Structuring mechanisms and transformative potential of cold marine benthic ecosystems

北方纬度的冷海洋底栖生态系统预计在今后几十年内将发生重大变化。了解CMBEs改变的驱动因素及其对海洋栖息地和资源的保护和管理的影响对加拿大等许多北方国家至关重要，因为它们的经济和社会结构的很大一部分严重依赖于CMBEs的稳定性和生产力。我的下一个5年NSERC计划将产生核心/关键生态信息的两个普遍的CMBEs -海带床和rhodolith床-和一个占主导地位的海洋食草动物-绿色海胆-在寒冷的海洋系统的纽芬兰和拉布拉多。目的是建立一个健全的、以科学为基础的基础，以从事可持续的绿色海胆性腺产业。这项研究的一部分将建立在我以前的NSERC计划的研究结果的基础上，这一过程将再次涉及高度包容性和以团队为导向的学生群体，并开发最能满足我的计划和更广泛的研究社区需求的新方法/技术。我们将联合收割机结合实验室和现场实验和调查，并使用多种传统的最先进的技术（例如，水肺潜水，潜水毫米精度三维激光相机，高精度测绘无人机，人工智能），以确定生态的重要性，稳定性和脆弱性的海带床和红长石床的自然和人为压力。我们将在各种生物（细胞到生态系统），空间（米到公里）和时间（周到月）尺度上进行这项工作，以获得全面的了解。我们将描述海带床，红长石床，绿色海胆和其他占主导地位的海洋生物之间的相互依存关系，以了解生态系统提供的服务范围，它们对环境变化的适应能力和绿色海胆资源的集中利用。我的计划将吸引13名新的高素质人员（HQP）进入9个不同的，但相互关联和发人深省的研究模块，将涉及与学术，政府和行业合作伙伴的合作，提供丰富和刺激的HQP培训环境。它提出了创新的技术变革，重点是北大西洋资源开发的有效方法，这些方法是可持续的，具有全球竞争力的，社会可接受的，并能适应变化。它将包括接纳，参与，支持和毕业研究人员和学生的多元化机构的活动，并注意加强历史上代表性不足的群体的访问和成功。这类计划对于加拿大和国外发展和维持海洋经济活动，同时保持国际竞争力非常重要。

Cold marine benthic ecosystems (CMBE) in northern latitudes are expected to undergo significant changes over the next few decades. Understanding the drivers of alterations to CMBEs and their implication for conservation and management of marine habitats and resources is crucial to many northern countries like Canada because a large portion of their economy and social fabric depends heavily on the stability and productivity of CMBEs. My next 5-year NSERC program will generate core/critical ecological information about two pervasive CMBEs - kelp beds and rhodolith beds - and a dominant marine grazer - green sea urchin - in the cold marine systems of Newfoundland and Labrador. The aim is to establish a sound, science-based foundation to engage into a sustainable green sea urchin gonad industry. A part of this research will build upon findings in my previous NSERC program, a process that will again involve a highly inclusive and team-oriented cohort of students and development of new methods/techniques that best serve the needs of my program and the broader research community. Together we will combine laboratory and field experiments and surveys, and use multiple conventional to state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. scuba diving, submersible millimeter-accuracy 3-D laser camera, high accuracy mapping drone, artificial intelligence), to determine the ecological importance, stability, and vulnerability of kelp beds and rhodolith beds to natural and anthropogenic stressors. We will do this across a variety of biological (cells to ecosystems), spatial (meters to kilometers) and temporal (weeks to months) scales to gain a comprehensive understanding. We will characterize the interdependence between kelp beds, rhodolith beds, green sea urchin, and other dominant marine organisms to understand the range of ecosystem services provided, their resilience to environmental variability and anthropocentric utilization of green sea urchin resources. My program will engage 13 new highly qualified personnel (HQP) into 9 different, yet interrelated and thought-provoking research modules that will involve collaborations with academic, government, and industry partners, providing a rich and stimulating HQP training environment. It proposes innovative technological changes focusing on effective approaches to North Atlantic resource development that are sustainable, globally competitive, societally acceptable, and resilient to change. It will include activities to admit, engage, support, and graduate a diverse body of researchers and students, with attention to enhancing access and success of historically underrepresented groups. This type of program is very important for Canada and abroad to develop and maintain marine economic activities while remaining competitive at an international scale.