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

职业：控制骨骼成核的地球化学和生化因素及其对变化海洋中珊瑚的影响

• 批准号: 1552694
• 负责人: Alexander Gagnon
• 金额: $ 55.38万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-02-15 至 2021-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1552694&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Geochemical; Biochemical; Factors; Controlling

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.

成核是从海水溶液中形成碳酸钙晶体所需的第一步，也是珊瑚骨骼的基石。 最近，海洋的pH值变得更加酸性，这可能会影响成核，因此，珊瑚生长。 这项研究将测量成核率在各种受控条件下，以确定控制骨骼成核动力学的重要过程，即环境，生物化学，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，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一位人类学教授合作，开设一门课程，讲述地质学和海洋学如何教我们海洋如何随着时间的推移而变化，不同的文化如何适应这些变化，并考虑人类？在一个不断变化的星球上的未来。 四名本科生参加课程将有资格参加夏季实习的研究项目。 珊瑚骨骼成核只有在溶解的离子能够克服能量障碍，自我组装成钙化结构时才有可能。这个障碍的大小是控制的文石饱和状态和界面能，这意味着成核是一个产品的地球化学和生物化学控制，目前没有很好的约束。珊瑚paleoproxies已被广泛用于研究环境过程，通过深时间，因此，了解的初始步骤，成核，应该大大进一步了解珊瑚paleoproxies的使用和适用性。研究小组已经开发出一种成核测定法来测量体内成核率。这将在各种受控条件下使用，以测量生物化学和地球化学控制对成核的影响。在海洋酸化导致海洋化学变化的压力下，成核率可能会受到很大影响，因此必须开始了解海洋酸化对珊瑚骨骼成核的影响程度。