Quantifying the effect of marine predator foraging behaviors in patchy prey environments on ecosystem productivity, diversity and function using novel mathematical, theoretical and empirical approaches

使用新颖的数学、理论和经验方法量化海洋捕食者在斑块猎物环境中的觅食行为对生态系统生产力、多样性和功能的影响

• 批准号: 5439279
• 负责人: Dr. Susanne Menden-Deuer
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Graduate School of Oceanography
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Fellowships
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2003-12-31 至 2007-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/5439279?language=en
• 关键词: Quantifying; effect; marine; predator; foraging

The goal of this research is to develop mathematical models that establish a quantitative relationships between smallscale, individual movements of marine predators, and their long-term, large-scale effects on ecological rates. Zooplankton foraging is of fundamental importance in structuring marine food webs, which drive ecological dynamics, impact fisheries production and modulate the global carbon cycle. Many predators have behavioral responses to prey, e.g. they turn more in the presence of prey. The ecological consequences of such behaviors on growth and grazing rates can be understood within the context of biased random walk theory. Development of this theory has been limited by lack of data that simultaneously tracks individuals and populations. Recently, I have collected millions of these observations. First, I propose to develop biodiffusion models which embed my observations in a theoretical framework and generate predictions of biological rates. Second, I will apply these models to movement data of threatened marine predators (sharks, whales, seals) to predict their habitat use. By linking individual movements with ecological processes, this work will support marine conservation and enhance our quantitative understanding of the ecology of marine ecosystems.

本研究的目标是开发数学模型，建立一个定量关系之间的小规模，个人运动的海洋捕食者，和他们的长期，大规模的生态率的影响。浮游动物觅食在构建海洋食物网方面至关重要，而海洋食物网驱动生态动态，影响渔业生产并调节全球碳循环。许多捕食者对猎物有行为反应，例如，它们在猎物存在时会转向更多。这种行为对生长和放牧率的生态后果可以在有偏随机游走理论的背景下理解。这一理论的发展一直受到缺乏同时跟踪个人和群体的数据的限制。最近，我收集了数百万个这样的观察结果。首先，我建议开发生物扩散模型，将我的观察结果嵌入到理论框架中，并生成生物速率的预测。其次，我将这些模型应用于受威胁的海洋捕食者（鲨鱼，鲸鱼，海豹）的运动数据，以预测他们的栖息地使用。通过将个体运动与生态过程联系起来，这项工作将支持海洋保护，并提高我们对海洋生态系统生态学的定量理解。