Abstract
"本整合型研究計畫主要探討議題為E.海陸互動與海岸變遷；研究主題為E.3.島嶼與海岸棲地與海 洋資源的保育、復育與生態系功能維護；各研究子計畫三年的研究方向及範圍涵蓋下列十個主要項目： 1. 海岸棲地與生態系功能評估與分析。 2. 建立海岸特殊物種棲地的保護策略，提升棲地復育之比例。 3. 近岸海洋資源的保育與復育策略。 4. 近岸與遠洋資源的現況與動態分析。 5. 海洋暖化及酸化對近岸海洋資源的衝擊與評估。 6. 海洋棲地保育行動準則與策略。 7. 海流、潮汐與沉積物運輸。 8. 海洋、海岸生態系統功能維護。 9. 探討近海環境生態之變化趨勢及可能原因，以評估生態健康狀態及其回復力 (resilience)。 10. 發展近海環境生態之數值模式，並預測環境生態受人為活動及氣候變化之可能變化。 其中總主持人實驗室之研究團隊成員在三年內所執行的項目包括項目 3、4、5、6、7 和8。其它 各子計畫三年內之研究方向與範圍及所執行之項目皆涵蓋了以上十個項目，詳見總主持人群體計畫書 及各子計畫之計畫書。 在過去一世紀以來，由於全球暖化、海洋酸化、汙染威脅以及海洋資源的過度使用，使得海洋生 態系的永續性成為全球人類所面臨的挑戰之一。在過去的250 年間，全球變化已造成氣候變遷、沙漠 化、海洋酸化、臭氧層破壞、汙染、廣泛的物種滅絕、魚群數量下降，以及其他大規模生物方面的變 化。除了氣候影響因素例如太陽輻射變化、板塊構造、火山爆發、生物過程等等，人類活動已被認為 與近年來的氣候變遷息息相關。為解決這些嚴重的問題，科學家已透過各種方式投入研究。如何改善 逐漸惡化的生態系對科學家來說已是一個長達百年的謎題。 許多科學研究認為，作為氣候變遷主要效應的全球暖化及酸化，已比所預期的範圍和程度更加嚴 重。海洋生態系包含許多受到氣候變遷威脅的資源，需要透過研究、技術發展以及教育來達到永續發 展。淺海熱泉 (shallow hydrothermal vents [HV]) 的環境條件與在氣候變遷下暖化和酸化的海洋環境相 似， 使我們擁有獨特的機會在大自然實驗室研究各個生物層級的反應 (形態學、轉錄組 [transcriptome]、基因組、社區生物多樣性)。在本研究中，此大自然實驗室為台灣東北邊龜山島的淺 海海底熱泉場域。本研究團隊從三個台灣的大學與研究機構集合了五位教授與專家形成跨領域與跨學 科團隊，其中大部分團隊成員皆熟悉此獨特之海底熱泉場域。在過去15 年中，這些成員曾出版超過 500 篇經過同儕審查的科學研究、DVD，或是旅遊手冊。我們在此計畫中支持來自不同領域的博士後 研究員、研究生及大學生，使他們有機會參與計畫主持人的實驗室工作。計畫主持人致力在教學、研 究、專業發展和碩、博士論文主題上指導這些學生參與整合計畫的研究工作，讓他們能成為論文發表 的共同作者。另外，團隊成員也負責提供與下列主題相關的課程，包含海洋無脊椎動物多樣性、海洋 生態系、系統分類學(systematics)、動物地理學、基因組生物資訊學等等，並且在這些課程中都會加入 從海底熱泉研究所獲得的最新知識，而這將會是維持教育永續性的極佳貢獻。透過此計畫，也能增加 公眾科學素養及參與，進而對社會產生影響。目前雖然許多人仍不確定氣候變遷研究與其日常生活之 間的關係，社會大眾已對此議題有所關注。此外，海底熱泉通常位於海底深處，因此十分神祕，在民 眾的想像中，這是地球上一處非常特殊的環境。淺海熱泉系統是僅有少數人知道的生態系統，但我們 建構了一個易於掌握的系統，將能提高社會大眾對此主題的興趣。生物多樣性倡議 (Biodiversity initiatives) 持續致力於對地球上多樣的生命以容易理解又有趣的方式進行研究。為了達成此目標，我 們提出將生命大百科 (Encyclopedia of Life, EOL) 上嚴謹且科學式的物種紀錄與大眾可接觸到的論壇 資訊加以結合。本研究團隊的組成，在龜山島進行資料蒐集和研究將可持續進行。本團隊的目標會從 生物分子研究開始，一直到海底熱泉的生態系研究。 在全球化的時代，資訊、思想、技術的傳播快速，人類也能快速遷移，而要完成有價值且具國際 視野的研究，本研究團隊的組成及其研究宗旨正朝這目標前進。這包含人們認識到必須對氣候變遷影 響的機制以及生物的適應有所了解，以及對生物探勘的關注 (關於海底熱泉的基因多樣性和生物適應 策略)，而能提升台灣的生技產業及在國際上的科技成就。本計畫與我國之願景相符合，希望培養在全 球從事研究的年輕研究者，其共同的努力將聚焦於永續性科學和教育。而這些跨校研究和教育工作的 結合，將能增進現有的合作並發展新的夥伴關係，而能為台灣持久的保育和永續性建立基礎，並藉由 將台灣兩所學校及一個研究機構之間的合作正式化，能增進夥伴關係。此外，也能透過教育、文章發 表和宣傳活動增進大眾參與、提供海洋酸化和高水溫 (海水暖化) 所帶來的社會關注。 本計畫以國家為導向的目標有以下幾項：(1) 幫助碩士生和大學生、新進研究員、熱液 (hydrothermal) 和氣候變遷研究社群以及社會大眾能夠參與全球性的科學研究和國家之間的合作；(2) 激勵下一代的全球氣候變遷生物學家；(3) 關於生物和氣候變遷與極端環境下生物之適應機制、生物 科技進步的過程和社會意涵，以及生物資訊學，人們得以增進對這些課題的意識。此外，最終的廣泛 影響結果是培養一群致力於國家科學發展的新領導者。另外，也為新進科學家和程度較佳之研究生舉 辦年度專業培訓工作坊；(4) 舉辦涵蓋全區域的研究專題討論會和科學交流；(5) 實施雙語遠距教學計 畫；(6) 透過政策研討會將議題推廣至決策者。 目前的研究中，我們持續以海洋研究船二號或漁船至龜山島進行採樣。我們在全國各地的合作者 將為大學生、研究生和博士後研究生舉辦研究計畫和研討會。除了每年的研討會，研究生和博士後研 究員也須在這些合作者的實驗室中進行數個月至數年的研究。另外會有短期實習計畫提供給大學生。 這個淺海熱泉研究目前僅在初始階段。本研究團隊整合了主要議題來回答海底熱泉生態系運作的關鍵 問題，這些議題包含：全球暖化、海洋酸化、生物如何生存於海底熱泉生態系 (含生命在地球上的起 源，以及可能的解毒機制)、生物多樣性等。此外，藉由研究生態系的運作，我們也期望能實現永續性。 研究所產生之知識以及透過教育的傳播也能使資源得以永續發展。" "In the past century, global warming, ocean acidification, pollution, and overuse of marine resources caused ocean ecosystem sustainability to become a global challenge for mankind. Global change has caused climate change, desertification, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, pollution, wide-spread species extinctions, collapses of fish-stocks, and other large-scale biotic shifts. Besides climate forcing factors such as variations in solar radiation, plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, and biotic processes, human activities have been linked to recent climate change scenarios. Scientists have devoted much of their research for solving such serious issue in many different ways. The mystery of how to overcome such worse of ecosystems has intrigued scientists for a century. Several scientific studies indicated that climate change with global warming and acidification as major effects is much more severe than predicted in its range and magnitude. Marine ecosystems contain several resources that got threatened and need a sustainable development through research, technological advancement, education, and management. The environmental conditions of shallow hydrothermal vents (HV) at Kueishan Island, NE Taiwan, resemble those of climate change scenarios such as warmer and more acidic seas, providing us with an unparalleled opportunity to study the responses at different organismal levels (morphology, genome, transcriptome, populations, and community biodiversity) in a natural laboratory. We have assembled an interdisciplinary team of 5 experts from three research institutions of Taiwan. who are very familiar with this unique hydrothermal vent field. More than 500-peer reviewed scientific publications, DVDs, tourist brochures have been produced from the team members in the last 15 years. We will support post-docs, graduate students, and undergraduate students in various contexts in this project. Undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs will have the opportunity to work in the laboratories of the PIs within the project. The PI’s are committed to mentoring students in all aspects of research, professional development and student enrichment activities, and to include student as authors in publications of research results. The team members will be responsible for offering courses related to marine invertebrate biodiversity, marine ecosystems, systematics, zoogeography, genomics, bioinformatics, and water chemistry. All these courses will be enriched by the newly acquired knowledge from our work on HVs. This will be the greatest contribution to maintain educational sustainability. Further societal impact by increasing the public scientific literacy and public engagement is further attempted in this proposal. Climate change research is a topic that concerns the public, regardless whether many people are struggling to understand its relevance to their daily lives. In addition, hydrothermal vents are mysterious, remote and usually very deep in the oceans and are captivating the imagination of the public as a very different of the diverse environments of this planet. We will gain the interest of the public with our work on an easy to access, shallow HV system; a geological system that is generally known only to a few people as yet. Biodiversity initiatives are consistently striving towards cataloguing the diversity of life on earth in ways that are accessible and exciting. To achieve this goal we propose to incorporate both rigorous scientific documentation of species on EOL and information from publicly accessible forums. Existing collections and research permits to work at Kueishan Island will be extended upon request from the PI. The goal of our team work will include studies from biomolecular up to the level of ecosystem functioning of shallow HV. To achieve value added research and an international perspective during times of globalization, with rapid transfer of knowledge, ideas, people and technologies, ethnocentrism need to be overcome. This includes the recognition of the need to understand mechanisms of climate change effects and the adaptations of organisms. There are also bioprospecting interests (in the genetic biodiversity and adaptive strategy information from HVs) that can boost the biotechnology industry of Taiwan. This program aligns well with our nation’s vision in developing a workforce of globally engaged young investigators whose coordinated efforts will focus on sustainability science and education. These joint cross university research and educational efforts will enhance existing collaborations and will establish new partnerships that will build a foundation for lasting conservation and sustainability in Taiwan and increase partnerships by formalizing collaborations between three different universities or research institutions in Taiwan; increase public engagement through educational articles and outreach activities; provide societal benefits caused by ocean acidification and elevated water temperatures. The nationwide oriented goals of the project include: 1) engaging graduate and undergraduate students, early-career researchers, the hydrothermal and climate change community, and the general public in globally-based scientific research and national collaborations; 2) motivating the next generation of global climate change biologists; and 3) increasing awareness of fundamental interactions between biology and climate change and biology in extreme environments, and the process and societal implications of advances in biotechnology, and bioinformatics. The ultimate broader impact outcome will be a cohort of young national leaders who are scientifically engaged. Annual professional development workshops for early career scientists and advanced graduate students; 4) region-wide research symposia and scientific exchange; 5) bilingual distance-learning programs; and 6) outreach to decision makers through policy workshops. In the current research, we will continue to use Ocean Researcher II or fishing boats for our research at Kueishan Island. All of our national collaborators will host undergraduate, graduate students, and postdocs for research projects and workshops. Besides yearly workshops, graduate students and postdocs are expected to conduct research in the labs of our national collaborators’ from months up to several years. Short-term internships will be offered to our undergraduate students. Shallow HV research is only in its infant stage. Our team integrates the major issues to answer key questions of HV ecosystem functioning. These include the subjects of: global warming, ocean acidification, how organisms survive in the HV ecosystem (also possible mechanisms of detoxification), origin of life on earth, and various aspects of biodiversity. Sustainability will be achieved by studying ecosystem functioning. Resulting knowledge and dissemination through education will provide the sustainability of various resources at this HV site."
