WP2 - Marine Biodiversity and Ecological Function

logo   Akvaplan-niva (APN)   Paul E. Renaud
High North Research Centre
9296 Tromsø, Norway
Email: per@akvaplan.niva.no
Four main tasks consists of WP2:
  1. Compilation of benthic fauna data
  2. Analysis of spatial patterns of distribution of calcifying taxa in Arctic and boreal waters and identification of main environmental drivers.
  3. Mapping of spatial variability of sensitivity of benthic communities to predicted future acidification.
  4. Integration of benthic maps with current and projected carbonate saturation levels
The main goal of WP2 is to predict the effects of ocean acidification on the biodiversity and structure of benthic systems in Arctic seas. The distributional maps of calcifying organisms will be compared to maps of temperature, salinity, pH, CaCO3 saturation state, overlying primary productivity fields produced by WP1 and 4. This will allow us to determine the geographical areas and habitats that are most likely are or will be most sensitive to change driven by changes in stressors. Work in this WP will be conducted throughout the duration of the project and deliverables as well as milestone including integrate databases of biodiversity and carbonate saturation levels will be provided in the last year of activity as it depended on deliverables of WP 1, 3.


photo: A. Piwoni
photo: A. Piwoni
photo: M. Włodarska-Kowalczuk
photo: P.Kukliński
photo: P.Kukliński