Collaborative Research: Climate Change and Predatory Invasion of the Antarctic Benthos

气温升高和海洋酸化都在威胁着南大洋。人们对这些环境变化的影响知之甚少，但初步数据表明，它们正在推动一场生物入侵。具体地说，在西南极半岛的玛格丽特湾附近发现了大量能咬碎骨骼的帝王蟹，名为Paralomis Birsteini。这些螃蟹似乎正在入侵大陆架地区，那里的底栖群落在没有这种顶级捕食者的情况下进化了。因此，这种入侵可能会导致南极海底生态系统的大规模重组。这项拟议的工作旨在记录这次入侵，并更好地了解引入P.Birsteini对该地区生态的影响。拖曳的水下航行器将被用来拍摄群落的图像，并将对有和没有P.Birsteini的群落进行定量比较。此外，将诱捕螃蟹，并对它们的形态和生理的各个方面进行评估。这项研究的独特之处在于，它将实时记录一次生物入侵，因此它将增强我们对生物群落入侵驱动因素和复原力的总体理解。结果将通过出版物以及在国家和国际会议上的发言广泛传播。此外，将通过开放获取数据库提供原始数据。该项目将支持本科生和研究生的研究和培训，并将促进与英国科学家的国际合作。该项目的研究人员将通过开发K-12课程材料参与外展工作。

Elevated temperatures and ocean acidification are both threatening the Southern Ocean. The effects of these environmental changes are poorly understood, but preliminary data suggest that they are driving a biological invasion. Specifically, large populations of skeleton-crushing king crabs, Paralomis birsteini, have been detected off Marguerite Bay on the West Antarctic Peninsula. These crabs appear to be invading the continental shelf region where benthic communities have evolved in the absence of such top-predators. Thus, this invasion could result in a wholesale restructuring of the Antarctic benthic ecosystem. The proposed work seeks to document this invasion and better understand the effects of the introduction of P. birsteini on the ecology of this region. A towed underwater vehicle will be used to photographically image communities, and communities with and without P. birsteini will be compared quantitatively. Additionally, crabs will trapped and various aspects of their morphology and physiology will be assessed. This research is unique in that it will document a biological invasion in real-time and it will therefore enhance our general understandings of the drivers of invasion and resilience in biological communities. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of undergraduate and graduate students and will foster an international collaboration with British scientists. Researchers on this project will participate in outreach thorough the development of K-12 curricular materials.