REU: Herbivory and Bioturbation as Regulators of Sea Grass Meadow Size in the N. Gulf of Mexico: Field Tests of the Effects of Urchin Grazing & Sand Dollar Sediment Disturb

海胆的食草性已被证明是限制海带林生境分布的一个控制因素。但到目前为止，其在限制海草生境分布中的作用尚未得到充分调查。此外，动物无脊椎动物（如鬼虾和沙虾）的生物扰动也被认为限制了海草栖息地的局部分布，但生物扰动在控制海草草甸大小方面的相对重要性也知之甚少。通过野外实验，确定海胆的取食、沙块对海草的生物扰动以及沙块生物扰动与海胆取食在限制海草生境分布中的潜在相互作用。这项研究的结果应该增加现有的知识体系和未经检验的理论关于近岸生态系统的结构因素。

Sea urchin herbivory has been demostrated to be a controlling factor in limiting the distribution of kelp forest habitats. But as yet, its role in limiting the distribution of seagrass habitats in inadequately investigated. In addition, bioturbation by infaunal invertebrates, i.e., ghost shrimp and sand dollars has also been suggested as limiting the local distribution of seagrass habitats, but the relative importance of bioturbation in controlling the size of seagrass meadows is also poorly understood. Field experiments will be conducted to identify the roles of sea urchin herbivory, bioturbation of seagrasses by sand dollars, and the potential interaction between sand dollar bioturbation and sea urchin herbivory in limiting the distribution of seagrass habitats. The results of this study should add to the existing body of knowledge and untested theories concerning the factors structuring nearshore ecosystems.