Size-Based Models of Aquatic Ecosystems: Theory and Practice - a Symposium in Honour of Rob Peters, Part 1

Monday, August 18, 2014: 1:30 PM-5:20 PM
205C (Centre des congrès de Québec // Québec City Convention Centre)
 

The symposium will focus on how size-based ecosystem models can be used to understand and manage marine and freshwater aquatic systems. Body size is a ubiquitous trait of organisms determining virtually all important physiological and ecological functions. Size-based models of marine ecosystems have been studied for at least 4 decades, however over the last 10 years there has seen much new work demonstrating the utility of this approach in describing, managing and forecasting the behaviour of many aspects of both marine and freshwater systems.  For example, such models have provided useful tools for exploring the responses of aquatic systems to exploitation, eutrophication and climate change. Topics to be covered in the symposium include: (i) theory underlying model structure and behaviour – links to the macroecology literature and the pioneering work of Rob Peters; (ii) applications to exploitation management at both the community level and the population level; (iii) new methods (eg hydro-acoustics, telemetry) for estimating size structures in the field; (iv) empirical studies of size structure variation along several (eg climate, nutrient) environmental gradients.  We expect participation by ~ 20 scientists actively working in this field.  Presentations will cover new research results from North American, South American, European and African systems. AFS members will benefit from this symposium because it will provide a comprehensive overview of this promising approach to aquatic ecosystem management, covering (i) why the approach is effective, (ii) what it can be used for; (iii) its data needs and how to meet them.

Chairs:
Brian J. Shuter and Henrique Giacomini
Organizers:
Brian J. Shuter and Henrique Giacomini
Chairs:
Brian J. Shuter
Email: brian.shuter@utoronto.ca

Henrique Giacomini, PhD
Email: hgiacomini@gmail.com

Organizers:
Brian J. Shuter
Email: brian.shuter@utoronto.ca

Henrique Giacomini, PhD
Email: hgiacomini@gmail.com

1:30 PM
Surfing the Biomass Size Spectrum: Some Remarks on History, Theory, and Application
W Gary Sprules, University of Toronto Mississauga; Lauren Barth, University of Toronto Mississauga

2:10 PM
Supply-Demand Models and the Evolution of Body Size
John DeLong, University of Nebraska

2:30 PM
A Size-Based Theory for Inferring Global Change Impacts on Food Web Structure
Dominique Gravel, Université du Québec à Rimouski; Camille Albouy, Université du Québec à Rimouski; Claire Jacquet, Université du Québec à Rimouski

2:50 PM
Allometric Constraints to Food Webs within a Metacommunity Context
Matias Arim, Facultad de Ciencias & Centro Universitario Regional Este (CURE), Universidad de la República Uruguay; Ana Borthagaray, Facultad de Gobierno; Marcelo Loureiro, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Uruguay

3:10 PM
Monday Afternoon Break


4:20 PM
The Impact of Active Metabolism on the Dynamics of Size-Structured Food Webs
Henrique Giacomini, Université du Québec à Montréal; Pedro Peres-Neto, Université du Québec à Montréal

See more of: Symposium Proposals