Collaborative: Benthic-Pelagic Coupling in an Intact Ecosystem: The Role of Top Predators in McMurdo Sound

该研究项目将调查自上而下对远洋食物网的强迫作用的重要性。相对原始的罗斯海包括大量的上层捕食者，如小须鲸和虎鲸，阿德利企鹅和皇帝企鹅，以及南极洋枪鱼。该项目将侧重于食物网的相互作用阿德利企鹅，小须鲸，和吃鱼的罗斯海虎鲸，所有这些都施加觅食压力，他们的主要猎物，水晶磷虾（磷虾）和银鱼（Pleuragramma anastricum）在麦克默多声音。这项研究将采用一种不寻常的实验设计，利用麦默多站的补给通道的开放，研究“之前”（没有捕食者进入）和“之后”（捕食者进入）对猎物分布和生态过程的影响。研究人员将使用具有视频和声学功能的ROV与环境传感器来量化猎物和猎物食物资源的丰度和分布，以及卫星标签和直升机调查来研究捕食者的觅食和运动。额外的测量将跟踪有机物质的重新分配，作为改变捕食者和猎物行为和活动的函数，允许下游量化顶部捕食者对能量流的影响。 这项研究将是第一个评估罗斯海生态系统自上而下强迫的研究，并将成为未来多学科研究的基础。 进行多学科调查这项工作的相关性将通过出版物，参加科学会议，研究生和本科生参与实地和实验室工作作为论文和顶点项目的一部分，以及与K-12课程和俱乐部的互动传达给科学家，学生和公众。工程和维修工作将被纳入正在进行的大学、社区学院和高中的指导计划。

The research project will investigate the importance of top down forcing on pelagic food webs. The relatively pristine Ross Sea includes large populations of upper-level predators such as minke and killer whales, Adélie and Emperor penguins, and Antarctic toothfish. This project will focus on food web interactions Adélie penguins, minke whales, and the fish-eating Ross Sea killer whales, all of which exert foraging pressure on their main prey, crystal krill (Euphausia cyrstallorophias) and silver fish (Pleuragramma antarcticum) in McMurdo Sound. The research will employ an unusual experimental design, taking advantage of the opening of channel to resupply McMurdo Station to study 'before' (no predator access) and 'after' (predator access) impacts on prey distributions and ecological processes. The investigators will use video- and acoustic-capable ROVs with environmental sensors to quantify the abundance and distribution of prey and prey food resources, and satellite tags and helicopter surveys to study predator foraging and movements. Additional measurements will track the redistribution of organic materials as a function of changing predator and prey behavior and activity, allowing downstream quantification of top predator effects on energy flow. This study will be among the first to assess top-down forcing in the Ross Sea ecosystemand will form the basis for a multidisciplinary studies in the future. to a multi-disciplinary investigation. The relevance of this work will be communicated to scientists, students and the public via publications, participation in scientific conferences, involvement of graduate and undergraduate students in field and lab work as part of thesis and capstone projects, and interactions with K-12 classes and clubs. Engineering and ROV work will be incorporated into ongoing mentoring programs with universities, community colleges, and high schools.