Workshop
7th Workshop on Trait-based Approaches to Ocean Life
The workshop will bring together scientists to discuss how functional traits shape marine ecosystems, using experimental, statistical, and modeling approaches.
This workshop aims to discuss the latest research in trait-based ecology of the ocean encompassing all realms of life (e.g. phytoplankton, bacteria, fish, whales, corals). The organizers invite scientists that use either experimental, statistical or modelling approaches to investigate topics related, but not limited, to the following:
- Traits and trade-offs of aquatic organisms
- Distribution of organisms and/or traits in space and time
- How organisms and their traits shape ecosystem functions.
The trait-based approach describes ecosystems as consisting of functional types rather than species, characterising them by a few key traits that are interrelated through trade-offs. Examples of traits are organism’s body size, feeding mode, predator-prey size ratios, optimization for fast growth due to proteome allocation, or defence characteristics.
In 2013, Centre for Ocean Life at DTU Aqua initiated the first Workshop on Trait-based Approaches to Ocean Life. Researchers from DTU Aqua are also part of the committee organizing the 7th Workshop.