DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Comparison of direct, indirect and ecosystem engineering effects using earthworms as model ecosystem engineers

论文研究：使用蚯蚓作为生态系统工程师模型来比较直接、间接和生态系统工程效应

• 批准号: 0910074
• 负责人: Henry Wilbur
• 金额: $ 1.39万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2011-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0910074&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Comparison; direct; indirect

Organisms that modify or create habitat are considered ecosystem engineers if their activity substantially alters the availability of resources to a large number of other species. For example, dam building by beavers can raise the local water table and create habitat suitable for wetland, riparian, and aquatic plants. In addition to modifying habitat, ecosystem engineers are also likely to be competitors, prey, and/or predators. Experimental manipulations of earthworms, considered ecosystem engineers in the habitat where the experiments will be conducted, and salamanders, another common species in the same habitat, will be used to simultaneously examine the effect on salamanders of habitat modification by earthworms, the role of earthworms as a food source for salamanders, and the effect of earthworms as indirect competitors of salamanders. Consequences of replacing a native species with an invasive species will be examined by testing both native and non-native earthworm species. The novelty of this project is that it simultaneously incorporates ecosystem engineering, direct predatory, and indirect competitive effects within a single experimental design in a way that the magnitude of the individual effects can be compared. In addition, the research will further scientific understanding of the role of ecologically similar native and non-native ecosystem engineers in ecological communities. This project will provide funding for a PhD student and facilitate the teaching and training of undergraduate students. The project will include outreach to high school students and undergraduate students, demonstrating earthworm extraction methods and using this as a springboard to explain the history and ubiquity of non-native species in North America.

如果改变或创造栖息地的生物体的活动极大地改变了许多其他物种的资源可用性，则它们被视为生态系统工程师。例如，河狸筑坝可以提高当地地下水位，创造适合湿地、河岸和水生植物生长的栖息地。除了改变栖息地之外，生态系统工程师还可能成为竞争者、猎物和/或掠食者。将利用蚯蚓（被认为是进行实验的栖息地的生态系统工程师）和同一栖息地的另一种常见物种蝾螈进行实验操作，同时研究蚯蚓改变栖息地对蝾螈的影响、蚯蚓作为蝾螈食物来源的作用以及蚯蚓作为蝾螈间接竞争者的影响。将通过测试本地和非本地蚯蚓物种来检查用入侵物种取代本地物种的后果。该项目的新颖之处在于，它同时将生态系统工程、直接掠夺性和间接竞争效应纳入单个实验设计中，从而可以比较各个效应的大小。此外，该研究将进一步科学地理解生态相似的本地和非本地生态系统工程师在生态群落中的作用。该项目将为博士生提供资助，并促进本科生的教学和培训。该项目将包括向高中生和本科生进行推广，展示蚯蚓提取方法，并以此为跳板来解释北美非本地物种的历史和普遍性。