Collaborative Research: Connectivity in western Atlantic seep populations: Oceanographic and life-history processes underlying genetic structure

智力优势。该项目整合了海洋环流，幼虫扩散，无脊椎动物生活史，种群遗传学和海洋地理学的研究，以探索相对未开发的深海化学合成生态系统的当代和历史连通性问题。美洲内海的五个深海渗漏系统是目标：布莱克海岭、佛罗里达陡崖、阿拉米诺斯峡谷、巴巴多斯盐池（El皮拉尔、奥雷诺克A、奥雷诺克B）。本项目将评估与正在研究的喷口系统（3500公里）相匹配的空间尺度上的连通性，并有一组嵌套渗漏（在巴巴多斯系统内），在其中可以在更多的地方空间尺度上探索连通性这些物种分布在水深（30至130公里）的区域，物种跨越水深（600米至3 600米）和地理范围（30公里至3 500公里），并具有不同的生活史特征。主要目标是增进我们对深海连通性的一般知识。重点是物种和过程中发生的IAS，注意海洋环流，生活史和遗传学。适用于浅水系统的问题激发了这项研究：1。系统中发生了哪些地理上的突变？重要的是要区分地理历史和连通性。种群间没有共享等位基因的地理间断意味着长期的隔离历史或可能是神秘的物种形成。人口是否因持续的移徙而相互联系？这是一个关于海洋物种与浮游幼虫的遗传变异的连通性和规模的基本问题。观察到的连通性背后的生物物理过程是什么？生物过程（例如，幼虫在水柱中的分布、繁殖的时间和浮游幼虫的持续时间）以及运输和扩散的物理过程相互作用，以确定连通性，国际海洋观测系统的海洋学模型将得到改进，并与拉格朗日幼虫运输模型相结合。实地方案包括在渗漏处对幼虫进行时间序列取样，记录流速，进行水柱取样以确定幼虫分布潜力，在船上对幼虫生物学和行为进行研究，并对底栖目标物种进行取样。系统发育和人口遗传学工具将用于探索历史和当代基因流。科学小组之间的反复互动将增进我们对深海连通性的了解，并在相对难以进入的环境中开展工作的限制条件下，制定有效和最佳的假设检验方法。自发现以来，深海化学合成生态系统一直是一种新的系统，可在其中测试为浅水物种开发的范例的普遍性。这项研究将探讨深海渗漏群落中与规模有关的生物多样性和补充动态，并将确定这些斑块系统中生物多样性的种群持久性和维持的关键因素。更广泛的影响。鉴于专属经济区和公海正在出现与海洋空间规划有关的政策制度，在研究连通性的空间和时间尺度以及深海遗传细分所依据的海洋学和生命史过程方面进行能力建设（知识和专门知识）至关重要。将采用海景遗传方法，通过生物物理建模、幼虫生物学和生态学观察以及一套全面的分子工具，超越最先进的水平。将通过同行评审的出版物广泛传播研究结果，以促进科学认识，并将通过以下方式提高开展海洋学-生命史-遗传学耦合研究的能力：㈠培训6名研究生和1名博士后; ㈡在专业会议和讲习班上介绍各种方法和成果;及（iii）为研究生及本科生举办讲座及讨论会。这项工作的成果将用于为参与设计深海海洋保护区网络的决策者提供信息。此外，还将开展两项创新活动：为高级博士生和博士后开设面向实地的跨学科深海研究课程，以及为加强研究的广泛影响而在海上派驻艺术家。

Intellectual Merit. This project integrates studies of oceanographic circulation, larval dispersal, invertebrate life histories, population genetics, and phylogeography to explore questions of contemporary and historical connectivity in relatively unexplored deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. Five deep-sea seep systems in the Intra- American Sea (IAS) are targeted: Blake Ridge, Florida Escarpment, Alaminos Canyon, Brine Pool, Barbados (El Pilar, Orenoque A, Orenoque B). This project will evaluate connectivity on spatial scales that match those at which vent systems are being studied (3500 km), with a set of nested seeps (within the Barbados system) within which connectivity can be explored at more local spatial scales (30 to 130 km), and with species that span depth (600 m to 3600 m) and geographic ranges (30 km to 3500 km) and that have diverse life-history characteristics. The primary objective is to advance our general knowledge of connectivity in the deep sea. The focus is on species and processes occurring in the IAS, with attention to oceanographic circulation, life histories, and genetics. Questions that apply in shallow-water systems motivate this study:1. What phylogeographic breaks occur in the system? It is important to distinguish between phylogeographic history and connectivity. A phylogeographic break with no shared alleles between populations implies a long history of isolation or possibly cryptic speciation.2. Are populations connected by ongoing migration? This is the fundamental question about connectivity and the scale of genetic variation in marine species with planktonic larvae.3. What biophysical processes underlie observed connectivities? Biological processes (e.g., larval distributions in the water column, timing of reproduction, and planktonic larval duration) and physical processes of transport and dispersion interact to determine connectivity.The oceanographic model for the IAS will be improved and coupled to a Lagrangian larval transport model. The field program includes time-series sampling of larvae at seeps with records of current velocities, water column sampling to determine larval distribution potential, shipboard studies of larval biology and behavior, and sampling of benthic target species. Phylogenetic and population genetic tools will be used to explore historical and contemporary gene flow. Iterative interactions among the science teams will advance our understanding of connectivity in the deep sea and to develop effective and best methods for hypothesis testing under the constraints of working in a relatively inaccessible environment. Since their discovery, deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems have been novel systems within which to test the generality of paradigms developed for shallow-water species. This study will explore scale-dependent biodiversity and recruitment dynamics in deep-sea seep communities, and will identify key factors underlying population persistence and maintenance of biodiversity in these patchy systems. Broader Impacts. Building capacity (knowledge and expertise) in studying spatial and temporal scales of connectivity and the oceanographic and life-history processes that underlie genetic subdivision in the deep sea is critical in light of emergent policy regimes in both Exclusive Economic Zones and on the High Seas related to marine spatial planning. A seascape genetic approach will be adopted to advance beyond the state-of-the-art through inclusion of biophysical modeling, observations of larval biology and ecology, and a comprehensive suite of molecular tools. Results will be broadly disseminated to advance scientific understanding through peer-reviewed publications and will enhance the capacity to undertake coupled oceanographic-life history-genetic studies through (i) training of 6 graduate students and 1 post-doc, (ii) through incorporation of approaches and results in presentations at professional meetings and workshops, and (iii) through presentations and discussions seminars and classes for graduate and undergraduate students. Results of this work will be used to inform policymakers engaged in the design of deep-sea networks of marine reserves. In addition, two innovative activities will be undertaken: a field-oriented interdisciplinary deep-sea research course for advanced PhD students and post-docs, and an artist-in-residence at sea that enhance the broad impact of the research.