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: 0928425
• 负责人: David Checkley
• 金额: $ 54.57万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego Scripps Inst of Oceanography
• 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=0928425&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.

一系列的观察表明，浮游动物充当了离开真光层的物质的守门人。这项研究将调查浮游动物与其他粒子的相互作用，使用一套自主和拴系的仪器结合细尺度水采样。SOLOPC（配备激光光学浮游生物计数器的海洋探测观测器）将是一个自主仪器，每小时提供浮游动物和其他颗粒的剖面图。以前的采样与SOLPC表明昼夜周期的生产和丰富的颗粒在真光层和他们的下沉和消费，大概是由浮游动物观察到的基础上的颗粒丰度最大。SOLOPC传感颗粒，包括浮游动物和聚集体，并测量其等效球直径，可用于计算颗粒尺寸谱。然而，很难使用SOLOPC来区分颗粒类型，例如桡足类、幼虫类和聚集体，特别是如果它们很小。该研究将包括一项密集的实地研究，将在蒙特雷湾进行，并使用自适应采样来观察SOLOPCs附近的新的AUV成像系统，船基CTD和MOCNESS采样以及MBARI的MUNVENTANA。研究人员将改变SOLOPC相对于等密度线是静止的，并使用它积累的粒子计数来计算通量谱。他们将联合收割机结合通量和浓度谱来估算作为颗粒直径函数的颗粒沉降速度。通过分析浮游动物网中捕获的动物的肠道荧光和计算水样中粪便颗粒的分布来估计水柱中的浮游动物摄食。研究结果将加强对浮游动物在颗粒垂直通量中作为守门人的作用的理解，因此，生物泵。该研究还将为影响浮游动物行为和生态的因素提供新的见解。更广泛的影响将包括指导一名研究生和一名博士后研究员，不同机构之间的密切合作，仪器开发和技术转让，广泛传播结果，以及通过更好地理解碳循环的关键过程为社会做出贡献。SIO的一名博士生和TAMU的博士后研究员将分别由Checkley和杰克逊指导。合作机构包括SIO、TAMU、LUMCON、MBARI、BIO和巴黎第六大学。SOLOPC经修改后可测量通量以及剖面，REFLICS旨在供全球其他研究人员购买和使用。研究结果将在国家和国际会议上公布，并发表在同行评审的文献中。我们对浮游动物作为垂直通量守门人的作用的理解将有助于对生物泵和碳循环的理解。