Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C521244/1
Measures of interaction strength and ecosystem function in perturbed food webs.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor JI Jones, Queen Mary University of London, Sch of Biological and Chemical Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor A Hildrew, Queen Mary University of London, Sch of Biological & Behavioural Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr A Ibbotson, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Research
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Population Ecology
- Community Ecology
- Abstract:
- Humans have a profound effect on the structure of biological communities introducing some species and causing extinctions of others. Currently we do not know how to predict the effect of changes in one species on the other species in the community. We should be able to predict these changes using food web theory, which give detailed maps of who eats whom, and how big an effect a change in one species has on the other species. However, there is no consensus on how to measure the strength of interactions among the species of a food web or what these interaction strengths represent. We propose to measure the strength of interactions among the species of a small stream in several different ways, namely measures calculated through direct observation of gut contents (what has been eaten), body size ratios of predators and prey (what we expect to be eaten) and by changing the density of top predators (what happens when more is eaten). By comparing these measures w e will be able to determine how comparable these measure are and what they tell us. We will also determine measures of ecosystem function (useful things the ecosystem does, such as break down organic matter or support fisheries) so that we can verify models of food web structure and ecosystem function. In this way we will enable more accurate models of the consequences of species loss or invasion on ecosystems to be constructed.
- Period of Award:
- 4 Apr 2005 - 3 Apr 2008
- Value:
- £245,207 Split Award
Authorised funds only
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C521244/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £245,207
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|
| £167,951 | £77,257 |
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