OCE-PRF: Mechanisms of coral resistance to climate change driven stressors in the Tropical Eastern Pacific

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)。珊瑚礁是海洋中最具生产力和生物多样性的栖息地之一，面临着因气候变化造成的压力而崩溃的风险。在气候条件发生重大变化的世界地区，它们抵御气候变化事件(如气温上升)的能力预计会更强。一些热带东太平洋(TEP)地区经历了季节性的风，把温暖的水赶走，允许冷水从海底流到海面。这种被称为“上升流”的年度现象带来了海洋条件的变化，如温度、酸碱度、盐度和营养物质。虽然来自上升流地区的珊瑚种群预计将更好地适应气候变化相关的压力，但珊瑚应对不断变化的条件的机制却鲜有文献记载。这个项目调查了为什么TEP的一些珊瑚可能比其他地方的珊瑚更能抵抗气候变化的破坏影响。这项研究的目的是通过广泛的野外和实验室实验来阐明珊瑚对温度和盐度变化的生理反应，这可以为世界各地的珊瑚礁恢复工作提供信息。该项目的目标是确定巴拿马太平洋沿岸上升流和非上升流地区珊瑚种群的表现(即光合作用或呼吸速率)与温度反应标准(TRNS)的差异，并评估珊瑚对温度和盐度变化的反应是否有所不同。对珊瑚种群表现的差异进行了现场研究，包括时间温度梯度，以及结合温度梯度和气候变化下预计的极端盐度的实验分析。这项研究建议在种群绩效模型中使用经验结果，该模型包括温度-盐度相互作用的新公式，以检验次优盐度可能加剧环境变暖对珊瑚影响的预测。到目前为止，温度和盐度作为气候驱动的压力源对珊瑚种群的协同效应尚未得到彻底的研究。这项研究预计将为珊瑚礁保护和恢复工作提供重要知识。该项目主要在中美洲的巴拿马进行，其中包括培训来自代表人数不足的少数群体的本科生，让他们充分参与研究活动。这次培训是一个极好的机会，让他们为在国际论坛上成功地从事科学事业做好准备。研究小组还通过各种活动，包括针对巴拿马学童的外联和教育活动，提高人们对气候变化及其对珊瑚礁影响的认识。可以应用于珊瑚保护和恢复的信息将被传播给来自美国、巴拿马和邻国的各种利益相关者。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).Coral reefs, one of the most productive and biodiverse habitats in the ocean, are at risk of collapse from climate change-related stress. Their ability to resist climate change events such as increasing temperatures is expected to be greater in regions of the world where substantial variations in climate conditions occur. Some Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) areas experience seasonal winds that push warm water away and allow cold water from the ocean bottom to the surface. This annual phenomenon called “upwelling” brings variation in ocean conditions such as temperature, pH, salinity, and nutrients. While coral populations from upwelling regions are expected to be better adapted to resist climate change-related stress, the mechanisms by which corals can cope with changing conditions are poorly documented. This project investigates why some corals in the TEP may be more resistant to the damaging effects of climate change than corals elsewhere., This study aims to elucidate corals’ physiological responses to changes in temperature and salinity through extensive field and laboratory experiments, which can inform coral reef restoration efforts worldwide. The objectives of this project are to determine differences in performance (i.e., photosynthetic or respiration rate) with thermal reaction norms (TRNs) of coral populations from upwelling and non-upwelling regions along to the Pacific coast of Panama and assess whether coral sensitivity varies in response to altered regimes of temperature and salinity. Differences in coral population performance are investigated in situ across temporal temperature gradients and from experimental assays combining temperature gradients and extreme salinities expected under climate change. This study proposes to use the empirical results in a model of population performance that includes a new formulation of a temperature-salinity interaction to test the prediction that suboptimal salinity is likely to exacerbate environmental warming effects on corals. So far, the synergistic effects between temperature and salinity as climate-driven stressors on coral populations have not yet been thoroughly studied. This study is expected to yield important knowledge for coral reef conservation and restoration efforts. This project is primarily conducted in Panama, Central America, and it includes training undergraduate students from underrepresented minorities by fully engaging them in the research activities. This training is an excellent opportunity to prepare them for a successful scientific career in an international forum. The research team also promotes awareness of climate change and its impact on coral reefs through various activities, including outreach and educational activities for school children in Panama. Information that can apply to the conservation and restoration of corals will be disseminated to a wide variety of stakeholders from the U.S., Panama, and neighboring countries.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.