Acronym NA
Category
Fisheries
Title Modelling dynamic effects of eutrophication and overfishing in seagrass communities Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Per Åberg Coordinator email per.aberg@marecol.gu.se
Coordinator institution
UGOT - University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2008 End year NA Funding (€) € 200,477 Website NA Summary Seagrass meadows are considered important biotopes for many organisms in the coastal zone including commercially important fish species. However, the extension of seagrass decreases rapidly, and 60% of the Zostera marina along the Swedish west coast has disappeared since the 1980´s. The scientific consensus explains the loss as a result of increased turbidity and overgrowth of macroalgae. Eutrophication is regarded as driving force in this process, but investigations have also shown that overfishery can result in cascadic interactions in the ecosystem that may work synergistically with eutrophication and result in decreased grazing and increased overgrowth of macroalgae. Our overall hypothesis is that trophic cascade from decreased occurrence of top predators in concert with eutrophication results in excess growth of macroalgae in Zostera. Extensive data sets on Zostera biotopes are available since 1980´s. In this project we intend to focus on dynamic inter- and intratrophic processes in these biotopes. We will develop a model that describes an undisturbed system. The results of this model will be compared with model simulation where we systematically perturb the consumer pressure and resource supply. To increase the quality of the model and to be able to do realistic perturbations we suggest a few complementary investigations in the field and laboratory. We believe that the results from this project will provide predictive tools for management and protection of this biotope.
Keywords
Pollution;
Impacts;
Fishing mortality;
Seagrass;
Environmental impact;
Marine Region
14
Skagerrak, Kattegat (27.IIIa)
1
Marine Region Map
