Collaborative Research: Settlement Site Location and Development of an Estuarine Crustacean: Responses to Chemical and Current Cues

许多河口甲壳类动物都有浮游幼虫，它们在海岸/陆架地区发育，然后作为幼虫返回河口。本研究旨在验证以下假设：河口甲壳类动物利用化学和物理线索(1)向河口上游迁移、定居和后期幼虫（meggalopae）的变态，以及(2)在特定栖息地的滞留和幼崽（J1-J3龄）。以蓝蟹（Callinectes sapidus）为代表，首先在化学选择管中测试刺激和抑制化学线索，以确定可能涉及栖息地定位的行为反应的有效浓度范围。进一步的实验室实验将利用桨轮水槽研究沉降点的位置、行为和沉降在现实流动条件、化学线索和结构的存在下。最后，刺激和抑制线索对变态的影响将被确定。这些信息将有助于我们更好地了解一些河口甲壳类动物成功完成幼虫期和早期幼年期生命周期的必要条件，并有助于我们建立一个综合描述模型，描述它们在从浮游阶段（幼虫期后）过渡到以底栖生物为主的幼年期对环境刺激的行为反应。

Tankersley Many estuarine crustaceans have planktonic larvae that develop in coastal/shelf areas and then return to estuaries as postlarvae. This study is designed to test the hypothesis that estuarine crustaceans use chemical and physical cues (1) for up-estuary transport, settlement, and metamorphosis of postlarvae (megalopae) and (2) for retention and juveniles (J1-J3 instars) in specific habitats. Using the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, as a representative species, stimulatory and inhibitory chemical cues will first be tested in a chemical choice tube to determine effective concentration ranges for behavioral responses that are potentially involved in habitat location. Further laboratory experiments with a paddle wheel flume will study settlement site location behavior and settlement in the presence of realistic flow conditions, chemical cues and structure. Finally, the effects of stimulatory and inhibitory cues on metamorphosis will be determined. This information will permit a better understanding of the conditions necessary for successful completion of the postlarval and early juvenile phases of the life cycle of some estuarine crustaceans and the development of an integrative descriptive model of the behavioral responses to environmental stimuli during the transition from a planktonic phase (postlarval) to a mostly benthic existence as a juvenile in a nursery habitat.