Line Island Foraminifera – the ultimate stepping stone for the dispersal of species across the Pacific Ocean

莱恩群岛由太平洋中部的11个环礁组成，是世界上最孤立的岛屿之一。它们占据了热带珊瑚礁生物地理分布的关键位置，并作为物种在整个热带太平洋扩散的最终垫脚石。然而，它们作为珊瑚礁生物扩散场所的关键作用受到个别物种有限的扩散能力的限制，这种能力受到温度梯度、营养条件和水流模式的限制。根据以往对太平洋大型和小型底栖有孔虫的研究，这一后续提案将确定底栖有孔虫动物的全部清单，并将其编入一本图文并茂的专著。因此，可以将记录的物种多样性与太平洋现有有孔虫数据库进行比较。通过这种比较，将有可能确定i.）地方性程度，二）。（三）个体的传播能力;线岛在地理学中的关键作用，以及iv.）调节整个太平洋的分类群分布的因素。根据我们以前对基里蒂马蒂、金曼和帕尔米拉的底栖有孔虫的研究，将对另外三个莱恩群岛进行研究，以收集完整的数据。这些岛屿包括：塔布埃兰/范宁、泰赖纳和贾维斯岛。 将通过SEM记录采集的所有种属，并识别至种属水平。除了一份关于Kirimati有孔虫的出版物，其中只记录了29种有孔虫，对Line Island的有孔虫一无所知。到目前为止，我们已经记录和说明了100多个物种从基里巴斯，金曼和帕尔米拉的岛屿，从而翻两番的所有物种的数量从那里描述。 随着对塔布埃兰/范宁群岛、特莱纳岛和贾维斯岛有孔虫的进一步分析，这一数字可能会大幅增加。将使用扫描电子显微镜记录所有记录的物种，并将在深度梯度上量化其分布。为了继续研究人类活动对动物区系多样性、生境分布和组成的影响，将对无人居住岛屿（金曼、贾维斯和帕尔米拉）和有人居住岛屿（塔布埃兰、泰赖纳、基里巴斯）的底栖有孔虫进行比较研究。

The Line Islands form a chain of 11 atolls in the central Pacific Ocean and are among the most isolated islands in the world. They occupy a key position for the biogeographical distribution of tropical reef organisms, and function as the ultimate stepping stones for the dispersal of species throughout the tropical Pacific. However, their key role as dispersal sites for reef organisms is countered by the limited dispersal capabilities of individual species, which are limited by temperature gradients, nutrient conditions, and current patterns. Based on previous studies of large and small benthic foraminifera in the Pacific, this follow-up proposal will determine the entire inventory of the benthic foraminiferal fauna and document it in a fully illustrated monograph. The documented species diversity can thus be compared with existing foraminifera databases of the Pacific. Through this comparison, it will be possible to determine i.) the degree of endemism, ii.) the dispersal ability of individual species, iii.) the key role of the Line Island for biogeography, and iv.) the factors regulating the distribution of taxa across the Pacific. Based on our previous studies of the benthic foraminifera of Kiritimati, Kingman, and Palmyra, three additional Line Islands will be studied for complete data collection. They include: Tabuaeran/Fanning, Teraina, and Jarvis Island. All species collected will be documented by SEM and identified to species level. Apart from a single publication on foraminifera from Kirimati, where only 29 species were recorded, nothing is known about foraminifera from the Line Island. To date, we have documented and illustrated over 100 species from the islands of Kiritimati, Kingman, and Palmyra, thus quadrupling the number of all species described from there. With additional analysis of foraminifera from Tabuaeran/Fanning Islands, Teraina Island and Jarvis Island, this number is likely to increase substantially. All species recorded will be documented with scanning electron microscopy and their distribution will be quantified over depth gradients. To continue our investigation on the effects of anthropogenic activities on faunal diversity, habitat distribution, and composition, comparative studies of benthic foraminifera from uninhabited (Kingman, Jarvis, and Palmyra) and inhabited islands (Tabuaeran, Teraina, Kiritimati) will be conducted.