Descrizione del progetto
Studiare i cefalopodi per affrontare i cambiamenti climatici nell’Artico
L’impatto esercitato dai cambiamenti climatici sulle zone polari impone l’attuazione di interventi rapidi ed efficienti. Un monitoraggio ecologico più accurato nell’Artico può portare a una maggiore razionalità nella gestione degli ecosistemi marini e, si spera, a mitigare l’impatto dei cambiamenti climatici. In particolare, lo studio dei cefalopodi (appartenenti al phylum Mollusca), le cui caratteristiche suggeriscono che dispongano del potenziale di sopravvivere ai cambiamenti climatici, sembra essere promettente. Mediante l’implementazione di metodologie nuove e tradizionali, il progetto ArCeph, finanziato dall’UE, approfondisce la biodiversità, il contesto storico e il ruolo ecologico dei cefalopodi nell’Artico, nonché i loro cambiamenti ontogenetici e temporanei nell’ambito dei cambiamenti climatici.
Obiettivo
Climate change is impacting global ecosystems, especially in the polar areas of the Earth. Countering climate change effects is stated as one of the key goals of both global development, in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and of regional development, e.g. EU strategy of managing the Arctic. Cephalopoda (Phylum Mollusca) are pivotal components in marine food webs and have life history and physiological characteristics that make them potential winners of climate change. This group, due to their ecology and biology features, such as high abundance coupled with low taxonomic diversity, high degree of opportunism, ecological adaptability, single reproductive cycle and typically a short lifespan, cab ve used to assess and predict climate change-induced shifts of Arctic ecosystems. Thus, the main objective of the Action is to assess biodiversity, life histories and ecological role of cephalopods in the Arctic and their ontogenetic and temporary changes using both well-established and innovative methodologies, in the climate change context. The project addresses this matter via 3 scientific work packages that focus on the following research hypotheses: Hypothesis 1) diversity and distribution of current Arctic cephalopod populations shifts due to climate changes; Hypothesis 2) environmental conditions experienced during the life of individual cephalopods can be documented and used to assess the climate change impact on life histories, where comparing historical with new specimens will highlight climate change impact; and Hypothesis 3) the role of cephalopods in the Arctic food web is even more pivotal then we currently understand, and this would be tested with innovative food web modelling methods. The results achieved will increase the quality of ecological monitoring in the Arctic, leading to more rational management of the Arctic marine ecosystems in order to possibly counter climate change impact.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinatore
24148 Kiel
Germania