Zooplankton: the missing link in modelling the ocean carbon cycle

我们关闭海洋碳循环的能力，从而提高对碳封存和渔业的未来预测，可以说最大的差距是什么？答案是我们对浮游动物的建模，它们是地球上数量最多的动物。该项目旨在建立下一代生态系统模型，以解决浮游动物群体及其特征和关键过程，从而对碳封存和渔业产生新的见解。预期的结果包括浮游动物建模的新方法，导致我们如何模拟碳循环的范式转变。这将带来巨大的好处，包括大大提高对碳封存和渔业生产的估计，这对澳大利亚和全球的碳预算和粮食安全至关重要。

What is arguably the biggest gap in our ability to close the ocean carbon cycle, and thus improve future forecasts of carbon sequestration and fisheries? The answer is our modelling of zooplankton, the most abundant animals on Earth. This project aims to build a next-generation ecosystem model that resolves zooplankton groups, their traits and key processes, generating novel insights into carbon sequestration and fisheries. Expected outcomes include new methods for zooplankton modelling, leading to a paradigm shift in how we model carbon cycling. This should provide significant benefits, including vastly improved estimates of carbon sequestration and fisheries production, vital for carbon budgets and food security in Australia and globally.