IRES: US - Jordan, Population Dynamics and Metabolic Interactions Between Giant Sea Anemones and Symbiotic Anemonefish On Red Sea Coral Reefs

该项目旨在支持美国和约旦在红海珊瑚礁上巨型海葵和共生海葵之间的种群动态和代谢相互作用方面的IRES合作。美国的PI是阿拉巴马州奥本大学生物科学系的纳内特·查德威克博士。外国合作者是福阿德·奥拉尼博士和马鲁夫·哈拉夫博士，他们都在约旦亚喀巴的海洋科学站(MSS)工作。巨大的海葵和海葵在珊瑚礁上形成了最明显和可识别的共生关系之一。在红海，四色海葵和皱纹海葵是浅礁上最丰富的巨型海葵，它们是两带海葵的宿主。需要更多关于红海北部寄主海葵和海葵种群动态模式的信息。位于红海北端的约旦珊瑚礁养活了大量这种巨大的海葵和海葵。MSS的设施提供了一个独特的机会，可以将美国和约旦科学家的专业知识结合在一个协同计划中，以阐明这些具有重要生态意义的珊瑚礁生物的种群动态和相互作用的生理机制。在第一年，学生将开发关于静态种群模型应用于海葵和海葵种群大小结构的假设，以及关于宿主海葵的生态生理学的假设。实地工作将包括在与MSS相邻的已界定的珊瑚礁区域内单独标记海葵和共生鱼，并收集关于这两个物种成员的丰度、共生组合模式和种群结构的基线数据。实验室工作将包括测量宿主海葵的呼吸和光合作用，以确定客鱼对宿主新陈代谢的影响。学生将从三种类型的数学模型中选择应用于人口统计数据。在第二年，学生将根据自第一次人口普查以来海葵和海葵种群的变化，以及海葵的生态生理学，制定假设，将动态信息应用于种群模型。实地工作将包括重新调查人口和应用动态人口模型。学生们还将研究海葵鱼的氧通量模式。在第三年，学生将提出假设，将多年信息应用于种群模型，并在一起测试海葵和海葵时的生态生理学。知识价值：该项目将增加对生态重要的巨型海葵和海葵种群动态的了解，以及它们在珊瑚礁受到干扰后恢复的潜力。它还将揭示其中一种宿主海葵物种作为鱼类苗圃栖息地的程度。阐明珊瑚虫和鱼类之间的相互作用如何影响它们的氧通量模式，将有助于加深对珊瑚礁生物相互联系方式的理解，并揭示珊瑚礁共生中生态生理机制的复杂性。更广泛的影响：该项目将有助于为在世界其他地区可持续捕捞这些生物提供科学基础，在那里收集这些生物用于观赏水族馆贸易。它还将提高学生参与者的环境意识、文化理解和国际视野，并使他们接触到中东这个具有重要地理和政治意义的地区的阿拉伯穆斯林国家的文化。21名美国学生将学习实地调查方法和数学建模技术，以分析海葵的种群动态。他们将与该领域的两名约旦专家合作，指导学生掌握鱼类学技术，建立海葵种群动态的模型，并评估寄主海葵受留鱼影响的呼吸和光合作用。在这个项目中，学生将提出科学假设，设计个人研究项目，并以口头和书面形式分析和展示他们的结果。他们将在独特的珊瑚礁环境中接触到实验室和实地研究技术。该项目由国际科学和工程办公室和综合组织系统司资助。

0733604ChadwickThe project is to support an IRES for US-Jordan Collaboration on population dynamics and metabolic interactions between giant sea anemones and symbiotic anemonefish on Red Sea coral reefs. The US PI is Dr. Nanette Chadwick, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. The foreign collaborators are Dr. Fouad Al-Horani and Dr. Maroof Khalaf, both at the Marine Science Station (MSS) in Aqaba, Jordan. Giant sea anemones and anemonefish form one of the most conspicuous and recognizable symbiotic interactions on coral reefs. In the Red Sea, individuals of Entacmaea quadricolor and Heteractis crispa are the most abundant giant sea anemones on shallow reefs, where they host the two-banded anemonefish Amphiprion bicinctus. More information is needed on patterns of population dynamics in both host anemones and anemonefish in the northern Red Sea. The coral reefs of Jordan at the northern tip of the Red Sea support large populations of these giant sea anemones and anemonefishes. The facilities of the MSS provide a unique opportunity to combine the expertise of U.S. and Jordanian scientists in a synergistic program to elucidate population dynamics and physiological mechanisms of interaction in these ecologically important reef organisms. In the first year, students will develop hypotheses concerning the application of static population models to the population size structures of sea anemones and anemonefish, and concerning the ecophysiology of host sea anemones. Field work will consist of individually marking sea anemones and symbiotic fish within a defined reef area adjacent to the MSS, and collecting baseline data on abundance, patterns of symbiotic association, and population structure of members of both species. Laboratory work will involve measurements of respiration and photosynthesis of host sea anemones to determine effects of the guest fish on host metabolism. Students will select from 3 types of mathematical models to apply to the demographic data. In the second year, students will develop hypotheses on the application of dynamic information to population models, based on change in the sea anemone and anemonefish populations since the first census, and on the ecophysiology of anemonefishes. Field work will consist of recensusing the populations and applying dynamic demographic models. Students also will examine patterns of oxygen flux in anemonefishes. In the third year, students will develop hypotheses concerning application of multi-year information to population models, and on the ecophysiology of both sea anemones and anemonefish when tested together. Intellectual merit: This project will increase understanding of the population dynamics of ecologically-important giant sea anemones and anemonefish, and their potential for recovery following disturbances on coral reefs. It also will reveal the extent to which one of the host anemone species serves as a nursery habitat for fish. Elucidation of how interaction among cnidarians and fish affects their patterns of oxygen flux will enhance understanding of the ways in which reef organisms are interconnected, and reveal the complexity of ecophysiological mechanisms in a coral reef symbiosis. Broader impacts: This project will contribute to a scientific basis for the sustainable harvest of these organisms in other parts of the world where they are collected for the ornamental aquarium trade. It also will enhance the environmental awareness, cultural understanding, and international outlook of student participants, and will expose them to the culture of an Arabic Muslim country in the biogeographically and politically important region of the Middle East. 21 U.S. students will be exposed to field survey methods and mathematical modeling techniques for analysis of population dynamics in sea anemones. They will work with two Jordanian experts in the field who will mentor the students in ichthyological techniques and modeling of population dynamics in the anemonefish and in assessment of respiration and photosynthesis in host sea anemones as affected by resident fish. In this program, students will develop scientific hypotheses, design individual research projects, and analyze and present their results orally and in written form. They will be exposed to laboratory and field research techniques in a unique coral reef environment. This project is funded by the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.