Environmental Change and Ecosystem Dynamics + Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
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Title: Biological interaction generating spatial heterogeneity of microphytes and grazers on intertidal flats and river floodplains.

Primary Researcher: Ellen Weerman
Email address: e.weerman@nioo.knaw.nl
Submitted on: December 5, 2005

Start date: 01 October 2005
End date: 30 November 1999

Introduction:

Patchiness is a fundamental characteristic of microbial mats on many intertidal flats and is caused by physical and biochemical factors. Also, the effects of biological interaction caused by invertebrate grazers might play an important role in the spatial heterogeneity in biomats. In this study Ellen look at the interaction between biomat and their grazers on intertidal flats and floodplains. The study will include fieldwork, labwork and modelling on both fresh and saltwater ecosystems. The biofilm development will be monitored to find seasonal patterns in the spatial heterogeneity. Field and laboratory experiments will be done to determine the positive and negative interactions of biomats and grazers. Spatial explicit modeling of the grazer interactions and perturbation regimes will be used to investigete alternative hypotheses on the role of grazng for generation patches.

Aim:

- gain insight in the grazer-biofilm relationship on a spatial scale

- prove theories about terrestrial spatial plant-herbivore interactions on aquatic and marine ecosystems

- a better understanding of the benthic foodweb

Research: