Obiettivo Research objectives and content environments where biological processes and biodiversity tend to be maximized. Recent evidence suggests that river margin ecosystems are highly sensitive to global regional and local environmental changes. The ERMAS Programme was established in 1992 to increase our understanding of the processes controlling the structure and function of river margin ecosystems through cooperative research involving a European-wide network. ERMAS II develops the activity of this network by focusing on the role of biodiversity (i.e. autogenic processes) in determining the sonRitivity of river margin ecosystems to changes in environmental conditions (particularly temperature and hydrology). The proposed programme combines three primary research tasks:a) to understand the role of biodiversity in maintaining the structure, functio and stability of ecosystems;b) to analyse ecosystem processes with particular reference to the organic matt cycle;c) to determine and compare interactions and links between ecosystem processes and physical processes in contrasting situations, defined at two scales: climat region and patch. The ERMAS network includes a latitudinsl gradient from 64°N to 43°N, and a climatic gradient from sub-polar, to maritime temperate, mediterranean, and temperate continental. The possible introduction in ERMAS II of a Swiss team would add a site with an alpine climate. Locally, a gradient of sites will be chosen to characterize a representative range of hydro-geomorphological and management-impacted settings. ERMPS II will apply a set of core protocols and extensions of these protocols to investigate important problems that are specific to some rivers. The core focuses on the influence of litter type and quality (including native v exotic) on carbon and nitrogen dynamics, invertebrate community diversity, and decomposition processes, in permanently submerged (i.e. the aquatic littoral) and frequently submerged sites. The core protocols form a sequence of research steps, summarized as follows: l) a rigorous site selection protocol has been devised on the basis of (i) frequency and duration of inundation and (ii) sediment/soil characteristics, to facilitate comparisons between the different rivers.2) a field-survey protocol has been developed to enable assessment of the variation of biodiversity in the riparian corridor at three spatial scales (between-rivers, between reaches, and between patches) in relation to environmental factors.3) a simple experimental protocol will be used to establish the influence of single species and mixed species litter on decomposition processes, including the influence of litter derived from introduced and exotic species. 4A) an experimental protocol has been formulated to assess the influence of environmental conditions on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in monospecific and mixed stands of herbaceous species, such as Urtica dioica and IEpatiens glandulifera. 4B) an experimental protocol has been produced to establish relationships between litter type and diversity, and invertebrate diversity, and the role of invertebrates in litter decomposition The project will have benefits for both wealth creation and quality of life by provlding scientific information and a modelling approach to aid the development of sustainable management of land and water resources Keywords siodiversity Ecosystem processes Hydro-climatic gradient River margins Campo scientifico natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrynoble gasesnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyinvertebrate zoology Programma(i) FP4-TMR - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of the training and mobility of researchers, 1994-1998 Argomento(i) 0301 - Post-graduate research training grants Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento Data not available Coordinatore Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Cantoblanco 28049 Madrid Spagna Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
