Collaborative Research: Impacts of Elevated pCO2 on a Dominant Aragonitic Pteropod (Thecosomata) and its Specialist Predator (Gymnosomata) in the Ross Sea

大气中二氧化碳浓度的上升导致海洋吸收更多的人为二氧化碳。二氧化碳分压升高会通过影响钙化率的碳酸盐饱和度降低和酸碱（代谢）生理紊乱影响海洋生物。翼足类软体动物（Thecosomata）的外壳由文石制成，文石是一种高度可溶的碳酸钙，这表明这些生物可能对二氧化碳增加和碳酸根离子浓度降低特别敏感。在南极极锋以南的碳酸钙出口中占主导地位的尾体翼足类动物将是第一个主要的海洋钙化生物群体，由于人为二氧化碳的影响，它们将在目前的部分地理范围内经历碳酸盐不饱和。一个不寻常的，共同进化的关系thecosomes和他们专门的gymnosome捕食者提供了一个独特的背景下，以评估二氧化碳分压升高的生理和生态的重要性。翼足类动物是南极生态系统的重要组成部分，有可能影响浮游植物种群、碳输出和二甲基硫含量，进而通过海洋-大气反馈回路影响全球气候。 该研究将通过实验室实验量化二氧化碳升高对罗斯海主要文石翼足类动物Limacina helicina及其专业捕食者裸体Clione anarctica的影响。将广泛传播研究结果，以提高对这一领域的科学认识。该项目涉及研究人员之间的合作，主要是本科院校的学生，通常在研究环境中代表性不足（加州州立大学圣马科斯- CSUSM）和博士学位，授予机构（罗得岛大学- URI）。该计划将通过CSUSM和URI的本科生和研究生的联合教育促进教育和学习，作为研究团队的一部分，以及通过主要研究者的教学活动。基廷博士，CSUSM科学教育教授，将参加麦克默多实地考察，并领导该项目的推广机会。

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have resulted in greater oceanic uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide can impact marine organisms both via decreased carbonate saturation that affects calcification rates and via disturbance to acid-base (metabolic) physiology. Pteropod molluscs (Thecosomata) form shells made of aragonite, a type of calcium carbonate that is highly soluble, suggesting that these organisms may be particularly sensitive to increasing carbon dioxide and reduced carbonate ion concentration. Thecosome pteropods, which dominate the calcium carbonate export south of the Antarctic Polar Front, will be the first major group of marine calcifying organisms to experience carbonate undersaturation within parts of their present-day geographical ranges as a result of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. An unusual, co-evolved relationship between thecosomes and their specialized gymnosome predators provides a unique backdrop against which to assess the physiological and ecological importance of elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide. Pteropods are functionally important components of the Antarctic ecosystem with potential to influence phytoplankton stocks, carbon export, and dimethyl sulfide levels that, in turn, influence global climate through ocean-atmosphere feedback loops. The research will quantify the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on a dominant aragonitic pteropod, Limacina helicina, and its specialist predator, the gymnosome Clione antarctica, in the Ross Sea through laboratory experimentation. Results will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific understanding in this field. The project involves collaboration between researchers at a predominantly undergraduate institution with a significant enrollment of students that are typically underrepresented in the research environment (California State University San Marcos - CSUSM) and at a Ph.D.-granting institution (University of Rhode Island - URI). The program will promote education and learning through the joint education of undergraduate students and graduate students at CSUSM and URI as part of a research team, as well as through the teaching activities of the principal investigators. Dr. Keating, CSUSM professor of science education, will participate in the McMurdo fieldwork and lead the outreach opportunities for the project.