In the group "Ecological modeling of marine ecosystems" we develop and test hypotheses about the functioning of marine ecosystems. The main focus is the pelagic ecosystem of the North Sea and the North Atlantic, and the coupling between them. Simulation models of the main pathways of matter are developed and tested in relation to observations. Research objectives are

• Functioning of the North Sea / North Atlantic ecosystem
• Mass budgets for nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon and carbon taking into account external forcings, river and atmospheric input, biogeochemical transfer and pelagic-benthic exchange processes
• Exchange of matter between shelf sea / deep ocean / coastal zone / atmosphere
• Population dynamics of zooplankton / Individual Based Modelling of fish larvae
• Evaluation of measures of coastal zone management
• Data organisation / project data management