The rapid development in Asian countries has led to unprecedented economic growth, but endangered the stability of ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems, in particular, are very vulnerable to certain anthropogenic disturbances, like pollution from industrial plants, which threatens their ability to provide food and clean water. Benthic macroinvertebrates and aquatic insects are regarded as one of the most suitable ecological indicators for water quality and play a fundamental functional role in aquatic food webs.
In this project, I will analyze the response of benthic macroinvertebrate communities to disturbances using an individual-based eco-evolutionary model that describes essential life events (birth, death, movement, drifting, and adult flight), includes the effects of competition within the community, and enables local adaptation to, or tolerance for, extrinsic environmental factors (e.g., oxygen, temperature, pollution).
I expect that my results will contribute to the prediction of community compositions in response to disturbances and thus facilitate the establishment of efficient assessment methods and management plans for aquatic ecosystems.
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313