This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Here, the Fellow will explore microbial interactions within island ecosystems to shed light on coral reef health and function, which relies on both ocean- and land-based processes. Tropical islands and their proximity to adjacent reefs provide opportunities to explore the critical link between these seemingly different habitats. Invasive rats affect island and reef health through the predation of native seabird eggs and chicks, which disrupts the natural flow of nutrients to the reef. If removed, seabird recovery will restore the transfer of nutrients. As facilitators of this transferal, microbes may hold the key to determining a link between these habitats. Using clues from soil, seawater and coral microbiomes, this project will capitalize on a planned rat eradication event occurring on the island of Tetiaroa, French Polynesia, to assess the effects of a land-based conservation initiative across the land-sea interface. This project further supports education and diversity through student mentorship, while also creating outreach opportunities among local communities that will inform them of the scientific and social importance of the proposed work.
Microbes play important roles in nutrient cycling and provision, and the signature of either disruption or reinstatement of the natural flow of nutrients is likely reflected in the microbial community. Shifts in the presence, abundance and function of nutrient-utilizing microbes across all connected habitats can provide evidence of a land-sea link. Thirty island and reef sites around Tetiaroa will be targeted for microbial sampling in soil, seawater and coral before, during and after rat eradication to determine the impacts on microbial communities and their functional role in nutrient cycling. Compositional and metagenomic analyses paired with macro-ecological surveys will highlight impacts of rat eradication on marine and terrestrial recovery across scales of biological organization from microbes to entire ecosystems. This fellowship will support the Fellow?s research, career and outreach objectives through advancement in analytical skills and scientific knowledge, mentorship and teaching, and local community engagement. Through the exploration of cross-ecosystem linkages, this research will expand on ecological theory by bridging the land-sea gap, while providing a key foundation for building policy and promoting simplified coral reef conservation initiatives.
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.
