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。南极半岛西部的近岸环境孕育着密度极高的中食草动物（身长约1-25毫米的小型无脊椎食肉动物），如底栖片脚类动物，以及丰富的大型藻类、内生植物和大型无脊椎动物群落。与温带和热带浅海环境不同，鱼类和海胆是构成群落的主要食草动物，中食草动物在WAP中似乎更为重要。因此，本研究有两个主要目的：(1)进一步研究生态优势的大型植物、丝状外生/内生植物与中食草动物之间的相互作用；(2)确定中食草动物与无根无脊椎动物之间相互作用的性质。具体而言，本研究将检验以下假设：1：内生菌对大型植物的影响通常是负面的，因此大型植物防御内生菌感染。中草食动物阻止潮间带中常见的丝状藻类在潮下群落中占主导地位。3 .中食草动物对以海绵和被囊动物为主的无底栖大型无脊椎动物的捕食压力在以大型植物为主的浅水生境中最大，这影响了大型无脊椎动物的深度分布。底栖大型无脊椎动物可能会用次级代谢物来防御中食草动物，这些代谢物会影响换羽和/或阻止进食。更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大学互动网络项目的延续（两次获得美国教育促进和支持委员会的优秀奖）。在南极洲居住期间，研究人员还将与教师、K-12学生和整个社区的其他成员分享他们的科学努力。此外，调查人员将要求一位polpoltrec老师的参与。

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.