Program summary
Zooplankton is a key link between primary producers and larger predators and most zooplankton population changes can be attributed to environmental causes. Multi-year zooplankton time series provide an important tool for examining climate-ecosystem interactions. Between-region comparisons allow a better comprehension of causal mechanisms and consequences of the physical forcing on marine food chains.
Our aim is to develop and provide data on zooplankton as environmental indicator, in order to assess and forecast ecosystem changes in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Comparisons of bio-geographical variations across the sea basins will be conducted through the international co-operation and through the constitution of networks of institutes and experts. Coordinated monitoring programs, spatial surveys and re-processing of older archived samples will be organized and linked to data on climate change. Harmonization of sampling methods, treatment of the samples and treatment of the data will be achieved through workshops and collaborations.
Overall this CIESM Task Force will:
- assemble and aggregate relevant information on composition-resolved time series;
- identify existing zooplankton collections;
- collect information on spatial surveys (cruises);
- build capacities for expertise and a experts’ network;
- raise awareness on the benefits of routine zooplankton observations.
Detailed Objectives:
1) Building the ability to determine the composition of past and present assemblages of zooplankton in different Mediterranean and Black seas geographic locations through the collection of information on the:
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status of existing collections, sampling methods, treatment of samples, data archiving, ownership of the data.
2) Improving the expertise in taxonomy through:
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networks of experts, workshops, expert systems, students exchange.
3) Contribute to the identification of the Climatic Change impact on the Mediterranean and Black Sea zooplankton, indicator of the Mediterranean ecosystem state through the following activities:
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retrospective analysis of historical time series, ancillary data acquisition, data banking, data analysis, building bridges
with fisheries and coastal managements
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