Zooplankton play a key
role in the pelagic food web by controlling phytoplankton production and
shaping pelagic ecosystems. In addition, because of their critical role
as a food source for larval and juvenile fish, the dynamics of zooplankton
populations have a critical influence on recruitment to fish stocks. It
is this latter role which has made zooplankton ecology of particular interest
to ICES.
In 1961, ICES convened the 1st Zooplankton Production
Symposium in Charlottenlund (Denmark). ICES also had a lead role in the
2nd Symposium on “Zooplankton Production: Measurement and role
in global ecosystems dynamics and biogeochemical cycles”, held
in Plymouth (UK), in 1994. The increasing importance of international
programmes such as GLOBEC (Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics) and the general
concerns about global change and the changing role of zooplankton in ocean
ecosystems have been reflected in the development of these Symposia.
This trend was further enhanced in the 3rd Zooplankton
Production Symposium on “The role of zooplankton in global ecosystem
dynamics: Comparative studies from the world oceans”, which
was held in 2003, in Gijón (Spain). For the first time the Symposium
was co-sponsored by ICES, PICES and GLOBEC. The Gijón Symposium
attracted 333 participants from 38 countries from around the world.
The 4th Zooplankton Production Symposium, again co-sponsored
by ICES, PICES and GLOBEC, will be held May 28-June 1, 2007, at the International
Conference Center in Hiroshima, Japan. This Symposium is the first
of the series to be held outside Europe, and will focus on “Human
and climate forcing of zooplankton populations”. As such, it
represents a timely topic and will provide an important opportunity to
further develop the truly international nature of zooplankton research.
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