Project description
Larvae physiological responses to predict fish distribution
Each fish species responds to ocean warming and O2 depletion by improving its physiological performance in a specific way. The assessment of climate change effects on larval ecology is fundamental to predict the future of fish stocks and fish diversity. The EU-funded FUTURELARVAE project will integrate physiological responses to rising temperature and O2 depletion into species distribution models (SDMs) to predict the future distribution of fish larvae. The project aims to understand the extent of climate change impact on habitats for larvae exhibiting different functional guilds and life-history strategies. FUTURELARVAE will use experimental biology to generate eco physiological data about the larval response to climate change scenarios to integrate into SDMs.
Objective
Assessing the effects of climate change in larval ecology is fundamental to predict the future of fish stocks and fish diversity since connectivity among fish populations depends on larval distribution patterns. To forecast these effects on larvae is challenging because each species exhibits specific responses to ocean warming and O2 depletion by improving physiological performance to adapt or shifting dispersal features to preserve climatic niche. Thus, FUTURELARVAE will incorporate physiological responses to rising temperature and O2 depletion into SDMs to mechanistically forecast the future distribution of fish larvae aiming at understanding the magnitude at which climate change will affect the suitability of present vs. future habitats for larvae that exhibit different functional guilds (pelagic vs. demersal) and life history strategies (short vs. long pelagic duration). Experimental biology will be used to produce eco-physiological data representing the larval response to present and future scenarios of climate change. These data will be integrated into SDMs using Bayesian GLMs in order to understand whether these life history strategies will succeed under future climate conditions. For this, experts in environmental computational science (ER), experimental biology (supervisor) and eco-physiology modelling (advisor) will exchange knowledge and complement each other’s know-how. The ER will gain new technical skills on analytical tools, processing of mechanistic models and apply tools to generate science-based advice for the conservation of marine resources. By the end of the MSCA-IF, the ER will have acquired transferable skills in scientific management, leadership, science dissemination/communication and stakeholder engagement and have broaden his network, boosting his career. The ER will acquire much-needed conceptual/technical skills that are in high demand during this UN decade of the Oceans and commitment to SDG14, increasing his employment opportunities.
Fields of science
- humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistory
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecology
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputational science
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementemployment
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Keywords
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Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
1149 041 Lisboa
Portugal