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

OCE-PRF：热带东太平洋珊瑚对气候变化驱动的压力源的抵抗机制

• 批准号: 2126524
• 负责人: Diana Lopez
• 金额: $ 27.85万
• 依托单位: Florida State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-10-01 至 2023-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2126524&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: OCE; PRF; Mechanisms; coral; resistance

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.

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。珊瑚礁是海洋中最具生产力和生物多样性的栖息地之一，面临着气候变化相关压力的崩溃风险。在世界上气候条件变化很大的地区，它们抵御气温上升等气候变化事件的能力预计会更强。一些热带东太平洋（TEP）地区经历季节性风，将温暖的海水推开，并允许冷水从海底到达表面。这种每年一度的现象被称为“上升流”，它带来了海洋条件的变化，如温度、pH值、盐度和营养物质。虽然来自上升流区域的珊瑚种群有望更好地适应与气候变化有关的压力，但珊瑚能够科普不断变化的条件的机制却没有得到充分的记录。该项目调查了为什么TEP中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性影响。这项研究旨在通过广泛的实地和实验室实验阐明珊瑚对温度和盐度变化的生理反应，这可以为全球珊瑚礁恢复工作提供信息。本项目的目标是确定性能差异（即，光合速率或呼吸速率）与来自巴拿马太平洋沿岸沿着上升流和非上升流区域的珊瑚种群的热反应规范（TRN）进行比较，并评估珊瑚敏感性是否因温度和盐度的变化而变化。珊瑚种群表现的差异进行了调查，在现场跨时间温度梯度和实验分析相结合的温度梯度和极端盐度下预期的气候变化。本研究建议使用的人口表现，其中包括一个新的配方的温度-盐度相互作用的模型，以测试预测，次优盐度可能会加剧环境变暖对珊瑚的影响的实证结果。到目前为止，温度和盐度作为气候驱动的压力对珊瑚种群的协同效应尚未得到彻底研究。这项研究预计将为珊瑚礁的保护和恢复工作提供重要的知识。该项目主要在中美洲巴拿马进行，包括通过让少数群体充分参与研究活动来培训代表性不足的本科生。这次培训是一个很好的机会，让他们在国际论坛上成功的科学生涯做好准备。该研究小组还通过各种活动，包括为巴拿马学童开展的外联和教育活动，提高人们对气候变化及其对珊瑚礁影响的认识。适用于珊瑚保护和恢复的信息将传播给来自美国，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。