Sub-session 3A: Fluxes and transport

Our understanding of biogeochemical and physical processes has increased rapidly due to the technological developments that allow for more detailed empirical studies. Concurrently, the complexity of Baltic Sea models has increased and enabled improved understanding of the fundamental processes and drivers and increased computer capacity. However, bridging the gap between empirical process knowledge and quantitative system integration remains a challenge. This session aims to bring together new knowledge on fluxes and transformations of critical elements on different temporal and spatial scales to facilitate the progress in our understanding of the Baltic Sea. This session invites contributions that address physical and biogeochemical processes at all scales, from individual processes to system analysis:

• New insights into physical drivers (waves, up- and downwelling, currents, sea-level changes, ice), projections for the future and their influence on open Baltic ecosystems.
• System integration and modelling, including studies that address basin-basin interactions, end-to-end modelling, physical modulation of biogeochemical processes as well as physical and/or biogeochemical modelling studies.
• Pelagic biogeochemical processes, including studies that address carbon cycling and the CO₂ system, factors that control primary production,  bacteria-driven processes, and air-sea interactions.
• Benthic-pelagic coupling, including studies that address inorganic and organic nutrient fluxes, sediment-water exchange, and biological processes involved in benthic-pelagic interactions.
• Major Baltic Sea inflows and hypoxia.
• Contaminant fluxes, including studies that address distribution and fate of legacy and emerging contaminants.

Sub-session 3B: Baltic Sea Ecosystem structure and functioning

Baltic Sea organisms, from viruses to marine mammals, play a fundamental role in shaping the structure and functioning of the ecosystem that provides crucial services to society. This session aims to bring together researchers from different fields (biologists, modelers, biogeochemists, paleoecologists) to provide a better understanding of how dynamics of the Baltic Sea affect internal processes and linkages between species and ecosystem functioning. Contributions that emphasize the following aspects at various temporal and spatial scales including past changes and future predictions of the Baltic Sea and beyond are welcome:

• Food web dynamics, including studies that address regulatory mechanisms, species interactions, structural changes, as well as the consequences of non-indigenous species presence and regime shifts.
• Eco-evolutionary interactions, including studies that address adaptation capacities to change, genetic variation, and eco-evolutionary feedbacks.
• Biodiversity, including past and future changes; explorations of diversity; changes along gradients; meta-genomics; trait, species, population and habitat diversity
• Ecophysiology, including studies that link physiological mechanisms with ecological consequences, and address the effects of contaminants and other stressors on physiology.

Read the abstracts for the talks in Session 3A here

Read the abstracts for the talks in Session 3B here