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P15: The role of patchiness in marine ecosystem functioning

Supervisor: Prof. Dr.  D.A. Wolf-Gladrow (AWI/University Bremen)

Co-Supervisors: Dr. Silke Thoms (AWI), Dr. Christoph Voelker (AWI)


 

The distributions of nutrients, phyto- and zooplankton within the surface mixed layer of the ocean are far from being homogeneous. Instead they show patchiness and variability over a large range of spatial scales, where the steady state distribution can be described by power laws.

Ecosystem models on the other hand typically treat these distributions as homogeneous on the scale of the model grid (which can be quite large), i.e. they assume that the small-scale variability 'averages out'.

The aim of this thesis would be to study the impact of patchiness on the functioning of the ecosystem. Mathematical methods to describe patchiness shall be be used in conjunction with existing ecosystem models to test the assumption of homogeneous distribution (mean-field theory). We would like to find out under which conditions it is necessary to account for small-scale variability.  

We are looking for a PhD student interested in mathematical modelling of biological processes and ecosystems.


 

For further information or questions please contact:
Prof. Dr. D.A. Wolf-Gladrow ([email protected])

Related links: AWI Marine Biogeosciences
http://www.awi.de/de/forschung/fachbereiche/biowissenschaften/biogeosciences/

                 
                        Please indicate project P15 when applying for this topic.


 
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