Collaborative Research: NSF-BSF: Photophysiology and bio-optics of Red Sea mesophotic corals

合作研究：NSF-BSF：红海中光珊瑚的光生理学和生物光学

• 批准号: 2149926
• 负责人: Martin Tresguerres
• 金额: $ 21.16万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego Scripps Inst of Oceanography
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-08-15 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2149926&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; NSF; BSF; Photophysiology

Tropical coral reefs are hotspots of biodiversity and provide critical services to numerous coastal communities worldwide. A combination of global and local stressors have led to the unprecedented degradation of shallow water coral reef communities. Most importantly, elevated water temperatures combined with excess solar radiation can cause coral bleaching, which describes the loss of the coral’s symbiotic algae and is regarded as the major threat to the future existence of shallow-water reefs. Thus, corals from deep waters are gaining interest as they are expected to be buffered from extreme environmental impacts more commonly experienced in shallow waters. Surprisingly, corals are flourishing in habitats where sunlight barely reaches, and 30-150 m depth mesophotic coral reef ecosystems (MCEs) are characterized by unique coral communities that could serve as a refuge for shallow water corals. In this project, we aim to study the light-harvesting mechanisms that allow corals to thrive under such light-limited conditions using a multidisciplinary approach that combines state-of-the-art bioengineering, bio-optics, and coral physiology tools. Since corals are among the most efficient aquatic photosynthetic systems, studying coral bio-optics can also lead to the discovery of novel light-harvesting mechanisms and the development of novel coral-inspired photonic materials to build more efficient and sustainable photobioreactors. This is a US-Israel binational project that aims to promote international collaboration and diversity through a range of public outreach activities, including museum exhibitions and the design of creative experiences to support the participation of under-represented groups in STEM.Light is a key driver of coral community change along the coral reef depth gradient. However, the importance of irradiance for the existence and growth of corals has been predominantly studied in shallow species, and knowledge of how mesophotic corals thrive despite extremely limited light conditions is largely lacking. This study will provide a quantitative assessment of light-harvesting at mesophotic depths and offer novel insights into the role of bio-optics and irradiance in structuring coral communities. To achieve our goal, we will employ an interdisciplinary approach to establish the bio-optical properties of mesophotic corals. Our workflow combines (1) in-situ coral reef fieldwork in Eilat (Red Sea, Israel) to collect and analyze corals along a depth-irradiance gradient, (2) lab-based light microsensor measurements combined with analyses of endogenous green fluorescent protein and photosynthetic assays; (3) optical coherence tomography and microcomputed tomography to characterize tissue and skeletal morphology for the development of 3D light-capture models using Monte Carlo simulations; and (3) a novel 3D bioprinting approach to experimentally determine the roles of coral skeleton morphology on photosynthesis. Altogether, this research will provide the essential basis for theoretical models that seek to understand the spatial distribution of mesophotic coral reef ecosystems and predict their responses to environmental change, therefore offering a practical tool for reef management and conservation.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.

热带珊瑚礁是生物多样性的热点，为全球众多沿海社区提供了关键服务，全球和当地的压力因素共同导致了浅水珊瑚礁群落的前所未有的退化。最重要的是，水温升高和过多的太阳辐射可能导致。珊瑚白化，指的是珊瑚共生藻类的丧失，被认为是对浅水珊瑚礁未来存在的主要威胁。因此，来自深水的珊瑚越来越受到人们的关注，因为它们有望更好地抵御极端环境的影响。通常令人惊讶的是，珊瑚在阳光几乎无法到达的栖息地中繁衍生息，30-150 m 深度的中光珊瑚礁生态系统 (MCE) 的特点是独特的珊瑚群落，可以作为浅水珊瑚的避难所。 ，我们的目标是利用结合了最先进的生物工程、生物光学和珊瑚的多学科方法，研究使珊瑚在这种光线有限的条件下茁壮成长的光捕获机制由于珊瑚是最有效的水生光合作用系统之一，研究珊瑚生物光学还可以发现新颖的光捕获机制并开发新型珊瑚启发的光子材料，以构建更高效和可持续的光生物反应器。是一个美国-以色列两国项目，旨在通过一系列公共宣传活动促进国际合作和多样性，包括博物馆展览和创意体验设计，以支持代表性不足的群体参与STEM.光是珊瑚礁深度梯度上珊瑚群落变化的关键驱动因素。然而，辐照度对于珊瑚存在和生长的重要性主要在浅层物种中进行研究，并且了解中光珊瑚如何在极其有限的光照下茁壮成长。这项研究将对中光深度的光采集进行定量评估，并为生物光学和辐照度在构建珊瑚群落中的作用提供新的见解。我们的工作流程结合了（1）埃拉特（以色列红海）的原位珊瑚礁实地工作，以沿着深度-辐照度梯度收集和分析珊瑚，（2）实验室。 - 基于组合光微传感器测量与内源性绿色荧光蛋白和光合作用分析的分析（3）光学相干断层扫描和微计算机断层扫描，以表征组织和骨骼形态，以开发使用蒙特卡罗模拟的 3D 光捕获模型；(3) 一种新颖的 3D 生物打印方法，用于通过实验确定珊瑚骨骼形态对光合作用的作用。总之，这项研究将为寻求了解空间分布的理论模型提供必要的基础。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过利用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准。