An autonomous submersible profiling and incubation system to investigate in-situ microbial activity and function in low oxygen waters

自主潜水分析和孵化系统，用于研究低氧水中的原位微生物活动和功能

• 批准号: RTI-2020-00826
• 负责人: MaldonadoPareja, Maria
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=693720
• 关键词: autonomous; submersible; profiling; incubation; system

Marine ecosystems are becoming increasingly stressed by rising temperatures, ocean acidification and the decline in dissolved O2 in the ocean interior (ocean deoxygenation). These stressors will cause substantial global changes in the physical, chemical and biological environment, ultimately affecting the ocean's biogeochemical cycles and metabolism.******Optimal dissolved O2 concentrations are critical for the proper functioning of most marine ecosystems. Models predict a decline of 1-7% in the global ocean O2 inventory over the next century, and a spatial and temporal increase in O2 starved regions, the so-called O2 minimum zones (OMZs). These OMZs comprise 8% of the global ocean today, and have already expanded in various regions, mainly due to rising temperatures and increased waste run-off from our farms and cities. Indeed, some coastal areas experience extreme O2-starvation events regularly, producing “dead zones” that decimate marine fisheries and alter food web structures. ******To predict how further ocean deoxygenation will change ocean metabolism and alter nutrient and energy cycles, we need to understand the functioning and regulation of microbial metabolisms in O2-starved regions. Advanced omic technologies have allowed us to elucidate links between microbial functioning and environmental conditions, and have revolutionized our understanding of marine ecology and elemental cycling. However, global biogeochemical models still lack the rates of many fundamental processes that link marine microbes and their diverse metabolic potential (from omic' data) with oceanic biogeochemical gradients over space and time. ******Here we request infrastructure funding for developing and building an autonomous submersible profiling and incubation system to investigate in-situ microbial activity and function in O2-starved regions. This system is the first of its kind, and will allow us to a) collect samples for microbial omics studies, and for dissolved and particulate trace metal and nutrient analyses, and b) determine authentic metabolic rates at in-situ depths, with minimal perturbation and high temporal and spatial resolution.******This system will enable more accurate depictions of the structure and functioning of present and future OMZs ecosystems, as well as of the ramifications of ocean deoxygenation, including its effect on global warming (via the production and consumption of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide), fisheries production and marine biodiversity. We will also provide training on state-of-the-art, standardized methodologies for sampling and processing of omic, physiological and biogeochemical samples for young oceanographers. This combined sampling approach?which includes physiology, omics, and biogeochemistry?is the holistic approach needed to identify community- or gene-based biomarkers to monitor and predict ecosystem function and biogeochemical cycles in a rapidly changing ocean.**

海洋生态系统因气温上升、海洋酸化和海洋内部溶解氧的下降(海洋除氧)而变得越来越紧张。这些应激源将导致全球物理、化学和生物环境发生重大变化，最终影响海洋的生物地球化学循环和新陈代谢。最佳的溶解氧浓度对大多数海洋生态系统的正常运作至关重要。模型预测，下个世纪全球海洋氧气库存将下降1-7%，氧气匮乏地区，即所谓的氧气最小区域(OMZ)，将在空间和时间上增加。今天，这些海洋保护区占全球海洋面积的8%，并已在不同地区扩大，主要是由于气温上升和我们的农场和城市废物流失增加。事实上，一些沿海地区经常经历极端的氧气饥饿事件，产生“死亡区”，摧毁海洋渔业，改变食物网络结构。*要预测海洋进一步除氧将如何改变海洋新陈代谢和改变营养和能量循环，我们需要了解氧气缺乏地区微生物代谢的功能和调节。先进的基因组技术使我们能够阐明微生物功能和环境条件之间的联系，并彻底改变了我们对海洋生态和元素循环的理解。然而，全球生物地球化学模型仍然缺乏将海洋微生物及其不同的代谢潜力(来自基因组数据)与海洋生物地球化学在空间和时间上的梯度联系起来的许多基本过程的速率。*我们在这里请求基础设施资金，用于开发和建设自主潜水剖面和培养系统，以调查氧气匮乏地区的现场微生物活动和功能。该系统是此类系统中的第一个，它将使我们能够a)为微生物组学研究以及用于溶解和颗粒痕量金属和营养分析收集样本，以及b)以最小的扰动和高的时间和空间分辨率在原位确定真实的代谢率。*该系统将能够更准确地描述目前和未来海洋失控区域生态系统的结构和功能，以及海洋脱氧的影响，包括其对全球变暖(通过二氧化碳、甲烷和一氧化二氮等温室气体的产生和消费)、渔业生产和海洋生物多样性的影响。我们还将为年轻的海洋学家提供关于最先进的标准化方法的培训，以采样和处理生物、生理和生物地球化学样本。这种综合采样方法--包括生理学、组学和生物地球化学--是识别基于群落或基因的生物标志物的整体方法，以监测和预测快速变化的海洋中的生态系统功能和生物地球化学循环。