Project description
Understanding how trait distributions affect ecosystem functioning
Biodiversity loss from human stressors threatens ecosystems, but the link to ecosystem functioning is unclear. Traditional methods often miss complex trait-environment interactions. A better approach is to analyse how stressors affect functional trait distributions using statistical moments such as mean and variance. The EU-funded FunTraits project aims to improve trait-based ecology by studying freshwater zooplankton communities. It will combine experiments and advanced techniques to explore how trait distributions affect ecosystem functioning, including responses to heatwaves and trophic interactions. The project will create a framework linking traits to ecosystem health. It will also provide advanced skills in molecular biology and bioinformatics. The results are expected to enhance ecological theory and support aquatic management in line with EU directives.
Objective
Biodiversity loss driven by human-induced stressors threatens global ecosystem functioning and resilience, yet the mechanisms linking biodiversity change to ecosystem functioning remain unclear. Traditional approaches focusing on species identity or mean trait values often miss the complexity of trait–environment interaction, thereby limiting predictive power. A promising alternative is to quantify how stressors reshape functional trait distributions, described via four statistical moments (mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis). FunTraits will deliver a conceptual break-through in trait-based ecology by revealing how shifts in trait distributions propagate from molecules to ecosystem functioning. Using freshwater zooplankton communities as a model system, I will combine laboratory and mesocosm experiments with state-of-the-art imaging, multi-omics, and bioinformatics to: (i) test how population-level trait moments shape physiological responses to heatwaves, (ii) determine how community-level trait distributions mediate trophic interactions and ecosystem processes, and (iii) link molecular responses to changes in community physiology and biogeochemical cycling. FunTraits integrates molecular biology, physiology, ecology, computer-vision, and bioinformatics to establish the first comprehensive mechanistic framework linking trait distributions to ecosystem functioning. This fellowship will be a key career milestone, as I will develop cutting-edge molecular and bioinformatic skills, expand my scientific network, and successfully implement a research project, thereby supporting my transition to an independent researcher. Outcomes will advance ecological theory, improve predictions of ecosystem vulnerability, and provide a transferable framework to support aquatic ecosystem management in alignment with the Water Framework Directive and EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Results will be disseminated to scientists, aquatic management stakeholders, and the general public.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences hydrology limnology
- engineering and technology environmental engineering ecosystem-based management
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology
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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.4.1 - Widening participation and spreading excellence
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-TALENTS-01
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1113 Budapest
Hungary
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