Global and local impacts on Atlantic RHODOlith beds: Implications for estimates of blue CARbon ecosystem services

Project description

Assessing the importance of rhodolith beds as natural carbon sinks

Recognised as a unique ecosystem, rhodolith beds - built by free-living coralline algae - provide habitat for numerous algae and sessile invertebrates. Their ability to calcify, along with their abundance and biomass, make them major carbonate producers. Yet, despite their global distribution, their contribution to the oceanic organic and inorganic carbon cycling has received little to no attention. These biodiversity hotspots are currently threatened by global climate change and an array of local stressors. The EU-funded RHODOCAR project will use a physiological approach to provide insights into rhodolith metabolism, carbonate production and carbon fluxes, and to their responses to global and local stressors. This information will allow assessing the current and future importance of rhodolith beds as natural carbon sinks.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology › ecosystems

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Topic(s)

• MSCA-IF-2018 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF-EF-RI - RI – Reintegration panel

Coordinator

CENTRO DE CIENCIAS DO MAR DO ALGARVE

Address

Universidade Do Algarve
8005 032 Faro
Portugal

Activity type

Research Organisations

EU contribution

€ 147 815,04