EAPSI: The Effects of Climate Change on Coral Larvae in Relation to Coral Reef Connectivity

EAPSI：气候变化对珊瑚幼虫与珊瑚礁连通性的影响

• 批准号: 1613798
• 负责人: Jessica Bergman
• 金额: $ 0.54万
• 依托单位: Bergman Jessica L
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-06-15 至 2017-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1613798&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAPSI; Effects; Climate; Change; Coral

Ocean acidification, or OA, is widely recognized as a climate change-related threat to coral reefs. OA may affect processes related to the exchange of free-swimming coral larvae between populations on a reef, and existing research characterizes the importance of seawater flow in transporting these larvae among reefs in order to maintain biodiversity. However, less is known about the position of coral larvae in the water column and how this is affected by OA, representing a critical knowledge gap in evaluating larval dispersal and subsequent connectivity among populations. This project focuses on the behavior and physiology of larvae from a common coral and how these features will be affected by OA. The larger objective is to better understand how OA and climate change will alter connectivity among coral reefs and mediate changes in species composition. The research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Saki Harii at Sesoko Research Station in Okinawa, Japan, as part of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus.This project elucidates the effect of ocean acidification (OA) on the early life stages of Pocillopora damicornis, a brooding scleractinian coral, and focuses on the behavior and physiology of their larvae in situ. The project employs a threefold approach that: 1) determines the location of larvae in the water column over a 24-hour period, 2) tests for an effect of OA on behavior of larvae in situ (i.e., position in the water), and 3) examines the effect of parent exposure to OA on larvae behavior. Dr. Harii has successfully conducted many experiments on brooding events, and her expertise will aid in the capture and transport of larvae to experimental in situ chambers. Additionally, the location of Sesoko Research Station will allow for future cross-Pacific comparisons of the physiological performance of P. damicornis larvae under OA, and will be integrated with ongoing experiments conducted in Moorea, French Polynesia, as part of a larger framework of collaboration between researchers in the United States, Japan, and Moorea. Expanding cultural relations between Japan and the United States through the exchange of scientific research will continue to strengthen the academic partnership between the two countries.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

海洋酸化（OA）被广泛认为是与气候变化有关的对珊瑚礁的威胁。OA可能会影响珊瑚礁种群之间自由游动的珊瑚幼虫交换的相关过程，现有的研究表明，为了维持生物多样性，海水流动在珊瑚礁之间运输这些幼虫的重要性。然而，关于珊瑚幼虫在水柱中的位置以及这如何受到OA的影响，我们所知甚少，这在评估幼虫扩散和种群间随后的连通性方面存在重要的知识缺口。本项目主要研究一种普通珊瑚的幼虫的行为和生理特征，以及这些特征如何受到OA的影响。更大的目标是更好地了解OA和气候变化将如何改变珊瑚礁之间的连通性并介导物种组成的变化。作为琉球大学热带生物圈研究中心的一部分，该研究将与日本冲绳Sesoko研究站的Saki Harii博士合作进行。本项目阐明了海洋酸化对育成硬核珊瑚（Pocillopora damicornis）早期生命阶段的影响，并重点研究了其幼虫在原位的行为和生理。该项目采用三种方法：1)确定24小时内幼虫在水柱中的位置，2)测试OA对原地（即水中位置）幼虫行为的影响，以及3)检查父母接触OA对幼虫行为的影响。Harii博士成功地进行了许多关于孵化事件的实验，她的专业知识将有助于捕获和运送幼虫到实验原位室。此外，Sesoko研究站的位置将允许未来跨太平洋比较OA条件下damicornis幼虫的生理性能，并将与在法属波利尼西亚Moorea进行的实验相结合，作为美国、日本和Moorea研究人员之间更大合作框架的一部分。通过科学研究交流扩大日美之间的文化关系将继续加强两国之间的学术伙伴关系。该奖项隶属于东亚和太平洋暑期研究所项目，由美国国家科学基金会和日本科学促进会共同资助，支持一名美国研究生进行暑期研究。