Research
Antarctica phase IV (1997-2000)
Ecofunctional biodiversity of benthic crustacean taxocoenoses in the Southern Ocean
Coordinator
Dr Claude De Broyer
Belgian Royal Museum of Natural Sciences
Rue Vautier, 29
B-1000 BRUXELLES
Phone: +32 (0)2 627 41 27
Fax: +32 (0)2 627 42 77
E-mail: debroyer@naturalsciences.be
Topics
Description and evaluation of the role of biodiversity of the macrobenthos, in particular of the peracarid crustaceans, in the structure and functioning of the antarctic coastal and shelf ecosystem. In the Southern Ocean, the peracarid crustaceans represents the most speciose vagile macrobenthic group and probably more diversified in terms of habitats, trophic types and size spectra and the key-ecosystem is recognized like the most complex, most productive and probably most sensitive to global environmental changes.
Goals
- To characterize the structural aspects of the peracarid crustaceans biodiversity (specific richness, distribution, bio-ecological features), and in particular of the amphipods, in the benthic communities of the "Antarctic Sea-Ice Zone ", as well as their variability in space and time.
- To develop a "reference centre" for the biodiversity of antarctic amphipod crustaceans, gathering specialized databases, validated reference collections and a network of contributing specialists. On this basis, to develop new synthetic tools to describe the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean peracarid crustacean.
- To evaluate the ecofunctional role of the biodiversity of crustacean taxocoenoses in the benthic ecosystem of the "Antarctic Sea-Ice Zone". In particular, to evaluate the importance of the biodiversity in the production, by the study of the various trophodynamical roles, and the significance of the gigantism of the crustacean amphipods in two reference benthic communities.
Related Projects
- Meiobenthic biodiversity and fluxes within
the Antarctic biogeochemical environment
Prof. M. VINCX -- Universiteit Gent
Research contract # A4/02/B01 - An integrated
approach to assess carbon dynamics in the Southern Ocean
Dr F. DEHAIRS -- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (coordinator)
I : New and export production
Dr F. DEHAIRS -- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Research contract # A4/03/B11
II : Study and modelisation of the planktonic system
Dr Ch. LANCELOT -- Université Libre de Bruxelles
Research contract # A4/11/B12
III : Barite geochemistry
Dr L. ANDRÉ -- Royal Museum for Central Africa
Research contract # A4/37/B13
IV : Air/sea exchanges
Dr M. FRANKIGNOULLE -- Université de Liège
Research contract # A4/12/B14
V : 1D Modelling of the sea-ice and water column
Dr E. DELEERSNIJDER -- Université Catholique de Louvain
Research contract # A4/10/B15 - Response of the Southern Ocean global ecosystem
to physical and trophic constraints
Dr J.-H. HECQ -- Université de Liège (coordinator)
I : Ecosystem functioning and modelling
Dr J.H. HECQ -- Université de Liège
Research contract # A4/12/B21
II : Physical modelling
Dr G. PICHOT -- Management Unit of the North Sea and Scheldt Estuary Mathematical Model (MUMM) - Belgian Royal Institute of Natural Sciences
Research contract # A4/36/B22
III : Role of the picophytoplankton
Prof. V. DEMOULIN -- Université de Liège
Research contract # A4/12/B23
More
- Ant'Phipoda: the Antarctic Marine Biodiversity Referende Centre devoted to Amphipod Crustaceans