Project description
Interactions between pollutants and climate change
Climate change and anthropogenic contaminants represent rising threats for Arctic ecosystems. As the Arctic warms, pollutants such as methylmercury, which accumulate in marine food chains, pose increasing ecological dangers. However, ecotoxicological research in the Arctic has not sufficiently considered the effects of contaminants on animal behaviour and health nor the interactions between pollutants and climate change. The EU-funded BehavToxArc project will address this problem by studying a keystone Arctic seabird named the little auk. Data related to the seabird’s behaviour and health will be collected from two colonies living under different environmental conditions and climate change effects. BehavToxArc will examine whether disruption of behaviour or stress physiology due to mercury could reduce adaptation to environmental change.
Objective
The arctic marine biota is vulnerable to effects of climate change and anthropogenic contaminants. The artic is warming rapidly and is a sink for pollutants, including methylmercury (MeHg), which bioaccumulates in marine food chains. Ecotoxicological studies in the arctic have not adequately considered effects of contaminants on animal behaviour and fitness, or interactions between contaminants and climate change. This study (BehavToxArc) will address these urgent research areas using a keystone arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). I will collect data from two colonies that are experiencing different environmental conditions and climate change impacts, and explore whether disruption of behaviour or stress physiology by Hg might limit adjustments to environmental change. I will use ultralight GPSs and accelerometers to collect unique behavioural data, which will be linked to state-of-the-art Hg measurements, and complemented by a long-term dataset (from accelerometers since 2009). I will also perform cutting-edge experiments to manipulate stress physiology, and explore cross-generational effects of Hg exposure in the context of climate change, focusing on telomeres. I will work with Dr. Jérôme Fort within the AMARE (Responses of Marine Organisms to Environmental Variability) group at La Rochelle University’s Institute Littoral Environnement et Sociétés. BehavToxArc will synthesize my expertise in behavioural ecotoxicology and telomere biology with Dr. Fort’s expertise in arctic ecotoxicology and spatial ecology. The project will introduce me to state-of-the art methods to monitor movement behaviour and measure telomeres, and the highly topical fields of arctic ecotoxicology and global change biology. Results will be disseminated by top-tier publications, conferences and public engagement, and used to advance scientific knowledge and environmental policy. The project will pivotally advance my career and propel me towards a permanent research position.
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.
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology ornithology
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology
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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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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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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.
17031 La Rochelle
France
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.