IRFP: Evolution of Sensory Systems in the Invasive Ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9至24个月的研究。该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，并使用国外独特或互补的设施，专业知识和实验条件。该奖项将支持Kevin Pang博士与Andreas Hejnol博士在挪威卑尔根的Sars国际海洋分子生物学中心进行为期24个月的研究，作为国际研究奖学金计划的一部分。入侵物种对海洋生态系统的一个主要影响是捕食浮游动物，减少浮游生物多样性，消耗鱼苗并与之直接竞争。入侵性和破坏性的栉水母（梳水母），Mnemiopsis leidyi，在它扩张的所有地区都大大改变和减少了水生生物的生物多样性。 我们的研究集中在两个关键的感觉系统，记忆用于与环境互动，也负责这种捕食者对其环境的主要影响。我们正在研究化学感觉系统（“味觉”）在食物选择中的作用，以及测试假设，如果压力感觉系统是负责每年的垂直分布，这导致人口在夏季开花。由于栉水母是最早的分支动物群体之一，这项研究将为我们理解动物感觉系统的进化提供重要的见解。由于Mnemiopsis最近入侵挪威沃茨，它代表了完美的网站，了解为什么Mnemiopsis是如此成功，我们的研究结果可能会提供一种方法，以防止或减少其对生态系统的影响。 该研究中心拥有必要的资源和设施来回答这些问题，并且是海洋无脊椎动物比较胚胎学领域的领导者。该项目使用多学科科学，沿着最先进的研究设施和方法，并利用国际合作的协同作用，以更好地了解生物体功能的进化如何影响入侵物种对其环境的影响。该项目涉及一种入侵物种的基本生物学问题，这种入侵物种已经破坏了其引入的几个地区的生态系统和经济。气候变化和全球变暖将很可能导致更高的繁殖率和分布的Mnemiopsis转移到北方欧洲沃茨，以及世界各地的其他海洋。通过调查食物选择性和垂直分布-这是Mnemiopsis生物学的两个主要特征，可以驱动其繁殖和破坏生态系统的能力-这项研究将增加对该物种的了解，并可能开辟战略，以尽量减少其在全球范围内的有害影响。海洋资源是沿海地区广阔的国家的主要经济因素;找到保护这些资源的方法是人民的主要利益所在。

The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support a twenty-four-month research fellowship by Dr. Kevin Pang to work with Dr. Andreas Hejnol at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology in Bergen, Norway, as part of the International Research Fellowship Program. A major impact of invasive species on marine ecosystems is via predation on zooplankton, reducing planktonic diversity and both consuming and directly competing with fish larvae. The invasive and destructive ctenophore (comb jelly), Mnemiopsis leidyi, has massively altered and decreased planktonic biodiversity in all areas to where it has expanded. Our research focuses on two key sensory systems that Mnemiopsis uses to interact with its environment and are also responsible for the major impact of this predator on its environment. We are investigating the role of the chemosensory system ("taste") in food selection, as well as testing the hypothesis if the pressure sensory system is responsible for the annual vertical distribution, which leads to population blooms during the summer months. Since ctenophores are one of the earliest branching animal groups, this study will deliver important insights into our understanding of the evolution of animal sensory systems. Since Mnemiopsis recently invaded Norwegian waters, it represents the perfect site for understanding why Mnemiopsis is so successful, and our results may provide a way to prevent or lessen its impact on the ecosystem. This research site has the necessary resources and facilities to answer these questions, and the host is a leader in the field of comparative embryology of marine invertebrates. This project uses multidisciplinary science, along with state of the art research facilities and approaches, and utilizes the synergy of international collaborations to better understand how the evolution of organismal function influences the impact of an invasive species on its environment. The project addresses basic questions regarding the biology of an invasive species that has damaged the ecosystems and economy of several regions where it has been introduced. Climate change and global warming will most likely lead to a higher rate of reproduction and a shift of the distribution of Mnemiopsis to northern European waters, as well as other oceans worldwide. By investigating food selectivity and vertical distribution - two of the major characteristics of Mnemiopsis biology that drives its ability to reproduce and damage ecosystems - this research will lead to increased knowledge about this species and might open strategies to minimize its detrimental affects worldwide. Marine resources are major economic factors in nations with an extended coastal area; finding ways to protect these is of major interest of the population.