Collaborative Research: IOS:RUI: Hydrodynamic consequences of spines on zooplankton: Functional morphology of horns and tails on barnacle nauplii

合作研究：IOS：RUI：刺对浮游动物的水动力影响：藤壶无节幼体角和尾的功能形态

• 批准号: 2136018
• 负责人: Kit Yu Karen Chan
• 金额: $ 52.74万
• 依托单位: Swarthmore College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-05-01 至 2025-04-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2136018&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; IOS; RUI; Hydrodynamic

Zooplankton, small animals that drift with ocean currents, are critical links in marine food webs. Many different types of zooplankton have elongated spines, horns, or hairs. These structures are thought of as predator deterrents or sensory antennae. This project examines other ecologically important functions that spines might impact: feeding, swimming, sinking, and dislodgement from surfaces. These functions depend on how animals interact with the water around them. This study investigates how spines work to alter the movement of the surrounding water and how that water movement varies in the early development of the “nauplius” larval stage of different species of barnacles. Barnacles are a type of crustacean, a group that includes the commercially important crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. Since all crustaceans have a nauplius larval stage, this research will shed light on how this common body form operates, providing information about functional tradeoffs between different behaviors and body shapes. This project -- a collaboration between a small, liberal arts undergraduate college and a big research university -- brings together students and faculty from both to conduct the research and to train undergraduates. In addition, this project crosses disciplinary boundaries between biology and engineering, so students from different fields will learn how to communicate and collaborate. Principles discovered from this study can inform bio-inspired design of aquatic microrobots. The types of experiments designed will also be used to develop new science curricula. Diverse zooplankters bear spines with functions that are poorly understood. This study of the hydrodynamics of different species of barnacle larvae will determine (1) functional consequences of the presence, location, and morphology of spines on hydrodynamic forces and torques; (2) functional consequences of spines and appendage kinematics on the forces and torques generated, and on swimming, sinking, and feeding performance; and (3) hydrodynamic consequences of the change in body design from the planktonic nauplius to the settling cyprid form. Kinematics and flow fields of larvae with distinctive morphologies and ecology are measured using micro-videography and high-speed particle image velocimetry. This comparative study on live organisms is coupled with experiments using dynamically scaled physical models to determine mechanisms by which specific features control forces and torques on, and flow fields around, larvae. Physical models allow parameters – spine size and shape; body size and shape; limb morphology; and kinematics -- to be varied in ways not possible with living organisms. In addition to elucidating general principles about the hydrodynamic consequences of spines at the poorly understood size and speed range of zooplankton – the domain of intermediate Reynolds numbers -- the project will advance understanding of how tradeoffs between ecological functions impose biomechanical constraints that can shape the evolution of form. Collaboration between a PUI college and R1 university integrates research and undergraduate education at both. The question-driven, experience-based learning approach involves research teams of undergraduates from physical and biological sciences to develop their skills at interdisciplinary collaboration. Novel interdisciplinary course materials will be developed with context-rich modules for teaching quantitative skills.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.

浮游动物是随洋流漂流的小动物，是海洋食物网的关键环节。许多不同类型的浮游动物都有细长的刺、角或毛发。这些结构被认为是捕食者的威慑物或感应天线。该项目研究了刺可能影响的其他生态重要功能：进食、游泳、下沉和从表面移动。 这些功能取决于动物如何与周围的水相互作用。这项研究调查了刺如何改变周围水的运动，以及水运动在不同种类藤壶的“无节幼体”幼虫阶段的早期发育中如何变化。藤壶是甲壳类动物的一种，包括具有重要商业价值的螃蟹、虾和龙虾。由于所有甲壳类动物都有无节幼体幼虫阶段，这项研究将揭示这种常见身体形态的运作方式，提供有关不同行为和身体形状之间功能权衡的信息。该项目是一所小型文科本科学院和一所大型研究型大学之间的合作项目，汇集了两所大学的学生和教师来进行研究并培训本科生。此外，该项目跨越了生物学和工程学之间的学科界限，因此来自不同领域的学生将学习如何沟通和协作。这项研究发现的原理可以为水生微型机器人的仿生设计提供信息。设计的实验类型也将用于开发新的科学课程。 不同的浮游动物都长有刺，但其功能却知之甚少。这项对不同种类藤壶幼虫的流体动力学的研究将确定（1）刺的存在、位置和形态对流体动力和扭矩的功能影响； (2) 脊柱和附肢运动学对产生的力和扭矩以及游泳、下沉和进食性能的功能影响； (3) 身体设计从浮游无节幼体转变为沉降鲤鱼形态的水动力后果。 使用显微摄像和高速粒子图像测速技术测量具有独特形态和生态的幼虫的运动学和流场。这项对活体生物体的比较研究与使用动态缩放物理模型的实验相结合，以确定特定特征控制幼虫上的力和扭矩以及周围流场的机制。物理模型允许参数——脊柱大小和形状； 身体尺寸和形状；肢体形态；和运动学——以生物体不可能的方式变化。除了阐明在浮游动物的大小和速度范围（中间雷诺数的领域）知之甚少的情况下，脊柱的水动力后果的一般原理外，该项目还将促进对生态功能之间的权衡如何施加生物力学约束的理解，从而影响形态的进化。 PUI 学院和 R1 大学之间的合作将双方的研究和本科教育融为一体。问题驱动、基于经验的学习方法涉及物理和生物科学本科生的研究团队，以培养他们的跨学科合作技能。新颖的跨学科课程材料将通过上下文丰富的模块来开发，用于教授定量技能。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。