| Session Details | |
| Section | OS - Ocean Sciences |
| Session Title | Dynamics of coupled physical-biological systems and linkages to environmental forcing. |
| Main Convener | Dr. Enrique Curchitser (Rutgers University, United States) |
| Co-convener(s) | Dr. Shin-ichi Ito (Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan) |
| Session Description | Understanding biological-physical interactions controlling marine ecosystem dynamics has been the focus of international, multidisciplinary research programs undertaken during the past two decades in a variety of regions, such as the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. Observational and modeling results from these regions, and others, have provided new understanding of the processes that control marine population variability within and between various regions. The purpose of this session is to provide a forum for the presentation of results arising from studies of coupled physical-biological systems. Papers that address the following are especially relevant to the session: 1) Linkages between climate-scale phenomena and regional physical and biological variability; 2) Modeling and observational studies of processes that affect coupled physical-biological systems (e.g., topographic controls, mesoscale variability, turbulent mixing); 3) Event-scale, seasonal, interannual and longer-term changes in population structure in relation to variability in the physical environment; 4) Comparison of the structure and dynamics of lower food-web and zooplankton and fish populations within and between regions and ocean basins; 5) Connections between trophic levels. Observational and modeling studies that integrate biological and physical processes and make connections to the climate system are particularly encouraged. |