Obiettivo The objectives of this project are to study the biological processes that influence the fate of organic matter in estuaries by: a) comparison of the ecological structure of major European tidal estuaries. MAST funding will be used for coordinating simultaneous field surveys in different estuaries; b) specific co-ordinated studies on the rates of major processes on short and medium time scales in the field in Schelde and Gironde and in laboratory experiments; c) building mathematical ecosystem models describing the major biological processes in the estuaries studied, which are based on appropriate hydrodynamical models, and incorporate the field data and results from process studies specified in (a) and (b). The project focuses on the macrobiological processes that influence the fate of organic matter in estuaries. The influence of the microbiological and geochemical conditions and processes on community structure and function of major macrobiological constituents in estuaries are studied.The rates and regulation of selected major biological processes were studied by experimental studies in the laboratory and in the field. A better knowledge of essential rates, especially in estuarine conditions, is essential to improve the ecological modelling of these systems. Among the processes selected were grazing rates and food selection by zooplankton, secondary production by zooplankton and hyperbenthos, feeding on suspended particles, benthos food limitation in macrobenthic communities, and reaction of meiobenthic assemblages to different food levels.Another approach was based on the idea that different patterns have already been established in different estuaries due to their specific input levels of organic material and nutrients. Study of these patterns yields insight on what results from the processes studied directly in the other parts of the project. The structure of estuaries, viewed as resulting from processes, can be described as the standing stocks (varying in space and time) of relevant biological, chemical and microbiological variables. A comparative study of this ecological structure in various estuaries enabled the generation of hypotheses, and the validation of predictions and models made on the basis of directed research of ecological processes. In order to improve the quality of the comparison between different estuaries, considerable effort was devoted to methodological integration within the project (redaction of a manual on common methods) and to exchange of data and ideas in workshops. Data generated in the ecological surveys of the estuaries were integrated within a comprehensive database, where all the basic results can be retrieved by selective queries.Finally, part of the project was devoted to modelling of estuarine ecosystems. This included hydrodynamical modelling of the estuaries studied, integration of transport terms for use in ecological models, formulation of ecological dynamics, and development of a general ecosystem model for European tidal estuaries.PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objectives of this project are to study the biological processes that influence the fate of organic matter in estuaries by: a) comparison of the ecological structure of major European tidal estuaries. MAST funding will be used for co ordinating simultaneous field surveys in different estuaries; b) specific co-ordinated studies on the rates of major processes on short and medium time scales in the field in Schelde and Gironde and in laboratory experiments; c) building mathematical ecosystem models describing the major biological processes in the estuaries studied, which are based on appropriate hydrodynamical models, and incorporate the field data and results from process studies specified in (a) and (b). Campo scientifico natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabasesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Programma(i) FP2-MAST 1 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of marine science and technology (MAST), 1989-1992 Argomento(i) Data not available Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinatore ROYAL NETHERLANDS ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo 6,Korringaweg 7 4401 NT YERSEKE Paesi Bassi Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Partecipanti (6) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto Business Unit of TNO Built Environment and Geosciences Paesi Bassi Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Van Mourik Broekmanweg 6 2628 XE DELFT Mostra sulla mappa Collegamenti Sito web Opens in new window Costo totale Nessun dato GENT UNIVERSITY Belgio Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Sint Pietersnieuwstraat 25 9000 GENT Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO Portogallo Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo 1,Avenida Rovisco Pais 1 1049-001 LISBOA Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato NERC Centre of Coastal and Marine Sciences Regno Unito Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Prospect Place West Hoe PL1 3DH Plymouth Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX I Francia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Cours de la Libération 351 33405 TALENCE Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL Belgio Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Pleinlaan 2 1050 BRUXELLES Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
