The Baltic Sea is undergoing large-scale environmental changes and these have consequences for the food webs and ecosystems. The changes include inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus and climate change with rising temperatures and other effects, such as ocean acidification. These, in turn, can change which species who do and do not thrive at the base of the food web, and thus have consequences for other species higher up the food web. Among interesting species is of course commercially fished species like cod and herring. This webinar will present two studies on the complex interactions between environmental changes and the food web.
To view the source page for this Stockholm University event: https://www.su.se/stockholms-universitets-ostersjocentrum/policyverksamhet/baltic-breakfast
Date: Wednesday 26 January 2022, 9:30-10:15 (CET, Local time in Sweden)
The webinar is broadcast here. This webinar and previous ones could also be found at su.se/ostersjocentrum/balticbreakfast
No registration is needed.
Researcher Maciej Tomczak, Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, will share the results from an international project looking at changes in several factors over an 80-year period. Several large-scale ecosystem changes – regime shifts – have been identified. The interaction between benthic and pelagic species has weakened in the central Baltic Sea. Oxygen content controls the ecosystem more than before, while salinity becomes less controlling. Recently, fishing has had a greater impact on the food web.
The research of Eva Ehrnsten, Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, focuses on how changes in phosphorus and nitrogen inputs have affected different types of benthic animals since the 1970s. Despite widespread bottom oxygen depletion, the total amount of animals has increased. The composition is also affected. Reduced inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus and climate change may alter the picture in the future.
Understanding how the ecosystem has changed over time is important when management targets are set. Welcome to a Baltic Breakfast to learn more about the food web changes and discuss management targets!
Questions and discussion
We highly welcome the audience to ask questions, in advance or during the webinar.
E-mail your question to ostersjocentrum@su.se
Write your question on Sli.do using the code #22102
Discuss the topic on Twitter, using the hashtag #balticbreakfast
Are you a journalist? Contact us to book separate interviews with the researchers!
"These predictions seem now to be less certain"
IMAGE: Kloderowski/Wikimedia commons/Baltic Sea Center webpage