The Role of Fish Introductions and Eradications on Community Assembly in Ponds

鱼类引进和消灭对池塘群落集会的作用

• 批准号: 0816113
• 负责人: Kevin Smith
• 金额: $ 58.04万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-08-15 至 2015-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0816113&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Role; Fish; Introductions; Eradications; Community

It is well-known that the introduction of predators into ecosystems in which they were not historically present can dramatically reduce local biodiversity. Yet the effects of predators at larger spatial scales may differ substantially from their local effects if predators alter the mechanisms by which communities assemble. This study will explore how the introduction and eradication of fish predators in previously fish-free freshwater habitats affects patterns of community assembly and the resulting local and regional biodiversity. First, an experimental pond array will be constructed to test for the causal relationship between fish introductions and biodiversity at different spatial scales. Second, in cooperation with public agencies and private landowners, the PIs will experimentally determine if eradication of introduced fish successfully restores local and regional biodiversity, or whether other interventions are also needed.Overall, this project will advance the understanding of how predator introductions and eradications structure biodiversity at different spatial scales. Furthermore, information from this project may ultimately lead to new practices for restoring biodiversity at large spatial scales, including protected natural areas. In addition to providing invaluable training for future scientists by incorporating several graduate and undergraduate students, this research will be integrated with an outreach program consisting of in-depth research experiences for Saint Louis, Missouri, area high school students.

众所周知，将捕食者引入生态系统中，在历史上，它们不存在的生态系统可以大大减少当地的生物多样性。然而，如果掠食者改变社区组装的机制，则较大空间尺度的捕食者的影响可能与其局部影响有很大不同。这项研究将探讨以前无鱼类栖息地中鱼类捕食者的引入和消除如何影响社区组装的模式以及由此产生的地方和区域生物多样性。首先，将构建一个实验性池塘阵列，以测试不同空间尺度下鱼类引入与生物多样性之间的因果关系。其次，与公共机构和私人土地所有者合作，PIS将在实验上确定根除FISH的生物是否成功地恢复了当地和区域生物多样性，或者是否还需要其他干预措施。此项目将促进对捕食者的引入和根除的理解。此外，该项目的信息最终可能会导致新的实践，以恢复大型空间尺度（包括受保护的自然区域）的生物多样性。除了通过纳入几名研究生和本科生为未来的科学家提供宝贵的培训外，该研究还将与外展计划集成，该计划包括针对密苏里州圣路易斯的深入研究经验，密苏里州高中生。