Collaborative Research: Consequences of consumer adaptation for ecosystem responses to fertilization and food-web perturbations

由于藻类（浮游植物）增加，特别是产生毒素的浮游植物种类增加，从肥料和其他来源向水生系统输入的养分增加（富营养化）导致水质退化。 这些毒素对人类和牲畜利用淡水和海洋环境中的地表沃茨构成严重威胁。 改善水质的一个策略是通过增加吃浮游植物的小动物（浮游动物）的数量来管理食物网。 然而，实验室研究表明，由于浮游植物毒素对浮游动物生长和繁殖的强烈负面影响，食物网操纵可能会失败。 先前的研究表明，一种常见的浮游动物（蚤状水蚤）的个体在以有毒浮游植物为食的能力上差异很大。 该项目研究了适应毒素对密歇根州湖泊水质的影响。 除了这项研究对地表沃茨管理的明显潜在影响外，该项目还关注群落生态学中两个很少研究的一般现象：捕食者的适应和物种内的性状变异如何影响物种间的相互作用。 因此，即将进行的实地实验将促进基础生态学和应用生态学。 该项目还将向密歇根州立大学和奥本大学的研究生和本科生提供实验生态学方面的实践培训，并向初中和高中学生提供有关的推广活动。

Increased nutrient input, from fertilizer and other sources, to aquatic systems (eutrophication) leads to degradation of water quality as a result of increases in algae (phytoplankton), and in particular, phytoplankton species that produce toxins. These toxins are a serious threat to human and livestock uses of surface waters in both freshwater and marine environments. One strategy for improving water quality is to manage the food web by increasing the abundance of small animals (zooplankton) that eat phytoplankton. Laboratory studies have suggested, however, that food-web manipulation may fail because of the strong negative effects of phytoplankton toxins on zooplankton growth and reproduction. Previous research has demonstrated that individuals of a common species of zooplankton (Daphnia pulicaria) vary greatly in their ability to grow on a diet of toxic phytoplankton. This project examines the consequences of adaptation to toxins for water quality in lakes in Michigan. In addition to the obvious potential impact of this research on the management of surface waters, the project focuses on two little-studied general phenomena in community ecology: how predator adaptation and trait variation within species affect species interactions. Consequently, the field experiments to be conducted will advance both basic and applied ecology. The project will also provide hands-on training in experimental ecology to graduate and undergraduate students at Michigan State University and Auburn University and provide related outreach activities to middle and high school students.