Objective Alterations in the rate of nutrient and dissolved organic carbon supply to marine coastal ecosystems profoundly influence the structure of plankton assemblages. The interplay and resource partitioning between autotrophic and heterotrophic planktonic assemblages is important in determining the structure of food webs. Yet to date we have little understanding of the interaction and feed-back mechanisms operating autotrophic and heterotrophic processes at the microbial level. The aims of MEICE are: 1) to lay the basis for interactive models of coastal plankton and their environment through better understanding of the factors that give rise to and control coastal plankton community assemblages, and 2) to study resource partitioning and competition between autotrophs and heterotrophs. The project will develop in the following three phases: 1) laboratory experiments using batch and continuous cultures of algal and microbial organisms; 2) mesocosm experiments; and 3) application of knowledge thus gained in a full scale field programme in several open stations. The investigations will include model simulations of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen cycles. The viral impact on these cycles and on resource partitioning and competition between bacteria, heterotrophic flagellates, and phytoplankton will also be studied. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemscoastal ecosystems Programme(s) FP3-MAST 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of marine science and technology, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 0104 - Biological processes Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Water Quality Institute Address 11,agern allé 2970 Hørsholm Denmark See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN Norway EU contribution € 0,00 Address Jahnebakken 5 5007 Bergen See on map UNIVERSITY OF WALES - BANGOR United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Askew street LL59 5EY Gwynedd See on map
