To Study The Impact of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Microbial Communities and Function

这是一项研究2010年4月墨西哥湾BP石油泄漏对细菌群落总体影响的提案，特别是蛭弧菌和类似生物（BALO）及其猎物细菌的捕食作用。这一新的研究方向与现有HBCU的总体目标一致，RISE项目，旨在更好地了解BALO对其猎物的捕食以及捕食性细菌对细菌死亡率的贡献，从而控制水生系统中的细菌种群。微生物负责许多维持健康的水生和陆地生态系统的自然过程。令人极为关切的是，海湾沃茨和沉积物中的石油沉积将破坏微生物群落及其负责的系统功能，该项目将监测细菌群落的变化，并调查捕食这一重要生态功能的变化。更广泛的影响：该项目将吸引本科生和研究生参与研究美国最大的灾难性石油泄漏事件的影响。智力优势：这项研究将揭示石油泄漏对微生物群落及其功能的影响以及一般生态系统的新科学数据。

This is a proposal to study the impact of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April, 2010, on the bacterial community in general, and specifically on predation involving Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs) and their prey bacteria.This new thrust is consistent with the general aim of an existing HBCU-RISE project which is to better understand predation by BALOs on their prey and the contributions of the predatory bacteria to bacterial mortality,and,thereby, the control of bacterial populations in aquatic systems. Microorganisms are responsible for many of the natural processes that maintain healthy aquatic and terrestial ecosystems. There is great concern that the oil deposits in Gulf waters and sediments will disrupt the microbial community and those system functions for which they are responsible.The project will monitor the changes in the bacterial community and investigate the changes on an important ecological function,which is predation. Broader Impacts:The project will engage both undergraduate and graduate students in studying the impact of the largest catastrophic oil spill event in the US.Intellectual Merit:This research will uncover new scientific data on both the impacts of oil spills on microbial communities and their functions, and in the ecological systems in general.