Influence of organism-scale turbulence on the predatory impacts of a suite of cnidarian medusae

形成水华的水母在数量、频率和数量上都在增加，部分原因是人为影响，这突出表明需要加强对水母主导的生态系统中营养交换的了解。水母和它们的猎物之间的相互作用是由形态、行为和独特的流体特征驱动的，这些特征导致了物种特定的猎物选择模式。捕食者产生的流体特征缠绕着猎物，而能动的猎物有机体已经进化出对这些刻板印象的流体特征的感知和反应。这些独特的流体信号的形状和相干性强烈地受到湍流的影响，而湍流在海洋中无处不在。然而，在喂养研究中，湍流的影响几乎总是被忽略。这个为期三年的项目将利用在华盛顿州星期五港实验室收集的一套具有独特形态、流体特征和猎物选择模式的蛇形水母来研究湍流对捕食者-猎物相互作用的影响。智力价值：这个项目试图建立一种详细的、机械的理解，利用胶状浮游动物捕食者和不同的捕食模式，对湍流对生物尺度捕食者-猎物相互作用的影响进行了解。PI将通过在实验室为脆弱的浮游生物设计的湍流发生器中研究游泳行为、尾流结构和捕食者与猎物的相互作用，来研究不同湍流水平下的猎物选择。PI还将使用独立的水下测速仪(SCUVA)对湍流进行现场测量，并对生物行为进行观察。这是一种完全潜水的流动可视化仪器，它的使用将提供现场和实验室速率和行为的交叉校准。湍流对不同种类水母之间营养位置的影响将通过对猎物选择模式的实地研究来量化。建议的比较方法使用具有不同捕食模式的物种，将提供适用于其他类似类别的浮游捕食者的见解。广泛的影响：两名本科生将接受指导和培训，并将通过COSEE计划招募，该计划针对社区大学中代表不足的群体。学生将学习先进的流动可视化技术和处理脆弱浮游生物的策略，但更广泛地将获得对海洋环境的更多了解和对海洋科学职业机会的更多认识。PI将通过COSEE俄勒冈海岸博物学家大师计划向公众传授当地志愿者关于胶状浮游动物生物学和生态学的最新知识。还计划在一本关于水母的书中加入图片和研究成果，这本书是由一位科学作家撰写的，面向普通读者。

Bloom-forming jellyfish are increasing in number, frequency and magnitude, in part due to anthropogenic impacts, underscoring a need for enhanced understanding of trophic exchanges in jellyfish-dominated ecosystems. Interactions between jellyfish and their prey are driven by morphology, behavior, and unique fluid signatures that result in species-specific prey selection patterns. Fluid signatures generated by predators entrain prey, and motile prey organisms have evolved to sense and respond to these stereotyped fluid signatures. The shape and coherence of these unique fluid signatures are strongly mediated by turbulence, which is ubiquitous in the ocean. Yet, the effects of turbulence are almost always neglected in feeding studies. This three-year project will investigate the influence of turbulence on predator-prey interactions using a suite of cnidarian hydromedusae with unique morphologies, fluid signatures and prey selection patterns collected in the region of Friday Harbor Laboratory, WA. Intellectual Merit: This project seeks to establish a detailed, mechanistic understanding of the effects of turbulence on organism-scale predator-prey interactions using gelatinous zooplankton predators with contrasting predation modes. The PI will investigate prey selection under varying levels of turbulence by studying swimming behavior, wake structure, and predator-prey interactions in a laboratory turbulence generator designed for fragile plankton. The PI will also make in situ measurements of turbulence and observations of organism behavior using a Self-contained Underwater Velocimetry Apparatus (SCUVA). This is a fully submersible instrument for flow visualization, and its use will provide a cross-calibration of field and laboratory rates and behaviors. The influence of turbulence on trophic position among the different species of hydromedusae will be quantified through field studies of prey selection patterns. The proposed comparative approach using species with distinct predation modes will provide insights applicable to other planktonic predators that can be similarly grouped.Broader impacts: Two undergraduate students will receive mentoring and training, and will be recruited through a COSEE program aimed at under-represented groups in community colleges. Students will learn advanced flow visualization techniques and strategies for working with fragile plankton but will more generally gain an increased understanding of the marine environment and an increased awareness of career opportunities in marine sciences. The PI will reach out to the public through the COSEE Oregon Coast Master Naturalist Program by teaching local volunteers current knowledge about the biology and ecology of gelatinous zooplankton. Plans are also underway to include images and research findings in a book about jellyfish authored by a science writer and geared to a general audience.