Sources of Particulate Organic Matter and Their Use by Suspension-feeders in New Zealand Kelp Forests

这项提议的目标是促进国际和平研究所和奥克兰大学讲师尼古拉斯·希尔斯博士之间的研究合作，以了解营养联系和资源变异性对消费者的影响。这对于预测食物网在面对环境变化时可能发生的变化是必要的。国际海带协会建议延长先前的工作，以研究海带碎屑在这一截然不同的海带森林系统中的作用。他将使用稳定的同位素和多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)在食物链中追踪海带的碳，并测试海带碎屑对生活在新西兰广泛的埃克洛尼亚海带森林中的悬浮喂食者来说是一个重要的碳来源的假设。该奖项由OIIA/国际科学与工程组织下的催化新国际合作计划支持，并由GEO/海洋科学公司共同资助。大型藻类和浮游植物为浅海珊瑚礁上的高生产力海洋生态系统提供支持。拟议研究的目的是确定：(1)浮游植物和海藻碎屑对珊瑚礁消费者可获得的悬浮颗粒有机物(POM)池的贡献，以及(2)珊瑚礁悬浮喂食者如何将POM的不同成分用作食物。该项目的更广泛影响将包括为一名研究生提供教育福利，她是家里第一个上大学的人。该项目将有助于扩大她的研究和视角，将一个非常不同的海带森林系统包括在内，并通过希尔斯博士和他的团队的指导向她介绍国际合作的价值。这项研究的结果将通过科学出版物广泛传播，也通过我们的本科生教学和在圣巴巴拉自然历史博物馆等场所的公开讲座来传播。

The goal of this proposal is to catalyze a research collaboration between the PI and Dr. Nicholas Shears, a Lecturer at the University of Auckland, to understand trophic connections and the effect of resource variability on consumers. This is necessary to predict how food webs may shift in the face of environmental change. The PI proposes to extend prior work to examine the role of kelp detritus in this very different kelp forest system. He will use stable isotopes and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to trace kelp carbon through the food web, and test the hypothesis that kelp detritus represents a significant source of carbon to suspension feeders living in the extensive Ecklonia kelp forests of New Zealand. This award is supported by the Catalyzing New International Collaborations program under OIIA/International Science and Engineering, with co-funding by GEO/Ocean Sciences. Macroalgae and phytoplankton support highly productive marine ecosystems on shallow coastal reefs. The objectives of the proposed research are to determine: (1) the contribution of phytoplankton and kelp detritus to the pool of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) available to reef consumers, and (2) how different components of the POM are used as food by reef suspension feeders. Broader impacts of this project will include educational benefits to a graduate student who is the first person in her family to attend college. The project will serve to expand her research and perspective to include a very different kelp forest system and introduce her to the value of international collaborations through mentoring by Dr. Shears and his group. Results of this research will be disseminated widely through scientific publications but also through our undergraduate teaching and public lectures at venues such as the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.