Collaborative Research: An integrated theoretical and empirical approach to across-shelf mixing and connectivity of mussel populations

合作研究：跨大陆架混合和贻贝种群连通性的综合理论和实证方法

• 批准号: 1333755
• 负责人: Philip Yund
• 金额: $ 39.47万
• 依托单位: Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1333755&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; integrated; theoretical; empirical

Existing larval transport models focus mainly on along-shelf transport and have done little to explicitly incorporate the effects of cross-shelf mixing and transport processes. Yet cross-shelf transits (both outgoing and incoming legs) are critical components of the dispersal paths of coastal invertebrates. This project will explore the role of cross-shelf mixing in the connectivity of blue mussel populations in eastern Maine. Previous work has shown that the Eastern Maine Coastal Current (EMCC) begins to diverge from shore southwest of the Grand Manan Channel and creates a gradient in cross-shelf mixing and larval transport, with cross-shelf mixing being more common on the northeastern end, episodic in the transitional middle area, and then becoming rare in the southwestern half of the region of the Gulf of Maine. As a result, the investigators predict that northeastern populations of mussels are seeded mostly from up-stream sources, while a significant component of self-seeding (local retention) exists in southwestern populations. Larvae settling in the intervening bays are expected to be derived from a mixture of local and up-stream sources. Using a combined empirical and theoretical approach hydrographic, current profile, and larval vertical migration data will be collected and used to develop and validate a high-resolution coastal circulation model coupled to a model of larval behavior. The investigators will model simulations in different years using the empirical data from mussel reproductive output and spawning times. Connectivity predicted from this model will be then tested against independent empirical estimates of connectivity based on trace element fingerprinting for larvae which can be connected to specific natal habitats. Regions of agreement and discrepancy in the model will be identified to guide additional data collection and model refinement. This iterative process will ensure an understanding of both larval transport patterns and processes, and provide estimates of inter-annual variability in connectivity for blue mussel populations in the Gulf of Maine.The project will provide interdisciplinary training for a number of undergraduate and graduate students. All three investigators have established track records of training students at either the undergraduate or graduate level, or both. Inter-institutional and interdisciplinary exchange will be fostered by a twice per year mini-symposium/retreat at which all project participants from the three laboratories will present and discuss results from their portions of the project. This project also has important implications for the commercial mussel aquaculture industry in Maine, which relies heavily on natural settlement and desires a better understanding of larval supply patterns to facilitate site selection for collecting newly settled spat.

现有的幼虫运输模型主要集中在沿货架运输，并没有做什么明确纳入跨货架混合和运输过程的影响。然而，跨大陆架过境（包括传出和传入腿）是沿海无脊椎动物的扩散路径的关键组成部分。本项目将探讨跨大陆架混合的作用，在连接的蓝色贻贝种群在东部缅因州。以前的工作表明，东缅因州海岸流（EMCC）开始从大马南海峡西南海岸发散，并在跨大陆架混合和幼虫运输中产生梯度，跨大陆架混合在东北端更为常见，在过渡中间区域偶尔发生，然后在缅因州海湾地区的西南半部分变得罕见。因此，研究人员预测，东北部的贻贝种群主要是从上游来源播种的，而西南部种群中存在着自我播种（当地保留）的重要组成部分。在中间海湾定居的larabeles预计将来自当地和上游来源的混合物。采用经验和理论相结合的方法，水文，电流剖面和幼虫垂直迁移数据将被收集，并用于开发和验证一个高分辨率的沿海环流模型耦合到一个模型的幼虫行为。研究人员将使用贻贝繁殖产量和产卵时间的经验数据模拟不同年份的情况。从这个模型预测的连接将进行测试，然后对独立的经验估计的连接的基础上微量元素指纹的幼虫，可以连接到特定的纳塔尔栖息地。将确定模型中的一致和不一致区域，以指导额外的数据收集和模型改进。这一迭代过程将确保对幼虫运输模式和过程的理解，并提供对缅因州海湾蓝贻贝种群连通性年际变化的估计。该项目将为一些本科生和研究生提供跨学科培训。这三位研究人员都建立了本科或研究生水平或两者兼而有之的培训学生的跟踪记录。将通过每年两次的小型专题讨论会/务虚会促进机构间和学科间的交流，来自三个实验室的所有项目参与者将在会上介绍和讨论各自项目部分的成果。这个项目也有重要的影响，商业贻贝水产养殖业在缅因州，这在很大程度上依赖于自然定居，并希望更好地了解幼虫供应模式，以方便选址收集新解决的吐。