Objectives

The aim of MTL-FISH is to advance our understanding of the role of MTL in the functioning of marine food webs through the exploitation of microbial and metazoan resources. The study will be made in the northern Iberian shelf, by taking advantage of already implemented observational surveys focused on plankton and fish communities.

General Objectives

O1. To identify MTL taxa with large microbial contributions

O2. To quantify the influence of structural and functional diversity of species assemblages on the microbial contribution to MTL species

O3. To estimate trophic efficiency at community level and identify their main drivers

Specific objectives:

O1.1. To identify pelagic MTL species with large microbial contributions (plankton and fish)

O1.2. To identify demersal MTL species with large microbial contributions (fish)

O2.1. To quantify the influence of structural and functional diversity of species assemblages on the microbial contribution to MTL species at seasonal scale

O2.2. To quantify the influence of structural and functional diversity of species assemblages on the microbial contribution to MTL species across habitat types

O3.1. To estimate TE at community level at seasonal and habitat scales

O3.2. To identify the main drivers of trophic efficiency at seasonal and habitat scales