The Conference will elucidate the effects of extreme (low and high) nutrient conditions on marine planktonic food webs and coastal ecosystem processes. The comparison of food-web responses to very low (Mediterranean) and very high (Hong Kong) nutrient conditions in waters of relatively similar temperatures and salinities will be used to characterise the propagation of bottom-up nutrient effects through the planktonic food web. This comparison of vastly different coastal ecosystems that develop in nutrient poor and nutrient rich waters will provide insights in our understanding of important issues such as water quality (e.g. development of hypoxia and anoxia), biological resources (e.g. red tides/ harmful algal blooms, fisheries and aquaculture), and marine biogeochemistry (e.g. cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon). Given the complexity of the subject and the limited resources available, the Conference will focus on the planktonic components of coastal food webs.

Last update: 16 October 2006
Atmospheric, Marine and Coastal Environment Program, School of Science
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ©

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