CAREER: Geochemical and Biochemical Factors Controlling Skeletal Nucleation and Their Impact on Coral in a Changing Ocean

职业：控制骨骼成核的地球化学和生化因素及其对变化海洋中珊瑚的影响

• 批准号: 1552694
• 负责人: Alexander Gagnon
• 金额: $ 55.38万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-02-15 至 2021-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1552694&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Geochemical; Biochemical; Factors; Controlling

Nucleation is the first step needed to form calcium carbonate crystals from a seawater solution and represents the building block of coral skeletons. Recently, the pH of the ocean has become more acidic which can impact nucleation, and as such, coral growth. This research will measure nucleation rates under a variety of controlled conditions to identify the important processes controlling skeletal nucleation kinetics, namely environmental, biochemical, or some combination of the two. Additionally, the project will merge science and education in new ways to help improve the diversity in Earth Sciences by increasing the participation of Native American students in oceanography. Partnering with an Anthropology professor at the University of Washington, the scientist will develop a class on how geology and oceanography teaches us about how the oceans have changed over time, how different cultures have adapted to these changes, and consider human?s future on a changing planet. Four undergraduate students taking the class will be eligible for summer internships to participate in the research project. Coral skeletal nucleation is only possible if dissolved ions can overcome an energetic barrier to self-assemble into a calcified structure. The magnitude of this barrier is controlled by the aragonite saturation state and interfacial energy, meaning that nucleation is a product of both geochemical and biochemical controls that are currently not well constrained. Coral paleoproxies have been widely used to study environmental processes through deep time, and therefore, understanding of the initial step, nucleation, should greatly further understanding of the use and applicability of coral paleoproxies. The researcher's group has developed a nucleation assay to measure in vivo nucleation rates. This will be used under a variety of controlled conditions to measure the impact of the biochemical and geochemical controls on nucleation. Under the pressures of changing ocean chemistry due to ocean acidification, it is likely that nucleation rates will be greatly impacted, and it is crucial to begin developing knowledge on the magnitude of the effect ocean acidification will have on coral skeletal nucleation.

成核是从海水溶液中形成碳酸钙晶体所需的第一步，代表了珊瑚骨骼的组成部分。 最近，海洋的pH值变得更加酸性，可能会影响成核，因此是珊瑚的生长。 这项研究将测量各种受控条件下的成核速率，以确定控制骨骼成核动力学的重要过程，即环境，生化或两者的某些组合。 此外，该项目将以新的方式合并科学和教育，以通过增加美国原住民学生参与海洋学的参与来帮助改善地球科学的多样性。科学家与华盛顿大学的人类学教授合作，将开发一门关于地质和海洋学的课程，如何教会我们有关海洋如何随着时间的变化，不同的文化如何适应这些变化，并考虑人类的未来，并在改变星球。 四名本科生上课将有资格参加暑期实习，参加研究项目。 珊瑚骨骼成核只有在溶解离子可以克服自我组装成钙化结构的能量屏障时才有可能。该屏障的大小由后陆饱和状态和界面能控制，这意味着成核是当前不限制的地球化学和生化控制的产物。珊瑚古质体已被广泛用于通过深度研究环境过程，因此，对初始步骤，成核的理解应大大进一步了解珊瑚古代型的使用和适用性。研究人员组开发了一种成核测定法，以测量体内成核率。这将在多种受控条件下使用，以测量生化和地球化学控制对成核的影响。在由于海洋酸化而改变海洋化学的压力下，可能会严重影响成核速率，并且至关重要的是，开始对海洋酸化对珊瑚骨骼成核的影响的知识至关重要。