PROPOSAL TO

NOAA COASTAL OCEAN ECOHAB PROGRAM

Principal and Associate Investigators, Budget and Dates:

Table of Contents

A. Project Summary

B. Table of Contents

C. Project Description

C.1. Results from Prior NSF Support 

C.2 Introduction

C.3 Background and Prior Research

C.3.1 Alexandrium Biogeography.
C.3.2 Alexandrium Biology.
C.3.3 The Circulation of the Gulf of Maine.
C.3.4 Alexandrium and the EMCC.
C.3.5 Alexandrium and the WMCC.

C.3.5.1 Modeling the WMCC.

C.3.6 Georges Bank.

C.4 Objectives

C.5 Research Plan

C.5.1 Overview and Project Schedule.
C.5.2 Program elements.

C.5.2.1 Field Observations of Alexandrium Distribution and Transport
Rationale:
Approach:
Moored Measurements (PIs: Signell, Pettigrew, Geyer).
Shipboard Studies, Western Gulf (PIs: Anderson, Keafer, Geyer, Churchill, Loder, Doucette, Turner):
Shipboard Studies, Eastern Gulf (PIs: Townsend, Loder, Pettigrew, Keller):

C.5.2.2 Georges Bank Linkages to the WMCC and EMCC (PIs: O'Reilly, Doucette)
Rationale:
Approach:

C.5.2.3 Cyst Dynamics (PIs: Anderson, Keller).
Rationale:
Approach:
Cyst Mapping
Cyst Dynamics
Laboratory Studies.

C.5.2.4 Nutrient chemistry (PIs: Loder, Townsend).
Rationale:
Approach:

C.5.2.5 Nutrient physiology (PIs: Cullen, Anderson)
Rationale:
Approach:

C.5.2.6 Grazing Rates and Food-web Transfer of Toxins:(PIs: Turner, Doucette)
Rationale:
Approach:
Community composition:
Food Web PSP Toxin Transfer:
Grazing Impact:

C.5.2.7 Remote sensing (PIs: Thomas, Keafer)
Rationale:
Approach:

C.5.2.8 Modeling (PIs: Signell, McGillicuddy, Lynch)
Rationale:
Approach:
I. Casco Bay.
II. WMCC.
III. WMCC + EMCC.
IV. Large Scale GOM.
V. Empirical Toxicity Predictive Models.

C.5.2.9 Process studies

Year 4 of the project will be devoted to detailed studies of important processes and mechanisms involved in Alexandrium population dynamics in both habitats.
The WMCC Region:
Rationale:
Approach:
Life History Stages (PI: Anderson)
Vertical Migration (PIs: Anderson,, Cullen, Loder):
In situ Growth Rates (PI: Anderson)
Grazing Rates and Food Web Transfer of Toxin (PIs: Doucette, Turner).
Physiological Condition: (PIs: Anderson, Cullen).
Mixotrophic Nutrition (PI: Anderson).

The EMCC Region (PIs: Townsend, Loder, Pettigrew, Anderson, Keller):
Rationale:
Approach:

C.6 Prognosis for Success

C.7 Relationship to ECOHAB Program Objectives

C.8 Management implications

C.9 Relationship to Ongoing Projects

C.10 Project Management.

C.11 Data Management.

D. Bibliography

E. Project Time Line (time-ln2.xls)

F. Biographical Sketches