The overall aim of DynaCom as a research unit is to advance our understanding of community assembly and functioning under dynamic environmental forcing to generalize a trait-based food-web perspective on spatial dynamics. 

Synthesis Area 1 (SYN1) in this third phase of DynaCom will integrate a wide range of multitaxa and multitrophic field observations from across a range of previous work packages and specialist knowledge in phase 1 and 2. 

The 9-year coverage of the complete elevational gradient from (almost) fully terrestrial conditions in the upper salt marsh to the (almost) always inundated tidal flats and channels, offers a unique opportunity to re-visit some long-standing debates in coastal and estuarine ecology on ecotones and ecoclines.

Project Duration 2026-2027

Funder: DFG

The CoVE lab is part of the CoastAdapt project funded by The Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony (MWK).

This project will run from 2024 until 2028. Our work package will improve the predictability of natural salt marsh dynamics to better incorporate natural habitats in coastal flood defense schemes. 

Further info on the overall project in German here: https://magazin.tu-braunschweig.de/pi-post/coastadapt-nachhaltiger-kuestenschutz-fuer-niedersachsen/

The CoVE lab is part of the SedWay project “Safeguarding the natural sedimentary processes in the Wadden Sea for biodiversity and people” funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

This project is co funded by the Dutch NWO and will run from 2024 until 2028. We will lead WP2 and use our Mini Buoy monitoring approach across the Wadden Sea area (see https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lom3.10631 ) to quantify bio-physical habitat suitability of intertidal salt marshes, mussel beds and seagrass ecosystems. This will feed into the SedWay DSS (decision support system), a main outcome of the project.