Collaborative Research: Megaripples as biocatalytical filters

合作研究：巨波纹作为生物催化过滤器

基本信息

批准号：
1851290
负责人：
Markus Huettel
金额：
$ 32.06万
依托单位：
Florida State University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2019
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2019-04-01 至 2025-03-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1851290&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Collaborative Research Megaripples biocatalytical filters

项目摘要

This project focuses on the role of large underwater sand formations, particularly at the mouths of estuaries, in the cycling of nutrients and organic materials. "Megaripples" are common features on marine sediments where bottom currents are rapid. In the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, these sand dune-like features are up to half a meter in height, with wavelengths reaching 20 meters. The investigators propose that megaripples act as large filter systems that rapidly convert dissolved and solid organic matter into inorganic carbon and nutrients, and thus influence the biological productivity of coastal waters. They propose to use a one-kilometer long megaripple field in the inlet of Chotawhatchee Bay, in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, as a natural laboratory for studying these processes. In addition, they will conduct laboratory experiments to investigate the filter processes at a smaller scale. By producing data on the functioning of megaripples, the project addresses a knowledge gap that has implications on our understanding of the cycles of matter in coastal waters. The project offers opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students in learning state-of-the-art techniques. The students will gain experience in working on high frequency data acquisition and analysis of 'big data'. To enhance outreach, the researchers will develop and teach two courses on Permeable Sediment Biogeochemistry and Aquatic Eddy Covariance Studies for the Saturday at the Sea program offered by Florida State University. Results will be disseminated via scientific journals, conference presentations and public lectures, and directly to the Apalachicola-National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), which will make the results available to the other 28 NERR sites. The two main project objectives are: 1) demonstrate the general function of megaripples as biocatalytical filters, and 2) demonstrate that common inlet megaripples contribute to nutrient retention in coastal bays. A 1 km long megaripple field in the inlet of Chotawhatchee Bay (wavelengths: ~20 m, amplitudes: 20 to 40 cm) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico will be used as an in-situ laboratory. Measurements will characterize megaripple topography and the water flowing over them. Salinity and suspended particles are utilized as natural tracers to quantify solute and particle entrainment into the megaripples. This project will deploy non-invasive aquatic eddy covariance instruments equipped with newly developed robust sensors to quantify sedimentary remineralization in the flushed megaripple bed. This technique integrates the benthic oxygen flux over a large section of the megaripple field, while including the natural dynamics of currents and light. Real-time water column measurements with a boat-mounted flow-through analyzer permit rapid quantification of large horizontal gradients of key water column parameters. The in-situ measurements will be combined with laboratory column reactor experiments that quantify nutrient re-mobilization through organic carbon mineralization in flushed megaripple sand. The megaripple field in the inlet of Chotawhatchee Bay is easily accessible from shore and by small boat, expediting instrument deployments and in-situ measurements while reducing project costs. Synthesis of all data will produce a conceptual and quantitative understanding of megaripples as natural biocatalytical filters. Because transport and reaction in megaripples are governed by basic physical and biogeochemical processes, these results will reveal information on the general biogeochemical functioning of megaripples that so far is not available.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目着重于大型水下砂层的作用，尤其是在河口的口，在养分和有机材料的循环中。 “ Megaripples”是底电流迅速的海洋沉积物的常见特征。在墨西哥湾东北湾，这些类似沙丘的特征高达半米，波长达到20米。研究人员提出，大型滤波器充当大型滤清器系统，这些系统将迅速转化为无机碳和养分，从而影响沿海水域的生物学生产力。他们建议在墨西哥东北湾的Chotawhatchee湾的入口使用一个单公里长的Megaripple场，作为研究这些过程的自然实验室。此外，他们将进行实验室实验，以较小规模研究过滤器过程。通过产生有关大型巨型功能的数据，该项目解决了一个知识差距，这对我们对沿海水域物质周期的理解的影响产生了含义。该项目为学习最新技术的研究生和本科生提供了机会。学生将获得从事高频数据获取和“大数据”分析的经验。为了增强外展活动，研究人员将在佛罗里达州立大学提供的周六在SEA计划上开发和教两门有关可渗透沉积物生物地球化学和水生涡流协方差研究的课程。结果将通过科学期刊，会议演讲和公开演讲来传播，并直接发送给Apalachicola-national-National河口研究保护区（NERR），这将使其他28个NERR网站可用。两个主要的项目目标是：1）证明了Megaripples作为生物催化过滤器的一般功能，而2）证明了常见的入口Megaripples有助于沿海湾的养分保留率。在墨西哥东北湾的Chotawhatchee湾入口处的1公里长的Megaripple田（波长：〜20 m，幅度：20至40厘米）将被用作位置实验室。测量结果将表征大型地形和流过的水。盐度和悬浮的颗粒被用作天然示踪剂，以量化溶质和颗粒夹带到梅加普尔。该项目将部署配备新开发的强大传感器的非侵入性水生涡流协方差仪器，以量化Flushed Megaripple床中的沉积物。该技术将底栖氧通量整合在大型磁场的大部分上，同时包括电流和光的自然动力学。用船安装的流通分析仪的实时水柱测量允许快速量化钥匙水柱参数的大型水平梯度。原位测量结果将与实验室柱反应器实验结合使用，这些实验通过在Flushed Megaripple砂中通过有机碳矿化来量化营养的重新成像。 Chotawhatchee湾入口处的Megaripple田很容易从海岸和小船上进入，加快了仪器部署和现场测量，同时降低了项目成本。所有数据的综合将产生对大型质体作为天然生物催化过滤器的概念和定量理解。由于大型巨型的运输和反应受基本的物理和生物地球化学过程的控制，因此这些结果将揭示有关Megaripples的一般生物地球化学功能的信息，迄今为止尚未可用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过评估该基金会的知识分子功能和广泛的影响来审查Criteria，并被认为是通过评估来进行评估的。