Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Bioenergetic Effects of Anthropogenic Contaminants and Climate Change on a Keystone Arctic Seabird

Project description

Effects of global climate change and anthropogenic contamination on Arctic wildlife

Insufficient knowledge exists regarding the combined effects of climate change and contaminant exposure on bioenergetics and thermoregulation, effects which are especially pronounced in the high Arctic. Understanding the effects of both is a current research priority of the Arctic Council. The EU-funded BioenergArc project will address this research from a bioenergetic perspective, using a keystone Arctic seabird species, the little auk (Alle alle), as a model system. The project will use field respirometry to clarify whether exposure to a suite of contaminants affects resting metabolic rate and thermoregulatory capacity in a way that could undermine the capacity to cope with climate change. Further tests will include examining whether contaminant exposure affects field metabolic rate, activity patterns and responses to increased workloads.

Objective

Global climate change and anthropogenic contamination are pressing problems of international scope. A paucity of knowledge exists regarding combined effects of climate change and contaminant exposure on bioenergetics and thermoregulation, effects which are projected to be especially pronounced in the high Arctic. Indeed, understanding joint effects of climate change and anthropogenic contaminants is a current research priority of the Arctic Council. In this project (BioenergArc), I will collaborate with leading French scientists at La Rochelle University to address this research area from a bioenergetic perspective, using a keystone Arctic seabird species, the little auk (Alle alle), as a model system. I will use field respirometry to elucidate whether exposure to a suite of contaminants (methylmercury, organochlorines, perfluoroalkyls) affects resting metabolic rate and thermoregulatory capacity in a fashion that could undermine the capacity to cope with climate change. I will also use accelerometry in combination with experimental manipulations to examine whether contaminant exposure affects field metabolic rate, activity patterns and responses to increased workloads. Finally, I will investigate whether variation in thermoregulatory capacity and energy budgeting affects spatial habitat use and fitness. BioenergArc will combine my expertise in behavioural and physiological responses to environmental change with my collaborators’ complementary expertise in Arctic ecophysiology, ecotoxicology and spatial ecology. I will receive advanced training in field respirometry and biologging, and expand my research in highly topical new directions. Results will be disseminated through top-tier publications, international conferences and public engagement, and communicated to working groups of the Arctic Council to promote conservation initiatives. The project will solidify my scientific reputation and serve as a critical stepping stone towards a permanent research position.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

LA ROCHELLE UNIVERSITE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 184 707,84
Address
Avenue Albert-Einstein 23
17031 La Rochelle
France

See on map

Region
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Poitou-Charentes Charente-Maritime
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 184 707,84
My booklet 0 0