Collaborative Research: Zooplankton feeding at the base of the particle maximum: Gatekeepers of the Vertical Flux?

合作研究：浮游动物在颗粒最大值底部进食：垂直通量的守门人？

• 批准号: 0927863
• 负责人: George Jackson
• 金额: $ 31.27万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 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: 2009-10-01 至 2014-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0927863&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Zooplankton; feeding; base

A range of observations suggest that zooplankton act as gatekeepers for material leaving the euphotic zone. This study will investigate the interactions of zooplankton with other particles using a suite of autonomous and tethered instruments in conjunction with finescale water sampling. The SOLOPC (Sounding Oceanographic Observer with Laser Optical Plankton Counter) will be the autonomous instrument and provide hourly profiles of zooplankton and other particles. Previous sampling with the SOLPC indicated a diel cycle of production and abundance of particles in the euphotic zone and their sinking and consumption, presumably by zooplankton observed at the base of the particle abundance maximum. The SOLOPC senses particles, including zooplankton and aggregates, and measures their equivalent spherical diameters which can be used to compute particle size spectra. However, it is difficult to use the SOLOPC to distinguish among particle types, such as copepods, larvaceans, and aggregates, particularly if they are small. The research will include an intensive field study that will take place in Monterey Bay and use adaptive sampling to observe near SOLOPCs with a new, AUV-borne imaging system, ship-based CTD and MOCNESS sampling, and MBARI's ROV Ventana. The investigators will alter a SOLOPC to be stationary relative to an isopycnal and use the particle counts that it accumulates to calculate a flux spectrum. They will combine the flux and concentration spectra to estimate particle sinking velocities as a function of particle diameter. Zooplankton feeding in the water column will be estimated by analyzing the gut fluorescence of animals caught in zooplankton nets and by counting the distribution of fecal pellets in water samples. Results will enhance the understanding of the role of the zooplankton as gatekeepers in the vertical flux of particles and, hence, the biological pump. The study will also provide new insight into factors that affect zooplankton behavior and ecology.Broader impacts will include mentoring of a graduate student and a postdoctoral researcher, strong collaborations among diverse institutions, instrument development and technology transfer, broad dissemination of results, and contribution to society by better understanding of processes key to the carbon cycle. A PhD student at SIO and postdoctoral investigator at TAMU will be mentored by Checkley and Jackson, respectively. Collaborating institutions include SIO, TAMU, LUMCON, MBARI, BIO, and Université de Paris VI. The SOLOPC, modified to measure flux as a well as profile, and REFLICS are intended for acquisition and use by other researchers worldwide. Results will be presented at national and international meetings and published in the peer-reviewed literature. The understanding we gain of role of the zooplankton as gatekeepers of the vertical flux will contribute valuably to understanding of the biological pump and the carbon cycle.

一系列观察结果表明，浮游动物是离开兴奋区的材料的守门人。这项研究将使用一套自主和束缚仪器与罚款水样一起研究浮游动物与其他颗粒的相互作用。 Solopc（带有激光光浮游生物计数器的声音观察者）将是自主仪器，并提供浮游动物和其他颗粒的小时曲线。先前对SOLPC进行的采样表明，在欣快区域中的生产和丰度循环及其下沉和消耗，大概是在粒子丰度最大的底部观察到的。 Solopc感觉颗粒，包括浮游动物和聚集体，并测量其等效的球形直径，可用于计算粒径光谱。但是，很难使用单Solopc来区分粒子类型，例如copepods，幼虫和聚集体，特别是如果它们很小。这项研究将包括一项深入的现场研究，该研究将在蒙特雷湾进行，并使用自适应抽样来观察新的，AUV - 式成像系统，基于船舶的CTD和Mocness Sampling，以及Mbari的Rov Ventana。研究人员将将单SOLOPC改变为相对于同型固定，并使用其积累的粒子计数来计算通量频谱。它们将结合通量和浓度光谱，以估计粒子下沉速度与颗粒直径的函数。通过分析在浮游动物网中捕获的动物的肠道荧光以及计算水样中粪便的分布，可以估计水柱中的浮游动物。结果将增强对浮游动物作为颗粒垂直通量以及生物泵的守门人的作用的理解。这项研究还将为影响浮游动物行为和生态学的因素提供新的见解。Broader的影响将包括对研究生的心理和博士后研究人员，在潜水机构之间进行的强大合作，仪器开发和技术转移，广泛的成果传播以及通过更好地了解碳周期的过程来对社会的贡献以及对社会的贡献。 Checkley和Jackson将分别考虑SIO的博士生和TAMU博士后调查员。合作机构包括Sio，Tamu，Lumcon，Mbari，Bio和De Paris VI大学。 Solopc被修改为测量磁通量和轮廓，并且反射量旨在供全球其他研究人员获取和使用。结果将在国家和国际会议上介绍，并在同行评审的文献中发表。了解我们将浮游动物作为垂直通量的守门人的作用获得，将对生物泵和碳循环的理解产生重大贡献。