Salinity in a changing world: salts as modifiers of aquatic animal physiology and fitness

不断变化的世界中的盐度：盐作为水生动物生理和健康的调节剂

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04153
• 负责人: Blewett, Tamzin
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=715686
• 关键词: Salinity; changing; world; salts; modifiers

Impacts of climate change will be mediated by the salinity of aquatic systems. Thus, there is an urgent need to investigate interactions between salinity and aquatic biota in order to understand the effects of a rapidly changing environment on the health of ecosystems. This program seeks to develop mechanistic knowledge of the salinity-organism interaction, and how this might influence future aquatic environments. One research objective will investigate how salinity contributes towards the invasive success of the European green crab. Recent work shows that this species can take up amino acids directly from the water, and that this may play a role in the crab's ability to withstand salinity fluctuations, and thus invade estuarine settings. Research will employ molecular, biochemical and physiological techniques to investigate amino acid transport in concert with mechanisms of salt and water balance to determine whether this invasive crab species is better equipped to use amino acids than native crab species. Studies will examine effects at a whole animal level, but the ability of the invasive species to thrive at the expense of a native species will also be investigated in experimental environmental systems. A second research objective seeks to understand the tolerance of freshwater animals to the increasing presence of salinity (e.g. via road salt run-off) in their natural habitats. Using many of the same molecular, biochemical and physiological tools employed in other objectives, the toxicological impact of different salt compositions will be examined, and the mechanisms by which these salts exert their effects will be explored. A third research focus will examine how salinity influences toxicity in aquatic animals living in Northern waters. These species exhibit biological characteristics that differ markedly from more temperate species, and given that regulations for the protection of aquatic systems have been developed in animals from warmer climates, such regulations may not be adequately protective of cold-water species. Metals are one important class of emerging toxicants in polar waters, and exert their effects through interfering with salt and water balance. Consequently, the sensitivity of Northern fish and aquatic invertebrates to metal toxicants will depend upon salinity, and their biological responses to salinity. Molecular, biochemical and physiological measurements will be combined with toxicological assays to characterize the sensitivity of Northern biota to a metal toxicant (copper) and to discern the influence that salinity has on this interaction. Collectively, this program will broaden our understanding of the role that salinity has in shaping organismal and ecological health, through enhanced knowledge of: the drivers of successful biological invasion; the sensitivity of freshwater animals to salts; and the applicability of current regulatory guidelines for the protection of Northern aquatic biota against metal toxicity.

气候变化的影响将通过水生系统的盐度来调节。因此，迫切需要调查盐度和水生生物区系之间的相互作用，以了解快速变化的环境对生态系统健康的影响。该计划旨在发展盐度-生物相互作用的机械知识，以及这可能如何影响未来的水生环境。其中一个研究目标将调查盐度如何有助于欧洲绿色蟹的入侵成功。最近的研究表明，这种物种可以直接从水中摄取氨基酸，这可能在螃蟹抵抗盐度波动的能力中发挥作用，从而入侵河口环境。研究将采用分子，生物化学和生理学技术来研究氨基酸运输与盐和水平衡的机制，以确定这种入侵的螃蟹物种是否比本地螃蟹物种更适合使用氨基酸。研究将在整个动物水平上考察影响，但入侵物种以牺牲本地物种为代价而茁壮成长的能力也将在实验环境系统中进行研究。第二个研究目标是了解淡水动物对自然栖息地中盐度增加（例如通过道路盐径流）的耐受性。使用许多相同的分子，生物化学和生理学的工具，在其他目标中，不同的盐组合物的毒理学影响将被检查，这些盐发挥其作用的机制将被探索。第三个研究重点将研究盐度如何影响生活在北方沃茨的水生动物的毒性。这些鱼种的生物特征明显不同于温带鱼种，鉴于已制定了保护水生系统免受温暖气候影响的法规，这些法规可能无法充分保护冷水鱼种。金属是极地沃茨中一类重要的新兴毒物，通过干扰盐和水平衡发挥其作用。因此，北方鱼类和水生无脊椎动物对金属毒物的敏感性将取决于盐度及其对盐度的生物反应。分子、生物化学和生理学测量将与毒理学分析相结合，以确定北方生物群对金属毒物（铜）的敏感性，并查明盐度对这种相互作用的影响。总的来说，该计划将扩大我们对盐度在塑造有机体和生态健康方面的作用的理解，通过增强对以下方面的了解：成功生物入侵的驱动因素;淡水动物对盐的敏感性;以及当前监管准则对保护北方水生生物群免受金属毒性的适用性。