的研究有两个主要目的：(1)进一步研究生态优势的大型大型植物、丝状附生/内生植物和中生植物之间的相互作用；(2)确定中生植物和固着无脊椎动物之间相互作用的性质。具体地说，这项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，因此水生植物抵御内生植物的感染。2：中草动物阻止了潮间带常见的丝状藻类物种主宰潮下生物组合。3：在以大型植物为主的浅海生境中，中栖动物对固着底栖大型无脊椎动物(主要是海绵和被囊动物)的捕食压力最大，这影响了大型无脊椎动物物种的深度分布。4：底栖大型无脊椎动物可以抵御具有影响蜕皮和/或阻止取食的次生代谢物的中食动物。广泛的影响包括本科生，包括少数族裔，参与研究；研究生的培训，以及非常成功的南极洲大学互动网络计划的继续(两次获得美国教育促进和支持委员会的杰出奖)。研究人员还将在居住在南极洲期间与教师、K-12学生和其他社区成员分享他们的科学努力。此外，调查人员将要求PolarTREC的一名教师参与。

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.