BSSC2017 Session Topics
Session 1 (S1) Dynamics of gradient systems
Climatic, physical and chemical gradients are characteristic for the Baltic Sea, determining the ecosystem structure and functioning. In addition, human population density and land-use exhibit strong gradients. As a result, both, anthropogenic impact on as well as biotic structure of the Baltic Sea ecosystem differ broadly between its basins. These differences must be understood and taken into account when predicting the effects of global change. This session focusses on interdisciplinary studies on all aspects of gradient driven regional specifics of coastal seas with respect to ecosystem structure and functioning including:
- seasonal aspects of succession and trophic interactions, including their meteorological preconditions, physico-chemical driving forces and their geological record;
- oceanographic patterns shaping spatial distribution of and interaction between species;
- population structure including reproduction biology, population genetics and niche structure;
- the importance of hot events i.e. short term high intensity impacts such as storm surges, erosion driven nutrient inputs, but also periods of ice cover.
From the biological point of view, the theme explicitly addresses research on organisms of all trophic levels. Oceanographically, the theme focusses on short-term variability and differences in seasonality between the Baltic Sea basins with respect to physical and biogeochemical factors. From a meteorological point of view, the session is asking for contributions considering gradients in wind field, irradiance, precipitation seasonality and all aspects of sea ice.