Description du projet
Améliorer la mesure de l’eutrophisation
L’eutrophisation est un phénomène observé dans les grandes masses d’eau qui se sont excessivement enrichies en minéraux et en nutriments; elle entraîne la prolifération d’algues et finit potentiellement par épuiser l’oxygène. La restauration de ces environnements, en particulier autour des lacs, est essentielle pour la biodiversité future et la résilience au changement climatique. Elle est également juridiquement contraignante en vertu des directives de l’UE. Le projet OSTRAP, financé par l’UE, vise à reconstruire le phénomène d’eutrophisation par la mesure directe, quantifiable et indépendante du phosphate. Ce faisant, le projet améliorera considérablement la capacité à définir des conditions de référence pour les objectifs de restauration des lacs peu profonds. Il permettra également de prévoir les effets du futur changement climatique sur la biodiversité d’eau douce.
Objectif
Shallow lakes provide extensive ecosystem services and are ecologically important non-marine resources, supporting a diverse flora and fauna. However, worldwide lakes are threatened by environmental degradation (e.g. nutrient pollution from agricultural fertilizers). The restoration of these environments is critical for future biodiversity, resilience to climate change, the provision of ecosystem services, and is legally binding under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).To meet the requirements of ‘good ecological status’, lakes must not be significantly altered from pre-defined ‘reference conditions’, which are the conditions expected in the absence of anthropogenic impacts. Due to limited long-term ecological monitoring data that covers centennial time-scales, palaeolimnology has been suggested as an alternative to define reference conditions for effective restoration. Existing approaches (e.g. diatom transfer functions) for reconstructing nutrient enrichment are, however, problematic due to their indirect approach that involves major assumptions. Multi-proxy studies attempt to disentangle drivers, but fail due to the lack of an independent measure of phosphate (P). Here, I propose a method to reconstruct eutrophication with a direct, quantifiable and independent measure of P via analysis of ostracod (small bivalved crustaceans) shell chemistry. To produce robust, quantitative palaeo-P reconstructions based on fossil ostracod shells, the research will combine laboratory, mesocosm and field experiments to establish calibrations in controlled and natural settings. I will demonstrate the quantitative reconstruction of P concentrations over the past ~200 years using well-dated lake sediment cores from sites across Europe. This project will be a significant advancement in the ability to 1) set reference condition P concentrations for shallow lake restoration targets under the WFD and 2) to predict the effects of future climate change on freshwater biodiversity.
Champ scientifique
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Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
8000 Aarhus C
Danemark