The Coastal Observing System for Northern and Arctic Seas (COSYNA)

The Coastal Observing System for Northern and Arctic Seas (COSYNA) was established in order to better understand the complex interdisciplinary processes of northern seas and the Arctic coasts in a changing environment. Particular focus is given to the German Bight in the North Sea as a prime example of a heavily used coastal area, and Svalbard as an example of an Arctic coast that is under strong pressure due to global change. The COSYNA automated observing and modelling system is designed to monitor real-time conditions and provide short-term forecasts, data, and data products to help assess the impact of anthropogenically induced change. Observations are carried out by combining satellite and radar remote sensing with various in situ platforms. Novel sensors, instruments, and algorithms are developed to further improve the understanding of the interdisciplinary interactions between physics, biogeochemistry, and the ecology of coastal seas. New modelling and data assimilation techniques are used to integrate observations and models in a quasi-operational system providing descriptions and forecasts of key hydrographic variables. Data and data products are publicly available free of charge and in real time. They are used by multiple interest groups in science, agencies, politics, industry, and the public

The effect of light acclimation of single leaves on whole tree growth and competition - an application of the tree growth model ALMIS

Black alder (Alnus glutinosa L. (Gaertn.)) is a light-demanding, fast growing tree species, widespread but always restricted to wet habitats. Because no sun and shade leaves can be distinguished within the alder crown, the question arises whether these specific photosynthetic characteristics may contribute to alder's low competitiveness. A functional-structural tree growth model ("ALMIS"), based on an object oriented approach, was developed and parameterized using data from extensive investigations of an alder forest in Northern Germany. The basic model structure is described, especially focusing on carbon dynamics. ALMIS was used to study the effects of light acclimation of single leaves on whole plant growth and competition. Different photosynthetic types were simulated to grow either in isolation or in competition which each other. When grown in isolation over an extended period, a model tree with exclusively shade leaves accumulated less total biomass than one with exclusively sun leaves, but a tree with the capacity to acclimate the leaves to the low light conditions in the inner crown grew the most. Inter-tree competition enhanced the advantage of leaf acclimation for whole plant growth.Effets de l'adaptation des feuilles à la lumière sur la croissance globale de l'arbre et la compétition - une application du modèle de croissance ALMIS. L'Aulne noir (Alnus glutinosa L. (Gaertn.)) est une espèce à croissance rapide exigeante en lumière. Elle est répandue, mais toujours localisée aux habitats humides. Comme il n'est pas possible de différencier dans la canopée les feuilles d'ombre de celles de lumière, la question se pose de savoir si ses caractéristiques photosynthétiques peuvent contribuer à la faible compétitivité de l'Aulne. Un modèle de croissance à fonction structurelle (ALMIS), basé sur l'approche orientée objet, a été développé et paramétrisé à partir des données résultant d'une investigation extensive dans une forêt d'aulne dans le Nord de l'Allemagne. La structure du modèle de base est décrite, spécialement pour la partie dynamique du carbone. ALMIS a été utilisé pour étudier les effets de l'adaptation des feuilles à la lumière sur la croissance globale et la compétition. Différentes conditions photosynthétiques ont été simulées pour la croissance, soit en condition isolée, soit en condition de compétition entre elles. Dans le cas de la croissance en condition isolée pour une longue période, le modèle d'arbre avec uniquement des feuilles d'ombre accumule moins de biomasse totale que ceux avec uniquement des feuilles de lumière. Mais un arbre qui aurait la capacité d'adaptation de ses feuilles aux conditions de lumière au sein de sa canopée aurait une meilleure croissance. La compétition entre arbre améliore les avantages de l'adaptation des feuilles vis-à-vis de la croissance globale de la plante

Water use in neighbouring stands of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.)

In neighbouring stands of beech and black alder in northern Germany, transpiration, soil evaporation and interception evaporation were estimated for four meteorologically different years. By means of standard weather data a two-layer evaporation model of the Shuttleworth-Wallace type was applied. In the 105-year-old beech forest (tree height 29 m, maximum leaf area index 4.5), annual transpiration (Tr) varied between 326 and 421 mm (mean 389 mm or 50 % of gross precipitation, PG) and annual evapotranspiration (ET) between 567 and 665 mm (mean 617 mm or 79 % of P G). In the 60-year-old alder stand (tree height 18 m, maximum leaf area index 4.8) the respective values were 375 and 658 mm (mean 538 mm or 69 % of PG) for Tr and 612 and 884 mm (mean 768 mm or 99 % of PG, for ET. In years with high radiation input, ET in the alder stand (along a lake shore with unlimited water availability) exceeded both PG and net radiation. The higher inter-annual, weather-dependent variation of transpiration in alder corresponds to a lower capacity of stomatal regulation in alder if compared with beech. (© Inra/Elsevier, Paris.)Utilisation de l'eau dans deux peuplements de hêtre (Fagus sylvatica L.) et d'aulne (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) juxtaposés. Dans une hêtraie et une aulnaie voisines, au nord de l'Allemagne, la transpiration, l'évaporation du sol et l'évaporation de l'eau interceptée ont été estimées pour quatre années présentant des conditions météorologiques différentes. Basé sur des données météorologiques standard, un modèle à deux couches a été appliqué. Pour la hêtraie, âgée de 105 ans (hauteur des arbres 29 m, indice de surface foliaire maximal 4,5), la transpiration annuelle (Tr) varie entre 326 et 421 mm (moyenne 389 mm ou 50 % des précipitations, P G) et l'évapotranspiration annuelle (ET) entre 567 et 665 mm (moyenne 617 mm ou 79 % des PG). Pour l'aulnaie, àgée de 60 ans (hauteur des arbres 18 m, indice de surface foliaire maximal 4,8), les valeurs respectives sont de 375 et 658 mm (moyenne 538 mm ou 69 % des PG) pour Tr et de 612 et 884 mm (moyenne 768 mm ou 99 % des PG) pour ET. Pour l'aulnaie, située au bord d'un lac (à disponibilité en eau illimitée), ET dépasse PG ainsi que le rayonnement net dans les années à fort ensoleillement. La variation interannuelle de la transpiration, dépendante des conditions météorologiques, est plus élevée pour l'aulnaie, ce qui est dû à une capacité moindre de régulation des stomates. (© Inra/Elsevier, Paris.

The Ecological Effect of Phenotypic Plasticity - Analyzing Complex Interaction Networks (COIN) with Agent-based Models

Analyzing complex dynamics of ecological systems is complicated by two important facts: First, phenotypic plasticity allows individual organisms to adapt their reaction norms in terms of morphology, anatomy, physiology and behavior to changing local environmental conditions and trophic relationships. Secondly, individual reactions and ecological dynamics are often determined by indirect interactions through reaction chains and networks involving feedback processes. We present an agent-based modeling framework which allows to represent and analyze ecological systems that include phenotypic changes in individual performances and indirect interactions within heterogeneous and temporal changing environments. We denote this structure of interacting components as COmplex Interaction Network (COIN). Three examples illustrate the potential of the system to analyze complex ecological processes that incorporate changing phenotypes on the individual level: - A model on fish population dynamics of roach (Rutilus rutilus) leads to a differentiation in fish length resulting in a conspicuous distribution that influences reproduction capability and thus indirectly the fitness. - Modeling the reproduction phase of the passerine bird Erithacus rubecula (European Robin) illustrates variation in the behavior of higher organisms in dependence of environmental factors. Changes in reproduction success and in the proportion of different activities are the results. - The morphological reaction of plants to changes in fundamental environmental parameters is illustrated by the black alder (Alnus glutinosa) model. Specification of physiological processes and the interaction structure on the level of modules allow to represent the reaction to changes in irradiance and temperature accurately. Applying the COIN-approach, individual plasticity emerges as a structural and functional implication in a self-organized manner. The examples illustrate the potential to integrate existing approaches to represent detailed and complex traits for higher order organisms and to combine ecological and evolutionary aspects.JRC.G.4-Maritime affair

Deep assessment of human disease-associated ribosomal RNA modifications using Nanopore direct RNA sequencing - doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.10.467884

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