Objective While the development in concepts and techniques over the last decade(s) have fundamentally changed our appreciation of the qualitative and quantitative role of micro-organisms in the flows of matter and energy through pelagic food webs, it is probably fair to say that our understanding of the mechanisms regulating the magnitude and directions of these flows still remain obscure. We here suggest that main features of this complex system can be understood from a fairly simple conceptual model unifying otherwise apparently contradicting aspects. At the same time, however, the pelagic food web also contains aspects where we see potential conflicts between such a simple conceptual model and present observations. There are also aspects of the microbial part of this system where fundamental knowledge on the biological processes is still lacking. We thus propose a project where the aim is to: - explore the explanatory power of the proposed conceptual model for ecosystem experiments and descriptions, - collect data we feel are crucial for progressing towards a more quantitative formulation of the conceptual model, - critically look at specificmechanisms which presently seem difficult to incorporate into this simple conceptual framework, and - study specific processes in the food web we feel are too poorly understood to incorporate in a correct manner. As a research strategy for this evaluation and modification of our concepts of microbial food web functioning, we propose a combination of: - experimental approaches, - field measurements, and - small scale mathematical modelling. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologynatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Programme(s) FP4-MAST 3 - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of marine science and technology, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 010102 - Practical and theoretical integrated ecosystem studies to model and define the resilience of pelagic and benthic ecosystems of marginal seas and ocean basins Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN EU contribution No data Address Jahnebakken 5 5007 BERGEN Norway See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE France EU contribution No data Address Place George Tessier 29682 ROSCOFF See on map Total cost No data CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain EU contribution No data Address S/N,Passeig Joan de Borbo S/N 08039 BARCELONA See on map Total cost No data NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE - MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Denmark EU contribution No data Address 399,Frederiksborgvej 399 4000 ROSKILDE See on map Total cost No data Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris VI France EU contribution No data Address Quai de la Darse 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer See on map Total cost No data Water Quality Institute Denmark EU contribution No data Address 11,Agern Allé 2970 Hørsholm See on map Total cost No data