Dissertation Research: Effects of propagule pressure and invasion resistance on establishment success of the toxic golden alga Prymnesium parvum

某些藻类物种可能产生巨大的社会经济代价，因为它们产生的毒素对环境中的其他物种以及人类有害。最近，一种金眼鲷在全国和全球的湖泊和水库中的有毒水华的频率和严重程度显着增加。在过去的十年里，这个物种通过美国水道的传播速度惊人。到目前为止，已有16个州确认了金藻导致的大量鱼类死亡。这个项目将研究两种假设的机制，如何入侵藻类物种成为建立在新的环境。第一个假设是，富含营养物质的水会产生多样性较低的微生物群落，从而对入侵的抵抗力较低。第二个假设是，入侵的成功仅仅是扩散到新栖息地的入侵者数量的函数。这项研究将在俄克拉荷马州大学生物站的室外水箱中进行实验，以测试一个湖泊群落抵御金藻入侵的能力。 实验处理将包括不同的金藻和不同水平的微生物多样性的社区，通过营养富集和量化使用DNA sequencing.This study represents a test of the applicability of the general ecological theory to understand淡水微生物多样性，但也提供了深入了解什么控制淡水有害藻类入侵。 因此，该项目的结果与淡水生态系统的管理具有广泛的相关性。研究结果将通过科学报告和期刊出版物传播，并通过与当地社区和K-12学生和访问大学生物站的教师的外联活动传播。 该项目支持研究生的论文研究。

Certain species of algae can have substantial socio-economic costs because they produce toxins that are harmful to other species in their environments, as well as to humans. Recently, a species of golden alga has exhibited a significant increase in its frequency and severity of toxic blooms in lakes and reservoirs nationally and globally. The spread of this species has been surprisingly rapid through US waterways during the last decade. To date, sixteen states have confirmed massive fish kills attributable to golden algae. This project will examine two hypothesized mechanisms for how invasive algal species become established in new environments. The first hypothesis is that enrichment of water with nutrients creates less diverse microbial communities, which are then less resistant to invasion. The second hypothesis is that invasion success is simply a function of the number of invaders that disperse to the new habitat. This research will conduct experiments in outdoor tanks at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station to test the ability of a lake community to resist invasion by golden algae. The experimental treatments will consist of different rates of introduction of golden algae and different levels of microbial diversity in the community, created through nutrient enrichment and quantified using DNA sequencing.This study represents a test of the applicability of general ecological theory to understanding freshwater microbial diversity, but also provides insight into what controls freshwater harmful algal invasions. As such, the results from this project are of broad relevance to the management of freshwater ecosystems. Results will be disseminated through scientific presentations and journal publications, and also through outreach to local communities and K-12 students and teachers that visit the university biological station. This project supports the dissertation research of a graduate student.