Collaborative Research: Connectivity in western Atlantic seep populations: Oceanographic and life-history processes underlying genetic structure

智力上的功绩。该项目综合了海洋环流、幼虫扩散、无脊椎动物生活史、种群遗传学和系统地理学的研究，以探索相对未被探索的深海化学合成生态系统中的当代和历史连通性问题。美洲内海的五个深海渗漏系统(IAS)被列为目标：布莱克海脊、佛罗里达Escapment、阿拉米诺斯峡谷、咸水池、巴巴多斯(El Pilar、Orenoque A、Orenoque B)。该项目将在与研究喷口系统相匹配的空间尺度上评估连通性(3500公里)，用一组嵌套渗漏(在巴巴多斯系统内)，在其中可在更多地方空间尺度(30至130公里)探索连通性，并与跨越深度(600米至3600米)和地理范围(30公里至3500公里)、具有不同生活史特征的物种进行连通性评估。主要目标是增进我们对深海连通性的一般知识。重点放在IAS中发生的物种和过程上，并关注海洋环流、生活史和遗传学。适用于浅水系统的问题推动了这项研究：1.系统中发生了哪些系统地理突变？重要的是要区分系统地理历史和连通性。种群之间没有共享等位基因的系统地理突变意味着长期的隔离历史，或者可能是神秘的物种。人口是否通过正在进行的移民联系在一起？这是关于海洋物种与浮游幼虫的连通性和遗传变异规模的根本问题。观察到的连通性背后的生物物理过程是什么？生物过程(例如，幼虫在水柱中的分布、繁殖时间和浮游幼虫的持续时间)与运输和扩散的物理过程相互作用，以确定连通性。IAS的海洋学模型将得到改进，并与拉格朗日幼虫运输模型相结合。实地计划包括对渗漏处的幼虫进行时间序列采样，记录水流速度，进行水柱采样以确定幼虫的分布潜力，对幼虫生物学和行为进行船上研究，以及对海底目标物种进行采样。系统发育和种群遗传学工具将被用来探索历史和当代的基因流动。科学团队之间的迭代互动将促进我们对深海连通性的了解，并在相对难以进入的环境中工作的限制下，开发有效和最佳的假设检验方法。自从它们被发现以来，深海化学合成生态系统一直是检验为浅水物种开发的范例的普遍性的新系统。这项研究将探索深海渗漏群落中依赖规模的生物多样性和招募动态，并将确定在这些斑块系统中种群持续存在和维持生物多样性的关键因素。更广泛的影响。鉴于专属经济区和公海上与海洋空间规划有关的新政策制度，在研究连通性的空间和时间尺度以及作为深海遗传划分基础的海洋学和生活史过程方面的能力(知识和专门知识)至关重要。将采用海景遗传方法，通过包括生物物理建模、对幼虫生物学和生态学的观察以及一套全面的分子工具来超越最先进的水平。将通过同行评议的出版物广泛传播成果，以促进科学理解，并将通过(I)培训6名研究生和1名博士后，(Ii)在专业会议和讲习班上介绍方法和成果，以及(Iii)通过为研究生和本科生举办专题讨论会和培训班，提高开展海洋学-生命史-遗传学耦合研究的能力。这项工作的结果将用于向从事深海海洋保护区网络设计的决策者提供信息。此外，还将开展两项创新活动：面向高级博士生和博士后的面向实地的跨学科深海研究课程，以及加强研究的广泛影响的驻海艺术家。

Intellectual Merit. This project integrates studies of oceanographic circulation, larval dispersal, invertebrate life histories, population genetics, and phylogeography to explore questions of contemporary and historical connectivity in relatively unexplored deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. Five deep-sea seep systems in the Intra- American Sea (IAS) are targeted: Blake Ridge, Florida Escarpment, Alaminos Canyon, Brine Pool, Barbados (El Pilar, Orenoque A, Orenoque B). This project will evaluate connectivity on spatial scales that match those at which vent systems are being studied (3500 km), with a set of nested seeps (within the Barbados system) within which connectivity can be explored at more local spatial scales (30 to 130 km), and with species that span depth (600 m to 3600 m) and geographic ranges (30 km to 3500 km) and that have diverse life-history characteristics. The primary objective is to advance our general knowledge of connectivity in the deep sea. The focus is on species and processes occurring in the IAS, with attention to oceanographic circulation, life histories, and genetics. Questions that apply in shallow-water systems motivate this study:1. What phylogeographic breaks occur in the system? It is important to distinguish between phylogeographic history and connectivity. A phylogeographic break with no shared alleles between populations implies a long history of isolation or possibly cryptic speciation.2. Are populations connected by ongoing migration? This is the fundamental question about connectivity and the scale of genetic variation in marine species with planktonic larvae.3. What biophysical processes underlie observed connectivities? Biological processes (e.g., larval distributions in the water column, timing of reproduction, and planktonic larval duration) and physical processes of transport and dispersion interact to determine connectivity.The oceanographic model for the IAS will be improved and coupled to a Lagrangian larval transport model. The field program includes time-series sampling of larvae at seeps with records of current velocities, water column sampling to determine larval distribution potential, shipboard studies of larval biology and behavior, and sampling of benthic target species. Phylogenetic and population genetic tools will be used to explore historical and contemporary gene flow. Iterative interactions among the science teams will advance our understanding of connectivity in the deep sea and to develop effective and best methods for hypothesis testing under the constraints of working in a relatively inaccessible environment. Since their discovery, deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems have been novel systems within which to test the generality of paradigms developed for shallow-water species. This study will explore scale-dependent biodiversity and recruitment dynamics in deep-sea seep communities, and will identify key factors underlying population persistence and maintenance of biodiversity in these patchy systems. Broader Impacts. Building capacity (knowledge and expertise) in studying spatial and temporal scales of connectivity and the oceanographic and life-history processes that underlie genetic subdivision in the deep sea is critical in light of emergent policy regimes in both Exclusive Economic Zones and on the High Seas related to marine spatial planning. A seascape genetic approach will be adopted to advance beyond the state-of-the-art through inclusion of biophysical modeling, observations of larval biology and ecology, and a comprehensive suite of molecular tools. Results will be broadly disseminated to advance scientific understanding through peer-reviewed publications and will enhance the capacity to undertake coupled oceanographic-life history-genetic studies through (i) training of 6 graduate students and 1 post-doc, (ii) through incorporation of approaches and results in presentations at professional meetings and workshops, and (iii) through presentations and discussions seminars and classes for graduate and undergraduate students. Results of this work will be used to inform policymakers engaged in the design of deep-sea networks of marine reserves. In addition, two innovative activities will be undertaken: a field-oriented interdisciplinary deep-sea research course for advanced PhD students and post-docs, and an artist-in-residence at sea that enhance the broad impact of the research.