Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems: observation and experimentation

Abstract

Global ocean ecosystem dynamics (GLOBEC) research has used a nested set of observations, experiments, and models in space and time to address the question of how climate change may affect marine populations. One of the great challenges has been to use observations effectively that span roughly 10 orders of magnitude spatially and temporally to understand variability in physical and biological environments. A major achievement has been the fostering of a coupled modelling and observational programme in a number of wellselected ecosystems globally. The advances in interdisciplinary observation and experimentation over the past decade, reviewed in this chapter, have led to signifi cant progress in understanding the structure and functioning of ocean ecosystems. The concept of target organisms (Gifford et al. , Chapter 4 , this volume) has been central to this approach and is linked to advances in the understanding of individual organism behaviours and population processes. New sampling and observation systems have been developed, particularly acoustic and optical. Shipboard, laboratory, and in situ process studies have been linked with new approaches to understanding trophic complexity. New approaches, applying techniques to retrospective studies, have contributed to understanding past ecosystem states and widespread use of a comparative approach has revealed new insights into the role of target species and the dynamics of marine ecosystems globally. [...]