Recommendations for improving maerl bed protection, informed by a combined genetic, physiology and modelling approach

通过遗传、生理学和建模相结合的方法提出改善马尔床保护的建议

• 批准号: 2136044
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Heriot-Watt University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2136044
• 关键词: Recommendations; improving; maerl; bed; protection

Maerl is a type of free-living red seaweed which forms hard calcium carbonate skeletons, giving it a similar appearance to coral. Accumulations of maerl form 'beds' that are found worldwide, from the intertidal zone to hundreds of meters below the sea surface. 30% of Europe's maerl beds are found along the west coast of Scotland and the islands. Maerl is a bioengineer, creating complex 3D structures and ecological niches which support a high levels of biodiversity and provide important habitats for commercially important species like Cod, Hake and Scallops. Similarly, maerl beds are important stocks of Blue Carbon - they take in carbon dioxide and fix it in biological processes. Despite their importance, maerl beds are threatened by changing climates and human activities such as demersal fishing and aquaculture. Maerl beds are protected both under Annex I of the Habitats Directive and many around Scotland are in Marine Protected Areas, however the placement of these is based on a paucity of data. Therefore, this project aims to improve conservation and management practices through the use of genetics physiology and modelling. The full extent of maerl beds around Scotland is not known, so the first aim is to use species distribution modelling to construct a probabilistic distribution map and identify areas where maerl beds could occur. These probabilistic distributions will be informed by current known maerl distributions and environmental data such as water temperature and tidal action. The areas identified with high-potential to support maerl will be validated by field investigation. The genetic connectivity of maerl beds, the within-bed genetic structure and reproductive strategy will be investigated in order to better understand linkage and inform conservation strategy. Any genetic sinks, beds of low genetic diversity or those dominated by asexual reproduction will be identified. Microsatellite markers will be developed in order to maximise data quality. The carbon sequestration capacities of the common Scottish maerl species will be evaluated to improve understanding of maerl's role in blue carbon processing. This coupled with understanding of genetic linkage of beds around Scotland will be used to evaluate current conservation strategies for maerl and make recommendations for more targeted and effective policies in the future, if necessary. Areas of conservation priority, such as those which are sources of genetic material for surrounding beds, those with high genetic diversity or those with high carbon sequestration capacities, will be identified and recommended as areas for conservation.

Maerl是一种自由生活的红色海藻，它形成了坚硬的碳酸钙骨架，使它看起来像珊瑚。从潮间带到海平面下数百米处，世界各地都有大量的海藻形成了“海床”。欧洲30%的海床分布在苏格兰西海岸和这些岛屿上。Maerl是一名生物工程师，他创造了复杂的3D结构和生态位，支持高水平的生物多样性，并为鳕鱼、黑鱼和扇贝等具有重要商业价值的物种提供了重要的栖息地。同样，毛床是蓝碳的重要储备--它们吸收二氧化碳并将其固定在生物过程中。尽管它们很重要，但它们受到气候变化和人类活动(如海底捕鱼和水产养殖)的威胁。Maerl床受《生境指令》附件一的保护，苏格兰周围的许多床都在海洋保护区内，然而，这些床的放置是基于缺乏数据的。因此，该项目旨在通过使用遗传学、生理学和模型来改进保护和管理做法。目前尚不清楚苏格兰周围黑斑层的完整范围，因此第一个目标是使用物种分布模型来构建概率分布图，并确定可能出现黑斑层的区域。这些概率分布将由目前已知的MAERL分布和环境数据(如水温和潮汐作用)提供信息。将通过实地调查来验证确定的具有支持MAERL的高潜力的地区。为了更好地理解连锁关系，为保护策略提供信息，将对母本的遗传连通性、床内遗传结构和繁殖策略进行调查。任何遗传池、低遗传多样性的床或以无性繁殖为主的床都将被识别。将开发微卫星标记，以最大限度地提高数据质量。将评估常见苏格兰Maerl物种的固碳能力，以提高对Maerl在蓝碳加工中的作用的了解。这一点，再加上对苏格兰各地床位遗传联系的了解，将被用来评估目前的MAERL保护策略，并在必要时为未来更有针对性和更有效的政策提出建议。优先保育的地区，例如为周围病床提供遗传物质来源的地区、遗传多样性高的地区或具有高固碳能力的地区，将被确定并建议为保育地区。