Project description
A closer look at species interactions and metabolism
The metabolism of organisms shapes the productivity of entire populations and communities. However, this interplay has remained a scientific enigma. With this in mind, the ERC-funded META_FUN project aims to demonstrate how metabolic adjustments influence the diversity and functioning of communities. Using marine phytoplankton as a model system, it seeks to decode how metabolic responses to competitors influence coexistence and community dynamics. By merging metabolic theory with community ecology, the project promises insights into the impact of species interactions on diversity and functioning, offering a way to anticipate the effects of biodiversity loss and global warming. Specifically, the project will demonstrate how metabolic adjustments influence the diversity and functioning of communities.
Objective
The metabolism of organisms affects the productivity of populations and communities. However, the relationship between organismal metabolism and species interactions has been scarcely explored. Hence, predicting the rates at which entire communities flux energy and resources remains difficult. My work shows that the metabolism of organisms measured in isolation does not reflect their performance in communities because species interactions alter how organisms uptake and expend resources. Understanding how such interactions affect metabolism is essential to estimate productivity and how it will change with biodiversity loss and global warming. I propose to use marine phytoplankton as a model laboratory system to determine how metabolic responses to competitors affect coexistence and community functioning. My goal is to connect metabolic theory, that studies physical constraints on the metabolism of organisms in isolation, with community ecology, that centres on species interactions and emergent community properties. Based on my preliminary data, I will map metabolic responses between species that compete for similar resources and test whether these responses stabilise coexistence. I will leverage developments in transcriptomics of non-model organisms to identify the metabolic pathways that underpin metabolic responses. From this basis, I will extend my analysis on larger temporal and biological scales – I will determine how warming modifies metabolic responses and community productivity and, finally, how metabolism evolves in communities. Altogether, this project will demonstrate how metabolic adjustments influence the diversity and functioning of communities. I will use a system that is ecologically important because phytoplankton support 50% of global oxygen production. These results will have broad implications for our understanding of biological systems because the metabolic impact of species interactions shapes the physiology and evolution of all organisms.
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.
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.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-STG
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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.
1649-035 LISBOA
Portugal
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.