The Northern Humboldt current ecosystem and its resource dynamics [Elektronische Ressource] : insights from a trophic modeling and time series analysis / by Marc Hollis Taylor

The Northern Humboldt Current Ecosystem and its resource dynamics: Insights from a trophic modeling and time series analysis Doctoral thesis by Marc Hollis Taylor Submitted to Faculty 2 (Biology & Chemistry), Bremen University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor rerum naturalium (Doctor of Natural Sciences) March 2008, Bremen Advisory Committee: 1. Reviewer: Prof Dr. Matthias Wolff (Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT), Bremen, Germany) 2. Reviewer: Dr. habil. Thomas Brey (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany) 1. Examiner: Prof. Dr. Wolf Arntz (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany) 2. Examiner: Dr. Werner Ekau (Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT), Bremen, Germany) The NHCE and its resource dynamics Abstract The Northern Humboldt Current Ecosystem (NHCE) is one of the most productive in the world. Wind-driven coastal upwelling brings cool, nutrient-rich water to the photic zone where rich plankton communities develop. This high productivity supports large populations of small plankton-grazing pelagic fish, which are an important food source for many higher predators and support a large fish meal industry.