PEP is a project of the MAST-III programme of the European Union
Project coordinator : Prof . Dr. F. Buchholz, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, BAH Meeresstation D-27483 Helgoland. e-mail : fbuchhol@x4u2.desy.de

Objectives:

Studies on functional marine biodiversity as a basis for understanding ecosystem
structure, dynamics and resilience will be focused on the Northern krill,
the euphausiid Meganyctiphanes norvegica as a pelagic model species. 
The patterns of diversity in this species - an important component of Atlantic
communities - will be investigated at specific locations in the north-eastern
Atlantic, the Kattegat and the Meditarranean.
      - The Atlantic off Scotland : deep and cool.
      - The Meditterranean in the Ligurian sea : deep and warm.
      - The Kattegat: shallow and therefore variable in temperature.

The main objectives are:
A) The uptake, internal transfer, metabolism, and ways of storage of energy
   under different conditions will be analysed and compared in the Northern 
   krill.
B) The adaptative capacity of M. norvegica in terms of rates, ranges and 
   limits of physiological performance in relation to the differing climatic
   conditions will be compared.
c) Genetic differentiation in M. norvegica with respect to physiological
   function and the contrasting properties of the ecosystems will be elucidated.
D) Adaptative features will be sought which will give clues towards the extent 
   of eurythermy vs stenothermy in the species.
E) M. norvegica crosses different water strata during regular vertical
   migration. The influence of different biotic and abiotic conditions, with
   special regard to temperature, on the physiology of the migrating specimens
   will be analysed, in order to identify causes and effects of this
   characteristic migrating specimens will be analysed, in order to identify
   causes and effects of this characteristic behaviour.
F) Numerous vertebrates depend on M. norvegica as a food ressource.
   The role of krill in the food chains of the ecosystems will be defined 
   and compared at the threee study sites.
   

Participants :

• Partner 1 : Biologishe Anstalt Helgoland (BAH), Marine Station at Helgoland, Germany.
• Partner 2 : Laboratoire d'Océanographie Biochimique et Ecologie (LOBE), Observatoire Océanologique, Villefranche/mer. France.
• Partner 3 : The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, Scotland.
• Partner 4 : Section of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Padova,Padova, Italia
• Patner 5 : Particles Dynamic and Underwater Acoustic Team, Centre d'Océanologie de Marseille, France

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