Objetivo Seagrass beds are one of the most productive and economically valuable marine ecosystems. Scientific attention to these plants has strongly increased, coinciding with the growing awareness that seagrass meadows may have conspicuous impacts on the stability and morphogenesis of the coastal zone, and that they fulfil important ecological roles in the coastal environment, such as in providing food and shelter to many organisms (many of them economically important). They are one of the most endangered ecosystem s, mainly because of man-driven impacts (e.g. eutrophication, coastal engineering, trawl). The management of seagrass meadows will depend largely on the understanding of its structure and dynamics. The overall aim of this proposal is to deepen in the knowl edge of the primary production of seagrasses from the Cadiz Bay Natural Park. Specific objectives will include: 1. Study the role of the principal stress variables (natural [temperature, light, nutrients, air exposure] and anthropogenic [eutrophication]) i n the control of the seagrass ecophysiological responses and productivity. 2. Study the variability in of isotopic composition (13C and 15N) of these plants, since isotopic signatures can provide important information about the environmental conditions on which these plants grew as well as they can be used to trace carbon and nitrogen flows between source/sink systems. 3. To check if the 15N/14N ratio of seagrasses can be used for monitoring anthropogenic nutrient increases (i. e. eutrophication) in the Cad iz Bay Natural Park. Methodological approach will include a combination of laboratory studies (directed to investigate the potentially influential roles of abiotic factors in seagrass ecophysiological responses (including isotopic fractionation) and produc tivity with a field sampling programme (to record spatial and temporal variability in productivity and isotopic composition) as well as in situ manipulative experimts (for studying microhabitat conditions). Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biologysocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivitynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsengineering and technologycivil engineeringwater engineeringcoastal and estuarine hydraulicsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbotany Programa(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Tema(s) MOBILITY-1.3 - Marie Curie Host Fellowships - Transfer of knowledge (TOK) Convocatoria de propuestas FP6-2002-MOBILITY-3 Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación TOK - Marie Curie actions-Transfer of Knowledge Coordinador UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZ Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Calle Ancha 16 CADIZ España Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos
