COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Processes and patterns in back arc basin hydrothermal vent communities

该项目的主要目标是了解在东劳扩散中心热液喷口发现的群落类型中的物种分布。一个物种?基本生态位的定义是其对非生物条件的耐受性，实现的生态位受到负向种间相互作用的约束，但也受到正向种间相互作用的扩展。在热液喷口生态系统中，后生动物的能量和食物的最终来源是喷口流体，它是从海底空间有限的区域排放出来的。作为一个生态系统，喷口在一定程度上是非典型的，因为初级生产力的梯度与生态应激源（包括有毒化学和高温）的梯度呈正相关。由此产生的对物种分布的强自下而上控制与各种正、负生物相互作用相互作用，限制了每个物种实现的生态位。为了实现这项研究的目标，合作研究人员将结合实验室研究、现场观察和测量分析以及操作实验。为了确定关键的共生动物群的潜在（基本）生态位，他们将在船上进行加压呼吸器实验，确定它们的热耐受性和偏好，对高硫化物和低氧水平的耐受性，并确定每种硫的使用和释放。为了确定主要动物群的可实现生态位，他们将分析空间相关的原位生物群落和热液流体物理化学数据。为了了解驱动关键动物基本生态位和实现生态位之间差异的机制，他们将进行一系列原位操作实验，以表征基础物种之间的积极和消极相互作用。本建议将继续在岭2000刘氏盆地研究地点进行综合研究的大型生物组成部分。除了维持这些科学家典型的高水平的公共和中学外展活动外，该项目将被纳入Ridge 2000 GLOBE教育计划：？从本地到极端环境（FLEXE）。这些科学家将在每次研究巡航中接待FLEXE团队的一名成员，并支持一名研究生与教育团队合作，解释为开发新的GLOBE协议而收集的环境数据和图像。本项目还将通过实验室之间的暑期交叉训练，支持至少5名研究生的跨学科培训，并为6-10名本科生提供研究机会。

A primary goal of this project is to understand species distributions in the types of communities found at the hydrothermal vents of the East Lau Spreading Center. A species? fundamental ecological niche is defined by its tolerance to abiotic conditions, with the realized niche constrained by negative inter-specific interactions, but also expanded by positive inter-specific interactions. In hydrothermal vent ecosystems the ultimate source of energy and food for the metazoans is the vent fluid, which is emitted from spatially limited areas on the sea floor. As an ecosystem, vents are somewhat atypical in that gradients of primary productivity are positively correlated with gradients of ecological stressors that include toxic chemistry and high temperatures. The resultant strong bottom up controls on species distribution at vents interact with a variety of positive and negative biological interactions to constrain the realized niche of each species. To meet the goal of this research, the collaborating investigators will use a combination of laboratory studies, analyses of in situ observations and measurements, and manipulative experiments. To define the potential (fundamental) niches of the key, symbiont-containing fauna, they will conduct shipboard experiments in pressurized respirometers and determine their thermal tolerances and preferences, tolerances to high sulfide and low oxygen levels, and determine which sulfur species are used and released by each. In order to define the realized niches of the major fauna they will analyze spatially correlated in situ biological community and hydrothermal fluid physiochemical data. In order to understand the mechanisms that drive the differences between the fundamental and realized niches of the key fauna, they will conduct a series of in situ manipulative experiments to characterize both positive and negative interactions among the foundation species. This proposal will continue a macrobiological component of the Integrated Studies at the Ridge 2000 Lau Basin study site. In addition to maintaining the high level of public and secondary school outreach activity typical of these scientists, this project will be integrated into the Ridge 2000 GLOBE education program: ?From Local to Extreme Environments (FLEXE).? These scientists will host a member of the FLEXE team on each research cruise and support a graduate student to work with the educator team on the interpretation of the environmental data and imagery collected for development of new GLOBE protocols. This project will also support inter-disciplinary training of at least 5 graduate students, through summer cross-training among labs, and provide research opportunities for 6-10 undergraduate students.