Ecological variability in coastal oceans [Elektronische Ressource] : simulating biological-physical interactions with Lagrangian individual-based models / von Gunnar Brandt

Ecological variability in coastal oceans:simulating biological-physical interactions withLagrangian Individual-based modelsAn der Fakultat¨ fur¨ Mathematik und Naturwissenschaftender Carl von Ossietzky Universitat¨ Oldenburgzur Erlangung des Grades und Titels einesDoktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.)angenommene Dissertation vonDipl.-Umweltwissenschaftler Gunnar Brandtgeboren am 21.05.1978in Minden (Westfl.)Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Kai W. WirtzZweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Bernd BlasiusTag der Disputation: 25. September 2009To my girls, Steffi and Karla JoannaWith Arms Wide Open ...AbstractCoastal oceans constitute the link between terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems and play an importantrole in marine ecology. They exhibit a very high primary productivity that is fueled by nutrient inputsfrom rivers or from upwelling and consequently also sustain an elevated productivity in higher trophiclevels. High variability, particularly in ecological variables, is a common feature in such systems. It ismainly caused by highly variable physical conditions and significantly impedes the understanding, letalone the predictability, of ecological processes in coastal oceans. The central aim of this thesis, whichconsists of three self-contained chapters, is to assess the effects of biological-physical interactions ontwo fundamental processes in coastal oceans.