Objective "In all pelagic marine food-webs, zooplankton are the critical link between the phytoplankton primary producers and higher trophic levels, including fish. On-going changes observed for zooplankton communities in the Mediterranean and other oceans around the world therefore have serious implications for food-web productivity, and their continued provision of ecosystem services (e.g. food security). Current gaps in our knowledge of how the zooplankton component of the food-web functions, limit our ability to sustainably manage our marine resources.The ISOZOO program is designed to make a significant contribution to our understanding of zooplankton food-web processes, and how climate change and anthropogenic impacts affect these. Facilitated by IIF mobility, this overarching goal will be achieved by a multi and interdisciplinary approach, combining stable isotope ecology, ocean biochemistry, physical and biological oceanography, and ecosystem modelling. Working with a set of collaborators at the LOPB in Marseille, we will define Phyto-Zooplankton relationships across a range of nutrient conditions, and estimate the impact of these relationships on zooplankton food-chain length and transfer efficiencies. Established relationships between zooplankton and phytoplankton-nutrients will be used to: 1. develop an Index of zooplankton food-web status that can be applied to monitor food-web response to changing ocean conditions (physics & nutrients) and, 2. parameterise the Eco3M bio-physical model for the Gulf of Lion, to simulate/predict the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic forcing on ecosystem function. Together objectives 1 and 2 should allow for better informed management of marine resources given future variability. Through collaboration beyond the time frame of this project we aim to develop world-wide application of the Food-Web Index (1) and model parameters (2) through networks of international collaborators for climate change monitoring and research." Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesoceanographynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Coordinator UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE EU contribution € 269 096,40 Address BOULEVARD CHARLES LIVON 58 LE PHARO 13284 Marseille France See on map Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Bouches-du-Rhône Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Celine Damon (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Total cost No data
