IRFP: Evolution of Sensory Systems in the Invasive Ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9到24个月的研究。该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，并利用国外独特或互补的设施、专业知识和实验条件。作为国际研究奖学金计划的一部分，该奖项将支持Kevin Pang博士与Andreas Hejnol博士在挪威卑尔根的Sars国际海洋分子生物学中心合作的为期24个月的研究奖学金。入侵物种对海洋生态系统的主要影响是通过捕食浮游动物，减少浮游生物多样性，并消耗和直接与鱼苗竞争。入侵和破坏性的线虫(梳状果冻)，已经大规模地改变和减少了浮游生物多样性，并扩大到所有地区。我们的研究集中在两个关键的感官系统上，这两个系统是马尼奥普斯用来与环境相互作用的，也是这种捕食者对环境产生重大影响的原因。我们正在调查化学感觉系统(“味觉”)在食物选择中的作用，并检验压力感觉系统是否对每年垂直分布负责，这导致夏季几个月的种群激增。由于鞭毛虫是最早的分支动物类群之一，这项研究将为我们理解动物感觉系统的进化提供重要的见解。由于姆米奥普斯最近入侵了挪威水域，它是了解为什么姆米奥普斯如此成功的完美地点，我们的结果可能提供一种方法来防止或减少它对生态系统的影响。这个研究站点拥有回答这些问题所需的资源和设施，东道主是海洋无脊椎动物比较胚胎学领域的领先者。该项目使用多学科科学，以及最先进的研究设施和方法，并利用国际合作的协同作用，更好地了解生物功能的演变如何影响入侵物种对其环境的影响。该项目解决了有关入侵物种生物学的基本问题，这种入侵物种已经破坏了引入该物种的几个地区的生态系统和经济。气候变化和全球变暖很可能会导致更高的繁殖率，并使线虫的分布转移到北欧水域以及世界各地的其他海洋。通过调查食物选择性和垂直分布--这两个推动其繁殖能力和破坏生态系统的主要生物学特征--这项研究将导致对该物种的更多了解，并可能制定战略，将其在世界范围内的有害影响降至最低。海洋资源是拥有广阔沿海地区的国家的主要经济因素；找到保护这些资源的方法是人民的主要利益所在。

The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support a twenty-four-month research fellowship by Dr. Kevin Pang to work with Dr. Andreas Hejnol at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology in Bergen, Norway, as part of the International Research Fellowship Program. A major impact of invasive species on marine ecosystems is via predation on zooplankton, reducing planktonic diversity and both consuming and directly competing with fish larvae. The invasive and destructive ctenophore (comb jelly), Mnemiopsis leidyi, has massively altered and decreased planktonic biodiversity in all areas to where it has expanded. Our research focuses on two key sensory systems that Mnemiopsis uses to interact with its environment and are also responsible for the major impact of this predator on its environment. We are investigating the role of the chemosensory system ("taste") in food selection, as well as testing the hypothesis if the pressure sensory system is responsible for the annual vertical distribution, which leads to population blooms during the summer months. Since ctenophores are one of the earliest branching animal groups, this study will deliver important insights into our understanding of the evolution of animal sensory systems. Since Mnemiopsis recently invaded Norwegian waters, it represents the perfect site for understanding why Mnemiopsis is so successful, and our results may provide a way to prevent or lessen its impact on the ecosystem. This research site has the necessary resources and facilities to answer these questions, and the host is a leader in the field of comparative embryology of marine invertebrates. This project uses multidisciplinary science, along with state of the art research facilities and approaches, and utilizes the synergy of international collaborations to better understand how the evolution of organismal function influences the impact of an invasive species on its environment. The project addresses basic questions regarding the biology of an invasive species that has damaged the ecosystems and economy of several regions where it has been introduced. Climate change and global warming will most likely lead to a higher rate of reproduction and a shift of the distribution of Mnemiopsis to northern European waters, as well as other oceans worldwide. By investigating food selectivity and vertical distribution - two of the major characteristics of Mnemiopsis biology that drives its ability to reproduce and damage ecosystems - this research will lead to increased knowledge about this species and might open strategies to minimize its detrimental affects worldwide. Marine resources are major economic factors in nations with an extended coastal area; finding ways to protect these is of major interest of the population.