Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve

01 Nov, 01 AM - 30 Jun, 01 PM

Planktonic larval settlement can be a major determinant of marine population and community dynamics. Settlement templates of Capitella spp. have been attributed to biological, chemical and hydrodynamic mechanisms. This suggests that in nature larvae rarely sink or swim down to the sea bed without encountering suspended flocculated particles (floc). Floc comprises organic compounds and phytodetritus, planktonic diatoms and benthic diatoms. Planktonic larval distribution is an important factor in marine food webs; planktivorous fish and benthic invertebrates rely upon larvae for food at different points in the cycle of settlement. Floc has an impact on larval distributions and may also influence larval availability to predators. Larvae associate with surfical aggregates via both physical and behavioral mechanisms, which remain unexamined. The purpose of this study is to investigate and identify the necessary chemical cue, examining the signaling pathways and aim to integrate the findings to ocean wide fluid state particle dynamics. Floc may be a transient larval venue facilitating habitat search, providing nutrition, or offering protection from predators. Analogous to an intermediate host as in many parasitic life histories. Alternatively, it could confer high mortality, reducing larval flux to the seabed. This raises the question could flocculated particles be beneficial or hindering. Studies from the literature have explored larval settlement in flocculated particles. They determined that larvae associate with surfical aggregates via both physical and behavioral mechanisms. But these studies did not elucidate as to why the larvae enter floc and the unknown associated mechanisms of attraction. Objectives and hypotheses: 1.To test the hypothesis that Capitella larvae are attracted to floc by chemical cues and determine if this is beneficial or hindering to larvae populations. 2.To elucidate a common pathway of marine invertebrate chemical signaling based on environmental parameters. 3.To link the floc model to and establish a general chemical signaling model for marine species. Upon approval to access Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve, we will collect mud/surface sediments from the channels. We would aim to cause minimum disturbance to this pristine habitat. We will take approximately 500g of surface sediment on an initial visit. We will not be interfering with this habitat in any other way. All experiments using Capitella spp. will be conducted in the lab. Capitella will readily consume surface sediment from Carpinteria as it is rich in organics, that it is why we have applied to take some surface sediments from this location.

Visit #19831 @Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 20825 | Research

A determination of the relationship between flocculated particles and planktonic larval settlement providing an integrative model for ocean particle dynamics and its associated effects on chemical signaling at a multi-trophic level.

research_scientist - University of California, Los Angeles

Reservation Members(s)

MARC BRENNAN Nov 1, 2009 - Jun 30, 2010 (242 days)
MARC BRENNAN Nov 1, 2009 - Jun 30, 2010 (242 days)
Group of 3 Undergraduate Student Nov 1, 2009 - Jun 30, 2010 (242 days)

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Day Use Only 5 Nov 1, 2009 - Jun 30, 2010