The effects of ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures on shallow-water benthic organisms in Antarctica

该研究将调查海洋酸化和海面温度上升对南极半岛西部海洋群落浅水钙化底栖生物的单独和综合影响。 据预测，南大洋的文石和方解石将分别在50年和100年内变得不饱和，这对钙化过程提出了挑战。 更严重的是，南极钙化的底栖海洋生物比温带和热带物种更容易受到海洋酸化的影响，因为它们的钙化程度一般较低。 许多南极生物基本上是狭温的，而那些在南极半岛西部的生物正受到海水温度上升的影响。 该项目采用单物种和多物种两个层面的方法，评估海洋酸化和海水温度上升对代表性钙化和非钙化大型藻类、钙化和非钙化中型食草动物以及钙化大型食草动物的影响，所有这些都是丰富的底栖生物群落中重要的生态角色。 多物种分析将侧重于片足类和中腹足类的多样性组合，这些组合与沿着WAP共同在群落动态中发挥关键作用的占主导地位的大型藻类有关。 该项目将支持本科生的研究，无论是通过NSF的计划，以及家庭大学为基础的计划，一些旨在提高少数民族在科学的代表性。 主要研究人员还将通过指导研究生来支持和促进研究生教育。通过他们非常成功的UAB在南极洲的互动网络计划，他们将继续参与大量的教师，K-12学生，和其他社区成员在他们的科学努力在南极洲。

The research will investigate the individual and combined effects of rising ocean acidification and sea surface temperatures on shallow-water calcified benthic organisms in western Antarctic Peninsular (WAP) marine communities. The Southern Ocean is predicted to become undersaturated in terms of both aragonite and calcite within 50 and 100 years, respectively, challenging calcification processes. Adding to the problem, antarctic calcified benthic marine organisms are more vulnerable to ocean acidification than temperate and tropical species because they are generally weakly calcified. Many antarctic organisms are essentially stenothermal, and those in the West Antarctic Peninsula are being subjected to rising seawater temperatures. The project employs both single-species and multi-species level approaches to evaluating the impacts of rising ocean acidification and seawater temperature on representative calcified and non-calcified macroalgae, on calcified and non-calcified mesograzers, and on a calcified macro-grazer, all of which are important ecological players in the rich benthic communities. Multi-species analysis will focus on the diverse assemblage of amphipods and mesogastropods that are associated with dominant macroalgae that collectively play a key role in community dynamics along the WAP. The project will support undergraduate research, both through NSF programs, as well as home university-based programs, some designed to enhance the representation of minorities in the sciences. The principal investigators also will support and foster graduate education through mentoring of graduate students. Through their highly successful UAB IN ANTARCTICA interactive web program, they will continue to involve large numbers of teachers, K-12 students, and other members of the community at large in their scientific endeavors in Antarctica.