We are delighted to inform you that the 5th WESTPAC Workshop on Research and Monitoring of the Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems (WESTPAC OA workshop) was scheduled for 6-7 November 2018, Xiamen, China. Preceding the OA workshop, a WESTPAC OA Science workshop will be held on 5 November 2018 in conjunction with the OA workshop. We would take this opportunity to extend our sincere appreciation to the Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China for hosing and its generous support to the two events.
As you are aware that WESTPAC has been committed to driving and coordinating the development of a sustained research and monitoring network on OA in the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions, as one regional component of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON). In addition to featuring OA studies at the 9th and 10th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conferences (22-25 April 2014, Nha Trang, Vietnam & 17-20 April 2017, Qingdao, China), its on-going efforts focus on developing a programme to monitor the impacts of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems, mainly through a series of regional/national trainings & scientific workshops, the development of Standard Operating/Monitoring Procedures (SOPs) and their demonstrations at pilot sites, and transfer of knowledge and technology among experts, institutions and countries within and outside the region.
The one-day ocean acidification science symposium on 5 November 2018 will be dedicated to scientific presentations, mainly on the latest OA studies and its impacts at global, regional and local scales; and OA research approaches, methods, and techniques. This symposium aims to convoke researchers, students, government representatives from the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions, and is also open to the global community interested in acquiring a regional and global knowledge about the impacts of ocean acidification on marine resources and ecosystems in the region.
Following the symposium, the fifth WESTPAC workshop on Research and Monitoring of the Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems will be held on 6-7 November 2018. This workshop is a continuation of the previous annual workshops (19-21 January 2015, 26-28 August 2015, 29–31 August 2016, and 14-15 December 2017, Phuket, Thailand), with objectives to review the progress made since the last year in the pilot sites; examine strengths, challenges and lessons learned from the programme implementation in the past; identify partnership building opportunities and replicate best practice, while taking into account the results generated from the science symposium preceding the workshop.
In addition to inviting participants from among the participants in previous workshops, we would be happy to open up this opportunity to other participants who are interested to join the network or develop collaborations. Again, they should have experience conducting ocean acidification related monitoring, and/or be able to lead and carry out ocean acidification monitoring and research in your countries for moving forward
About the event
Ocean acidification is affecting the entire ocean, seas and estuaries, as the increased acidity can have severe impacts on many organisms that make up the complex and productive food web, especially these carbonate-dependent or calcifying species such as oysters, clams, corals and calcareous plankton.
The Western Pacific and its adjacent regions are among the richest and most productive in the world with many countries in the region socially, economically and culturally dependent upon marine and coastal resources. In order to improve our understanding of ocean acidification and the ecosystem response to ocean acidification, and eventually enable resource managers and policy makers to develop effective long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies, sustained research and monitoring are critically needed to develop meaningful projections on ocean acidification and its future impacts on marine ecosystems in the region.
The UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) drives and coordinates the development of a sustained research and monitoring network on OA in the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions, as one regional component of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON). In addition to featuring OA studies at the 9th and 10th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conferences (22-25 April 2014, Nha Trang, Vietnam & 17-20 April 2017, Qingdao, China), its on-going efforts focus on developing a programme to monitor the impacts of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems, mainly through a series of regional/national trainings & scientific workshops, the development of Standard Operating/Monitoring Procedures (SOPs) and their demonstrations at pilot sites, and transfer of knowledge and technology among experts, institutions and countries within and outside the region.
The Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China (http://www.tio.org.cn/) is a national non-profit comprehensive marine research institute situated in Xiamen city, Fujian province. Sharing the same mission to advance marine science development and cooperation, TIO would like to join the collective efforts in safeguarding the health of ocean ecosystems and contribute to the development of the WESTPAC ocean acidification network
What we aim to achieve?
The one-day ocean acidification science symposium on 5 November will be dedicated to scientific presentations, mainly on the latest OA studies and its impacts at global, regional and local scales; and OA research approaches, methods, and techniques. This symposium will be an opportunity for participants to share their latest research results and to explore new opportunities of collaborative research in the region.
Following the symposium, the fifth WESTPAC workshop on Research and Monitoring of the Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems will be held on 6-7 November. This workshop is a continuation of the previous annual workshops (19-21 January 2015, 26-28 August 2015, 29–31 August 2016, and 14-15 December 2017, Phuket, Thailand), with objectives to review the progress made since the last year in the pilot sites; examine strengths, challenges and lessons learned from the programme implementation in the past; identify partnership building opportunities and replicate best practice, while taking into account the results generated from the science symposium preceding the workshop.
Who will participate?
The one-day symposium will convoke researchers, students, government representatives from the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions, and is also open to the global community interested in acquiring a regional and global knowledge about the impacts of ocean acidification on marine resources and ecosystems in the region.
Most participants in the fifth WESTPAC workshop will be invited from among the participants in previous workshops, particularly those who are conducting regular monitoring and research in their selected pilot sites. Preferably two will be invited from each site, one on biological and another on chemical aspects.
Other participants who are interested to join the network or develop collaborations, will also be welcome. Again, they should have experience conducting ocean acidification related monitoring, and/or be able to lead and carry out ocean acidification monitoring and research in your countries for moving forward.
How to register or apply financial assistance
For anyone who is interested to join either or both events, please fill in the Registration Form.
There is a very limited resource in support of the international travel of some colleagues, particularly those from the developing states. A joint committee will be established to select the most suitable participants that would be provided with financial support. The selection will be made mainly based on the applicant’s CV, his/her descriptions about work experience in the Form, and his/her engagement in WESTPAC or other international programmes. Updated information on the workshop will be made available, in due course, at the WESTPAC website (http://iocwestpac.org).
Please submit, at your earliest convenience, the registration form duly completed to Nachapa Saransuth (n.saransuth@unesco.org) and Liyang Zhan (zhanliyang@tio.org.cn) , with a copy to: skhokiattiwong@gmail.com and w.zhu@unesco.org, preferably not later than 31 July 2018.
IOC WESTPAC. Article.
