SGER: The Causes of Range Expansions during El Nino

过去对厄尔尼诺现象的研究表明了对海洋生态系统的各种影响--风暴造成的干扰增加，营养物质浓度降低导致的生产力下降，以及温度升高导致的死亡率上升。然而，可以说最大的影响是沿着海岸的物种重新分布。在1982/83年的厄尔尼诺现象中，范围的扩大是一种常见的现象，因为南部的物种被发现在它们典型的范围以北。这项研究的目的是检查之间的联系，在目前的厄尔尼诺现象和浮游幼虫的扩散和随后的解决改变环流模式。由于海洋无脊椎动物的微观幼虫就像沿着海岸释放的数百万漂流物，因此这项研究的结果也可以帮助我们解释与大型厄尔尼诺相关的物理海洋学变化。一旦我们确定了厄尔尼诺现象导致的幼虫入侵模式，我们将能够研究入侵社区的后果。未来的研究将跟踪1997/98年厄尔尼诺现象消失后移植个体的命运。总之，这些研究将大大提高我们对海洋生态系统如何应对这一重大气候事件的理解。

Past studies of El Nino have suggested a variety of impacts on marine ecosystems-increased disturbance from storms, reduced productivity from lowered nutrient concentrations, and elevated mortality from increased temperatures. Arguably the largest effect, however, is the redistribution of species along the coast. Range extensions were a common phenomenon in the 1982/83 El Nino, as southern species were found well north of their typical range. This study is designed to examine the connections, between altered circulation patterns during the present El Nino and the dispersal and subsequent settlement of pelagic larvae. Because the microscopic larvae of marine invertebrates are like millions of drifters released along the shore, the results of this study can also help us interpret the physical oceanographic changes associated with a large El Nino. Once we determine the patterns of larval invasion driven by the El Nino, we will be in a position to examine the consequences to the invaded communities. Future studies will follow the fate of transplanted individuals after the 1997/98 El Nino goes away. Together, these studies will greatly enhance our understanding of how marine ecosystems respond to this major climatic event.