ICBM-TERRAMARE
Wilhelmshaven Campus of the ICBM

Planktology Working Group

Abstract

 
Our research group on the ecology of pelagic marine communities was founded in 2008. Using marine model systems, our focus is on the causes and consequences of biodiversity and the structure of pelagic food webs. Anthropogenic alterations of biogeochemical cycles and the loss of biodiversity in many ecosystems are motivations of our research efforts. Important conceptual frameworks guiding our work are ecological stoichiometry, metacommunity concepts and multiscale models of biodiversity regulation and consequences of biodiversity loss. Most of our studies deal with aquatic autotrophs (benthic microalgae, phytoplankton, macrophytes) and their herbivores (snails, crustaceans, insect larvae). Our main working tools are manipulative experiments both in the field and in the lab as well as meta-analyses of large scale patterns and published literature. We strongly aim at synthesizing patterns and processes within community ecology.