主要研究 今天

主要研究 researchers have scientifically documented the first discovery of a pair of recently mated blue crabs in Great Bay Estuary (GBE) — the official confirmation that conditions in the Bay this year have become hospitable for the species that is typically found farther south. The presence of a breeding population is expected to have serious impacts on the Great Bay ecosystem, 尽管这些影响的程度仍然未知.

It was a routine late summer day on the estuary checking the traps that had been set out by 主要研究 doctoral c和idate Kelsey 迈耶 to monitor the estuary’s invasive green crab population, when doctoral c和idate Alyssa Stasse 和 technician Emily Williams found a big surprise in one of the traps: two blue crabs that appeared to have mated. 女性, 那只刚蜕皮的, was subsequently examined 和 found to have distended turgid seminal receptacles with large sperm plugs, 甲壳类动物交配的明显证据.

自2012年以来，蓝蟹偶尔会在GBE被捕获, 根据杰森·戈德斯坦的12G, 研究主任 威尔斯国家河口保护区, but this is the first time researchers have found compelling evidence that the crabs are actually mating — 和 it’s a pretty big deal. 这意味着一个曾经只生活在寒冷地区的物种, 不太友好的GBE水域, has now found the Bay’s waters —warming as the result of climate change — a welcome habitat. Their arrival also heralds significant 和 potentially devastating implications for the estuary’s ecosystem, 尤其是它脆弱的牡蛎种群.

“The arrival of blue crabs capable of creating a sustained population poses a new threat to oysters 和 other native GBE species,” 邦妮布朗教授兼生物科学系系主任. 迈耶、斯塔斯和威廉姆斯在布朗工作 生态遗传学实验室.

布朗继续, “This new predator — which eats bivalves including clams 和 eastern oysters — brings the possibility of dramatic changes to the GBE ecosystem including how nutrients like nitrogen 和 phosphorus cycle between the physical environment 和 living organisms to keep both healthy 和 thriving. Eastern oyster populations in the Bay provide habitat 和 nutrient cycling services, 和 their numbers are estimated to be only about 10 percent of what they were in the 1980s. 蓝蟹的繁殖将是一个真正的坏消息.”

加芙Bradt 5g，渔业和水产养殖专家 新罕布什尔海洋补助金 和 联合国卫生组织合作推广,同意.

“从科学的角度来看，这令人兴奋, but not exciting from the perspective of 'Here's a new species that shouldn't be here.'"

“如果(蓝蟹)在这里呆的时间足够长，可以吃东西、蜕皮和交配, 他们可能正在开店,她说。. “从科学的角度来看，这令人兴奋, but not exciting from the perspective of ‘Here’s a new species that shouldn’t be here.’”

布拉特正在领导一个新的 大海湾国家河口研究保护区 和 NH Sea Grant pilot crab monitoring project in GBE to establish a baseline 和 early detection of several species of concern, 包括蓝蟹, 以及营养相互作用. The project also involves community engagement to begin mapping the distribution of the crabs both locally in New Hampshire 和 in the region. 该团队包括 艾莉森爱伯哈 ’04G, ’19G, coastal ecosytems specialist at 联合国卫生组织合作推广 和 新罕布什尔海洋补助金, 克里斯·彼得' 07G, research coordinator at the 大海湾国家河口研究保护区 (GBNERR), 希瑟Ballestero, GBNERR的研究助理, 还有杰西·巴切尔德, Manomet的研究助理.

Oysters 和 the oyster farming industry in GBE are already threatened by invasive green crabs, 它们也吃双壳类动物吗. 迈耶, 是谁的陷阱捕获了两只交配的蓝蟹, 就是研究丰度, 绿蟹在GBE的分布和饮食. She is currently collecting data to gain a better underst和ing of where green crabs are, 当他们在那里的时候, 它们吃什么，它们是如何与大湾的牡蛎养殖场互动的.

Brown 和 her team have submitted the scientific finding of the mated blue crabs to 东北部的博物学家, a journal that documents natural history of organisms in northeastern North America.

The research projects that both 迈耶 和 Stasse are conducting are funded primarily by a New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Hatch grant, with additional funding from 2022 新罕布什尔海洋补助金 Graduate 研究 Fellowships.