CAREER: Geochemical and Biochemical Factors Controlling Skeletal Nucleation and Their Impact on Coral in a Changing Ocean

成核是从海水溶液中形成碳酸钙晶体所需的第一步，是珊瑚骨骼的组成部分。最近，海洋的pH值变得更加酸性，这可能会影响成核作用，从而影响珊瑚的生长。这项研究将测量各种受控条件下的成核率，以确定控制骨骼成核动力学的重要过程，即环境、生化或两者的某种组合。此外，该项目将以新的方式将科学和教育结合起来，通过增加美洲原住民学生对海洋学的参与来帮助提高地球科学的多样性。这位科学家将与华盛顿大学的人类学教授合作，开设一门课程，讲述地质学和海洋学如何教会我们海洋随着时间的推移发生了怎样的变化，不同的文化是如何适应这些变化的，并思考人类？S在一个不断变化的星球上的未来。参加该课程的四名本科生将有资格参加暑期实习，以参与研究项目。只有当溶解的离子能够克服能量障碍，自组装成钙化结构时，珊瑚骨骼才有可能成核。这一障碍的大小由文石饱和状态和界面能控制，这意味着成核是目前没有受到很好约束的地球化学和生化控制的产物。珊瑚古代用品已被广泛用于深部环境过程的研究，因此，了解成核的初始步骤，将大大加深对珊瑚古代用品的使用和适用性的理解。研究小组开发了一种成核实验来测量体内成核率。这将在各种受控条件下使用，以衡量生化和地球化学控制对成核的影响。在海洋酸化引起的海洋化学变化的压力下，成核速率可能会受到很大影响，因此，至关重要的是要开始了解海洋酸化对珊瑚骨骼成核的影响程度。

Nucleation is the first step needed to form calcium carbonate crystals from a seawater solution and represents the building block of coral skeletons. Recently, the pH of the ocean has become more acidic which can impact nucleation, and as such, coral growth. This research will measure nucleation rates under a variety of controlled conditions to identify the important processes controlling skeletal nucleation kinetics, namely environmental, biochemical, or some combination of the two. Additionally, the project will merge science and education in new ways to help improve the diversity in Earth Sciences by increasing the participation of Native American students in oceanography. Partnering with an Anthropology professor at the University of Washington, the scientist will develop a class on how geology and oceanography teaches us about how the oceans have changed over time, how different cultures have adapted to these changes, and consider human?s future on a changing planet. Four undergraduate students taking the class will be eligible for summer internships to participate in the research project. Coral skeletal nucleation is only possible if dissolved ions can overcome an energetic barrier to self-assemble into a calcified structure. The magnitude of this barrier is controlled by the aragonite saturation state and interfacial energy, meaning that nucleation is a product of both geochemical and biochemical controls that are currently not well constrained. Coral paleoproxies have been widely used to study environmental processes through deep time, and therefore, understanding of the initial step, nucleation, should greatly further understanding of the use and applicability of coral paleoproxies. The researcher's group has developed a nucleation assay to measure in vivo nucleation rates. This will be used under a variety of controlled conditions to measure the impact of the biochemical and geochemical controls on nucleation. Under the pressures of changing ocean chemistry due to ocean acidification, it is likely that nucleation rates will be greatly impacted, and it is crucial to begin developing knowledge on the magnitude of the effect ocean acidification will have on coral skeletal nucleation.