Effects of salt marsh (Spartina alterniflora) genotypic diversity and the associated community on population and community processes

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。关于生物多样性的生态学研究通常集中在物种多样性的影响上，然而越来越多的证据表明物种内部的多样性，即遗传变异，对种群、群落和生态系统水平过程的重要性。本项目研究美国墨西哥湾沿岸具有生态和经济价值的盐沼生态系统中植物遗传多样性与相关物种之间的关系。这些盐沼以互花米草（米草属）一种植物为主，但植物在生长速度、形态和竞争能力等重要生态性状上存在遗传差异，与米草属密切相关的几种动物群物种对植物的生物量和生产力有重要影响。本项目将量化在共同环境中生长的米草属基因型之间的形态变异程度，并研究这种多样性对佛罗里达州墨西哥湾沿岸沼泽中多个空间尺度上其他物种的影响。通过田间试验研究米草属植物个体基因型与主要伴生物种之间的关系，并通过实验研究米草属植物遗传多样性和伴生物种的存在对沼泽生产力的交互作用。该项目将为重要海洋基础物种遗传多样性的生态作用提供重要信息，并将促进我们对植物遗传多样性与依赖它们的动物群落之间相互作用的总体理解。盐沼和其他沿海生态系统越来越多地受到开发、捕鱼和其他人类活动的影响，在一些地区出现了显著下降。遗传多样性可以是海洋植被移植成功以及相关群落的生产力和多样性的重要组成部分。因此，该项目将对盐沼恢复产生影响，这是目前墨西哥湾沿岸重大努力的重点。此外，通过与圣约瑟夫湾水生保护区合作举办的公共活动，将向公众普及有关盐沼和环境科学的知识。该项目还将为研究生和本科生提供生态学和分子技术方面的研究培训。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Ecological research on biodiversity has typically focused on the effects of species diversity, yet a growing body of evidence points to the importance of diversity within species, i.e., genetic variation, for population, community, and ecosystem level processes. This project examines the relationship between plant genetic diversity and associated species in the ecologically and economically valuable salt marsh ecosystem along the Gulf Coast of the United States. These salt marshes are dominated by a single plant species, Spartina alterniflora, but plants differ genetically in ecologically-important traits such as growth rate, morphology, and competitive ability, and several faunal species closely associated with Spartina can have strong impacts on plant biomass and productivity. This project will quantify the degree of morphological variation among Spartina genotypes grown in a common environment, and investigate the consequences of this diversity to other species at multiple spatial scales in marshes along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Field experiments will be conducted to examine the relationship between individual Spartina genotypes and key associated species, and to experimentally investigate the interactive effects of Spartina genetic diversity and associated species presence on marsh productivity. This project will provide critical information on the ecological role of genetic diversity in an important marine foundation species, and will advance our general understanding of the interaction between genetic diversity in plants and the faunal communities that depend on them. Salt marshes and other coastal ecosystems are increasingly impacted by development, fishing, and other human activities, and have experienced significant declines in some areas. Genetic diversity can be an important component of transplant success of marine vegetation as well as the productivity and diversity of the associated community. Thus, this project will have implications for salt marsh restoration, currently the focus of significant effort along the Gulf Coast. In addition, outreach efforts through public events hosted in partnership with the St. Joseph Bay Aquatic Preserve will educate the public about salt marshes and environmental science in general. This project will also provide research training in ecology and molecular techniques for graduate and undergraduate students.