Collaborative Research: The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula

合作研究：南极半岛浅水海洋大型藻类和无脊椎动物的化学生态学

• 批准号: 1341339
• 负责人: Bill Baker
• 金额: $ 88.91万
• 依托单位: University of South Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1341339&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Chemical; Ecology; Shallow

The coastal environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of marine animals and algae. The importance of the interactions between these groups of organisms in the ecology of coastal Antarctica are well known and often mediated by chemical defenses in the tissues of the algae. These chemicals are meant to deter feeding by snails and other marine animals making the Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of chemical compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives: the first objective is to expand the current understanding of the relationship between algae and their associated marine animals. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend algae from being consumed. The third objective seeks to understand how marine animals can benefit from these compounds by consuming the algae that contain them, and then using those compounds to chemically deter predators. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to the US Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. The investigators will also foster opportunities to integrate their NSF research with a variety of educational activities. As in the past they will support undergraduate research, both through NSF programs as well as home, university-based, programs, and they will also continue to support and foster graduate education. Through their highly successful University of Alabama in Antarctica interactive web program (two time recipient of awards of excellence from the US Council for Advancement and Support of Education), 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. In addition, the investigators have hosted K-12 teachers on their Antarctic field teams through the former NSF Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic program and will pursue participation in PolarTREC, the successor to this valuable program. Moreover, they will actively participate in outreach efforts by presenting numerous talks on their research to local school and community groups. The near shore environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of macroalgae and macroinvertebrates. The importance of predator-prey interactions and chemical defenses in mediating community-wide trophic interactions makes the western Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of defensive compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives which are a direct outcome of the past studies of the chemical ecology of shallow-water marine macroalgae and invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula by this group of investigators. The first objective is to expand the current understanding of a community-wide mutualism between macroalgae and their associated amphipods to include gastropods, which are also abundant on many macroalgae. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend macroalgae from being consumed, particularly in the common red alga Plocamium cartilagineum. The third objective seeks to understand the relationship between P. cartilagineum and the amphipod Paradexamine fissicauda, including the ecological benefits and costs to P. fissicauda resulting from the ability to consume P. cartilagineum and other chemically defended red algae. The investigators will focus on the costs and benefits related to the ability of P. fissicauda to sequester defensive compounds from the alga P. cartilagineum and use those chemicals to defend itself from predation. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. Phylogenetic analyses, detailed secondary metabolite chemical analyses and purifications, and other data analyses will also be performed at the investigators' home institutions between and after their field seasons.

南极洲西部半岛的海岸环境是海洋动物和藻类的丰富聚集地。这些生物群体之间的相互作用在南极洲沿海生态中的重要性是众所周知的，并且通常由藻类组织中的化学防御介导。 这些化学物质是为了阻止蜗牛和其他海洋动物的进食，使南极半岛成为一个很好的地方，询问关于化学化合物多样性对海洋群落的功能和进化意义的重要问题。该项目将侧重于三个主要目标：第一个目标是扩大目前对藻类及其相关海洋动物之间关系的了解。第二个目标集中在用于保护藻类不被消耗的化学化合物的多样性。第三个目标是了解海洋动物如何通过食用含有这些化合物的藻类，然后使用这些化合物来化学阻止捕食者，从而从这些化合物中获益。这项研究的实地部分将在对南极洲美国帕尔默站的三次考察中进行。在这些考察期间，将进行各种实验室饲养生物测定、人工现场和实验室实验以及现场化学分析。研究人员还将创造机会，将他们的NSF研究与各种教育活动相结合。和过去一样，他们将通过NSF项目以及家庭、大学项目支持本科生研究，他们还将继续支持和促进研究生教育。通过他们非常成功的亚拉巴马大学在南极洲的互动网络计划（两次获得美国理事会促进和支持教育的优秀奖），他们将继续参与大量的教师，K-12学生，以及整个社区的其他成员在南极洲的科学努力。此外，研究人员还通过前NSF教师体验南极洲和北极计划在南极实地考察队接待了K-12教师，并将继续参与PolarTREC，这是这一宝贵计划的继承者。此外，他们将积极参与外展工作，向当地学校和社区团体介绍他们的研究。南极半岛西部的近海岸环境是大型藻类和大型无脊椎动物的重要栖息地。捕食者-猎物的相互作用和化学防御介导的社区范围内的营养相互作用的重要性，使南极半岛西部的一个很好的地方问重要的问题的功能和进化意义的防御化合物多样性的海洋群落。该项目将侧重于三个主要目标，这三个目标是这一调查小组过去对南极半岛浅水海洋大型藻类和无脊椎动物化学生态学研究的直接成果。第一个目标是扩大目前的理解，大型藻类和其相关的片足类动物，包括腹足类，这也是丰富的许多大型藻类之间的社区范围内的互利共生。第二个目标集中在用于保护大型藻类不被消耗的化学化合物的多样性，特别是在常见的红色藻类Plocamium cartilagineum。第三个目标是了解软骨藻和片足类裂尾副藻之间的关系，包括由于能够消耗软骨藻和其他化学防御红藻而对裂尾副藻产生的生态效益和成本。研究人员将重点关注与P. fissicauda从P. cartilagineum中隔离防御化合物的能力相关的成本和收益，并使用这些化学物质来保护自己免受捕食。这项研究的实地部分将在对南极洲帕尔默站的三次考察中进行。在这些考察期间，将进行各种实验室饲养生物测定、人工现场和实验室实验以及现场化学分析。系统发育分析，详细的次级代谢物化学分析和纯化，以及其他数据分析也将在研究者的家庭机构之间和之后进行。