Current meter for larval and benthic ecology

用于幼虫和底栖生态学的海流计

• 批准号: 458626-2014
• 负责人: Metaxas, Anna
• 金额: $ 1.65万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=541989
• 关键词: Current; meter; larval; benthic; ecology

In this proposal, we request funds to purchase an instrument that can measure currents at different depths in the water. Metaxas's research focusses on populations of invertebrate organisms that live on the seafloor, such as sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, lobsters, and mussels, which have complex life cycles. As adults, they live and feed on the seafloor, but they produce larvae which may spend from a few hours to months in the water, being carried by currents. Larvae eventually move near the seafloor, attach to it and, following a sequence of morphological and physiological changes, turn into juveniles. These juveniles grow into reproductive adults. The number of new recruits that return to the adult populations will depend on the number of larvae that survive the period spent in the water column, migrate to the seafloor and transition successfully into juveniles. The proposed research will focus on factors that influence larval and juvenile survival, as well as the transition between these life history stages. Understanding the processes that occur at these early life history stages is important for the successful management of invertebrate species and fisheries, and the success of populations in marine protected areas. Current measurements will be used to interpret the distances and directions of larval dispersal. Scheibling's research investigates cyclical changes in kelp-bed ecosystems, arising from fluctuations in numbers of sea urchins that periodically overgraze seaweeds and create habitats with low biodiversity and productivity. In Nova Scotia, kelp beds recover when urchins in shallow water die-off due to disease. In deeper colder water, urchins are unaffected by disease and gradually migrate onshore resulting in renewed outbreaks. Scheibling's group is surveying the extent of these deep populations and relating patterns of urchin abundance to environmental factors, such as bottom currents. These deep-living urchins also can be an important larval source for shallow kelp beds, which in turn depends on water flow. Currents and oceanographic conditions will also determine the spread of the water-borne pathogen of urchins.

在这个提案中，我们要求资金购买一个可以测量不同水深的水流的仪器。Metaxas的研究重点是生活在海底的无脊椎生物种群，如海星、海胆、螃蟹、龙虾和贻贝，它们有复杂的生命周期。成年后，它们在海底生活和觅食，但它们的幼虫可能会在水里待上几个小时到几个月，被洋流带着。幼虫最终移动到海底附近，附着在海底，经过一系列形态和生理变化，变成幼鱼。这些幼鱼会长成具有生殖能力的成虫。回到成年种群的新成员的数量将取决于在水柱中度过一段时间的幼虫的数量，它们迁移到海底并成功地过渡到幼鱼。建议的研究将集中在影响幼虫和幼鱼生存的因素，以及这些生活史阶段之间的过渡。了解这些早期生活史阶段发生的过程对于无脊椎动物物种和渔业的成功管理以及海洋保护区种群的成功至关重要。目前的测量结果将用于解释幼虫扩散的距离和方向。Scheibling的研究调查了海带床生态系统的周期性变化，这是由海胆数量的波动引起的，海胆周期性地过度食用海藻，造成了生物多样性和生产力低下的栖息地。在新斯科舍省，当浅水中的海胆因疾病死亡时，海藻床会恢复。在较深较冷的水域，海胆不受疾病影响，逐渐向岸上迁移，导致疾病再次爆发。Scheibling的小组正在调查这些深海种群的范围，并将海胆数量的模式与环境因素（如海底洋流）联系起来。这些生活在深海的海胆也可能是浅层海带床的重要幼虫来源，而浅层海带床又依赖于水流。洋流和海洋学条件也将决定海胆水生病原体的传播。