EAPSI: The Effects of Climate Change on Coral Larvae in Relation to Coral Reef Connectivity

海洋酸化（OA）被广泛认为是对珊瑚礁的一种与气候变化有关的威胁。OA可能会影响与珊瑚礁上种群之间自由游动的珊瑚幼虫交换有关的过程，现有的研究表明海水流动在珊瑚礁之间运输这些幼虫以保持生物多样性的重要性。然而，对珊瑚幼虫在水柱中的位置以及这是如何受到OA影响的知之甚少，这代表了在评估幼虫扩散和随后的种群间连接方面的一个关键知识空白。该项目的重点是从一个共同的珊瑚幼虫的行为和生理，以及这些功能将如何受到OA的影响。更大的目标是更好地了解OA和气候变化将如何改变珊瑚礁之间的连通性并介导物种组成的变化。该研究将与日本冲绳的Sesoko研究站的萨基Harii博士合作进行，作为琉球大学热带生物圈研究中心的一部分。该项目阐明了海洋酸化（OA）对Pocillopora damicornis早期生命阶段的影响，这是一种正在孵化的石珊瑚，重点关注其幼虫的行为和生理学。该项目采用三重方法：1）确定24小时内幼虫在水柱中的位置，2）测试OA对原位幼虫行为的影响（即，位置在水中），和3）检查亲暴露于OA对幼虫行为的影响。Harii博士成功地进行了许多关于育雏事件的实验，她的专业知识将有助于捕获幼虫并将其运送到实验性原位室。此外，Sesoko研究站的位置将允许未来跨太平洋比较在OA下P. damicornis幼虫的生理表现，并将与正在法属波利尼西亚Moorea进行的实验相结合，作为美国，日本和Moorea研究人员之间更大合作框架的一部分。通过科学研究的交流，扩大日美两国的文化关系，将继续加强两国的学术合作关系。该奖项是由NSF和日本科学振兴会共同资助的“东亚·太平洋夏季研究所”（East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes）项目，旨在支持美国研究生的夏季研究。

Ocean acidification, or OA, is widely recognized as a climate change-related threat to coral reefs. OA may affect processes related to the exchange of free-swimming coral larvae between populations on a reef, and existing research characterizes the importance of seawater flow in transporting these larvae among reefs in order to maintain biodiversity. However, less is known about the position of coral larvae in the water column and how this is affected by OA, representing a critical knowledge gap in evaluating larval dispersal and subsequent connectivity among populations. This project focuses on the behavior and physiology of larvae from a common coral and how these features will be affected by OA. The larger objective is to better understand how OA and climate change will alter connectivity among coral reefs and mediate changes in species composition. The research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Saki Harii at Sesoko Research Station in Okinawa, Japan, as part of the Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus.This project elucidates the effect of ocean acidification (OA) on the early life stages of Pocillopora damicornis, a brooding scleractinian coral, and focuses on the behavior and physiology of their larvae in situ. The project employs a threefold approach that: 1) determines the location of larvae in the water column over a 24-hour period, 2) tests for an effect of OA on behavior of larvae in situ (i.e., position in the water), and 3) examines the effect of parent exposure to OA on larvae behavior. Dr. Harii has successfully conducted many experiments on brooding events, and her expertise will aid in the capture and transport of larvae to experimental in situ chambers. Additionally, the location of Sesoko Research Station will allow for future cross-Pacific comparisons of the physiological performance of P. damicornis larvae under OA, and will be integrated with ongoing experiments conducted in Moorea, French Polynesia, as part of a larger framework of collaboration between researchers in the United States, Japan, and Moorea. Expanding cultural relations between Japan and the United States through the exchange of scientific research will continue to strengthen the academic partnership between the two countries.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.