Collaborative Research: Assessing the Effect of Environmental Stressors on Invertebrate Innate Immunity using a Coral Pathosystem

Mydlarz，Laura IOS-1017458LiT：合作研究：使用珊瑚病理系统评估环境应激源对无脊椎动物先天免疫的影响在过去几十年中，建造珊瑚礁的珊瑚数量急剧下降。珊瑚丧失的主要原因与海洋变暖、营养物质污染和疾病暴发有关，所有这些都是人为引起的气候变化造成的。观察表明，珊瑚疾病的数量和流行率在过去20年里有所增加，几乎每年都有新的家禽流行性疾病表明，环境压力推动或加剧了珊瑚疾病。该项目将研究珊瑚对病原体的抵抗力和天然免疫的变化，以及量化海洋变暖和营养物质污染对珊瑚免疫反应有效性的影响。该项目将侧重于Montastraea ploeolata黄带病(YBD)系统。Montastraea属是现代西大西洋珊瑚礁最重要的珊瑚类群之一，而Montastraea spp.种群数量急剧下降，主要是由于漂白和疾病。利用珊瑚免疫中的细胞和非细胞过程的分析，PIS将检测自然感染的珊瑚的抗病能力的变异性，从温度应激中的反应时间和恢复时间，以及在YBD病原体存在的情况下，应激源的组合如何影响珊瑚免疫。该项目还将在多所大学培养本科生和研究生，并促进四所大学之间的交流。资金将支持一个新的服务学习项目。来自高级海洋生物学课程的本科生将根据他们课程和这个项目中的概念为初中学生准备和执行一份教案。该项目的一名调查人员将与一个天文馆和一个面向公众的科学中心的专业教育工作者和外联专家合作，开发一个互动的博物馆展示和K-4夏令营项目。

Mydlarz, Laura IOS-1017458LiT: Collaborative Research: Assessing the effect of environmental stressors on invertebrate innate immunity using a coral pathosystemThe abundance of reef-building corals has declined dramatically over the last decades. The main causes of coral loss are related to ocean warming, nutrient pollution and disease outbreaks, all resulting from anthropogenic-induced climate change. Observations indicate that number and prevalence of coral diseases have increased over the last two decades and new epizootics nearly every year suggest that environmental stressors drive or exacerbate coral disease. This project will examine coral resistance to pathogens and variation in innate immunity, as well as quantify the effects of ocean warming and nutrient pollution on the effectiveness of coral immune responses. The project will focus on the Montastraea faveolata Yellow Band Disease (YBD) system. The genus Montastraea is one of the most important groups of corals of modern western Atlantic coral reefs, however, Montastraea spp. populations have declined dramatically mainly due to bleaching and disease. Using assays for cellular and cell-free processes in coral immunity, the PIs will examine the variability in disease resistance in naturally infected corals, the reaction time and recovery time from temperature stress and how the combination of stressors influence coral immunity in the presence of YBD pathogens. This project will also train undergraduates and graduate students at multiple universities, and promote exchange between four universities. Funding will support a novel service-learning project. Undergraduate students from an upper-level marine biology course will prepare and execute a lesson plan for junior high school students based on concepts from their course and this project. One of the investigators on this project will collaborate with professional educators and outreach specialists at a Planetarium and a public-oriented Science Center to develop an interactive museum display and K-4 summer camp programs.