Investigating the role of population patchiness in invasion success of zooplankton

生物入侵，即非本地物种被引入到其自然范围以外的地点，正在全球范围内发生，对入侵栖息地的生态和经济产生了意想不到的负面影响。为了防止新的入侵，我们需要更好地了解引进物种与新栖息地相互作用的方式。我的探索基金研究将专注于浮游动物(微型水生动物)与五大湖栖息地的相互作用，长期目标是防止浮游动物新的入侵。在接下来的五年周期中，我们将观察目前的速度和温度等自然栖息地因素的组合是否一直与高密度浮游动物种群有关，以及高密度种群是否一直与入侵成功联系在一起。这项研究将使我们能够检验这样一个假设，即浮游动物在五大湖的入侵成功可以在特定地点的基础上进行预测，并将为更好的预防计划提供洞察力，以保护这个宝贵的生态系统。

Biological invasions, where non-native species are introduced to locations beyond their natural range, are occurring globally with unintended negative impacts to the ecology and economy of the invaded habitat. In order to prevent new invasions, we need to have a better understanding of the way that an introduced species interacts with the new habitat. My Discovery Grant research will focus on the interaction of zooplankton (microscopic aquatic animals) with habitats in the Great Lakes, with a long term goal of preventing new invasions of zooplankton. Over the next 5-year cycle we will see if a combination of physical habitat factors, such as current speed and temperature, are consistently linked to high density populations of zooplankton, and if high density populations are consistently linked to invasion success. This research will allow us to test the hypothesis that invasion success of zooplankton in the Great Lakes can be predicted on a site-specific basis and will provide insight for better prevention programs to protect this valuable ecosystem.