Quantitative Marine Ecology of Peruvian Upwelling Ecosystem

JEAI (Jeunes équipes associées à l'IRD)

QUANTITATIVE MARINE ECOLOGY OF THE PERUVIAN UPWELLING ECOSYSTEM

?EMACEP?

General objective:

The Peruvian upwelling ecosystem is highly variable at different spatiotemporal scales and hosts the largest monospecific fishery of the world, giving employment and food to artisanal and industrial fishers. Despite the intense monitoring of the ecosystem carried out by the Peruvian Marine Research Institute (IMARPE) during decades, many processes are still not understood. This is due, in particular, to the lack of a critical mass of scientists trained in quantitative ecological knowledge, who could analyze complex processes at different scales under the climate change forcing and increasing fishery pressure. Thus, it is crucial to improve the training about quantitative ecological tools and gather a team able to analyze the rich information using complex models and analyses to give advice to decision makers in fishery management with the best scientific basis. The proposed JEAI has as general objective to gather mathematicians, statisticians and economists with biologists and fishery engineers to increase the quantitative ecological skills of the region. The success of this JEAI is based in the fructiferous interaction between IMARPE and IRD, in particular with the research unit EME (Exploited Marine Ecosystems).

Specific objectives:

The general objective is subdivided in four specific objectives (Fig. 1):

1. Spatial ecology in a changing climate , improves the capacities on spatial ecology to investigate impacts of climate change on the spatial distribution of fishery resources:

  • Characterize the spatial distribution of fishery resources and their predators, and relate them with environmental factors.
  • Characterize the evolution of spatial distributions and relationships at different temporal scales.
  • Analyze temporal variations in distributions of species in the context of climate change.


2. Population dynamics under high environmental variability , incorporated new techniques to stock assessment models.

  • Implement deterministic and stochastic dynamic population models.
  • Develop new integrated models including environmental factors to analyze temporal variations of carrying capacity and other biological parameters, as well as their predators.
  • Implement Bayesian stock assessment models, and rebuild biomasses from catch statistics.

3. Ecosystem modelling for the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries : integrates information of spatial ecology and population dynamics for configuration of ecosystem models.

  • Implement ecosystem models (E2E) to simulate the effect of the environment and the fishery.
  • Execute fishery management strategies evaluation using the ecosystem approach to fisheries.
  • Simulate the effect of marine protected areas on the survival and fishery yields.

4. Quantitative tools to support the management of socio-ecological systems : develops tools that integrate ecological, economic and social conflicting objectives for the management of fishery systems with contribute to marine spatial planning.

  • Implement multiobjective models, including ecological, economic and social objectives.
  • Establish reference points and viable controls which satisfy multiple objectives.





Figure 1. Specific objectives of JEAI EMACEP.

Participating institutions:

  • Instituto del Mar del Perú, IMARPE (Jorge Tam, jtam@imarpe.pe)
  • Instituto de Matemáticas y Ciencias Afines, IMCA (Eladio Ocaña, eocana@imca.edu.pe)
  • Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, IRD (Arnaud Bertrand, arnaud.bertrand@ird.fr)
  • O ther universities (PUCP, UNALM, UNMSM, UPCH, etc.)

Events:

- Kick-off workshop (March 21, 2014):

  • Participants
  • Presentation