Biomechanics of the Sediment Erosion, Transport, Deposition and Consolidation cycle

Project Information

BIOMECH

Grant agreement ID: 25525

Project closed

Start date 1 August 2006

End date 31 July 2008

Funded under

• 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

Total cost No data

EU contribution € 168 798,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS
United Kingdom

Objective

The dynamic equilibrium between the erosion, deposition and transport of coastal sediments is of ever increasing importance due to environmental changes and associated sea-level rise. Factors controlling this equilibrium are comparatively poorly understood, especially the influence of microbial activity that alters the biomechanical properties of the sediment mediating hydrodynamic stresses.

It has been recognised that the production and subsequent properties of extra cellular polymers is key to the understanding of this biogenic mediation of sediment erosion and particle entrainment. The aim of this proposal is to investigate the quantity and quality pattern of polymeric substances as well as the physical network of EPS fibrils in dependence of abiotic fact ors (e.g. light, nutrients), physiological status (e.g. growth, cell division) and /or taxonomic composition of the producers (e.g. eukaryotic/prokaryotic).

Moreover, the effect of physico-chemical conditions and sediment depth on polymer binding capacity will be addressed. Within this interdisciplinary approach, covariance pattern of biomechanical and physico-chemical sediment properties will be considered. Finally, the question will be followed, how these variances in polymer content and composition affect Sediment Stability and Flocculation Behaviour / Transport dynamics.

The objectives will be achieved using the excellent analytical facilities of the host institute including techniques such as PAM (Physiological Status of algae), Microelectrodes (Primary Production), Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LTSEM, physical network), cohesive strength meter (CSM, erosion resistance), in-line laser holography and video (erosion process, erosion rate and flocs characteristics), ElectroSpray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) (floc polymer composition).

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › microbiology › bacteriology
• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › physical geography › coastal geography
• natural sciences › physical sciences › optics › microscopy › electron microscopy
• natural sciences › chemical sciences › polymer sciences
• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › atmospheric sciences › climatology › climatic changes

Programme(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

Topic(s)

• MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF)

Call for proposal

FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS

• EU contribution: No data
• Address: Eastsand ; ST. ANDREWS, FIFE ; United Kingdom
• Total cost: No data