Ocean Acidification

The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Program is soliciting proposals for OCB activities to begin during the 2017 calendar year.  We seek proposals for OCB-relevant scoping workshops and smaller group activities as follows:

• Scoping workshops (50-60 people) that bring together an appropriate body of expertise to foster discussions and develop forward momentum in a specific OCB-relevant research area
• Small working groups (8-12 members) to address targeted science goals/questions and develop products that benefit the broader OCB community
• Synthesis activities to assimilate existing data, model outputs, etc. to support and inform future research efforts
• Intercomparison activities to compare and build consensus on approaches (methodological, modeling, data analysis, etc.) for advancing OCB-relevant research

Please visit the OCB website to learn about previous scoping workshops and other activities. OCB has recently led numerous workshops and scientific planning activities that have generated guidelines and recommendations for future research in OCB-relevant research areas; however, proposals need not be limited to these topics:

Continue reading ‘2017 OCB Activity Solicitation’

TRACC is developing proposals (partners wanted) to create solutions to the acidification of coral reefs by climate change. We will take what is known from reef resilience to pH change and experimental coral planting methods around the world and to proactively prepare the groundwork for adaption strategies to identify and grow coral species capable of mitigating the impacts of increasing levels of Carbon Dioxide on the global ocean. The joint perspective, will also be studied where the combined effects of two or more stressors acting at the same time are investigated. The coral nursery resource developed will enable detailed laboratory studies and field experiments and encourage cross-disciplinary and international cooperative partnerships.

The scale of the problem is global and it will require significant funds (full GEF grant or a full Adaptation fund grant) to bring enough researchers together to be able to tackle ocean acidification. An important part of this strategic plan is to develop proposals for a major grant or other sources of funding to promote adaptations by reefs. To help a wide range of reef organisms adapt to changing pH in the sea it will be necessary to work with DNA and genes to select sub-populations that are better able to synthesize the reef building blocks in a more acid environment. The appropriate coral species, once identified, could then be looked at more closely in terms of their genetic make-up and genetic modification employed to increase resistance to acid conditions should that be seen as feasible.

Continue reading ‘Acidification of Coral reefs: proposal’

What is Smartfin?

The Smartfin is a surfboard fin with sensors that measure multiple ocean parameters including salinity, temperature, location, wave characteristics, and pH (in development). The data surfers acquire while in the water will become accessible in near real-time to the world-wide scientific community. But Smartfin is not only about the data. It is also an effort to connect surfers and their communities to larger issues affecting ocean health. Using the data collected with Smartfin, we can better understand trends in ocean warming and acidification and mobilize our communities to take action to combat these problems caused by climate change.

Continue reading ‘Smartfin – collecting data for deeper understanding of our changing oceans’

The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT, www.socat.info) is a synthesis activity by the international marine carbon research community (>100 contributors). SOCAT version 4 has 18.5 million quality-controlled, surface ocean fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) observations with an accuracy of better than 5 μatm from 1957 to 2015 for the global oceans and coastal seas. Automation of data upload and initial data checks speeds up data submission and allows annual releases of SOCAT from version 4 onwards. SOCAT enables quantification of the ocean carbon sink and ocean acidification and evaluation of ocean biogeochemical models. SOCAT represents a milestone in research coordination, data access, biogeochemical and climate research and in informing policy.

Continue reading ‘Release of SOCAT Version 4 – the first annual release using automated data upload’

The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation has funded a study into how calcified structures of benthic organisms are being affected by ocean acidification as part of its drive to provide funding for scientific research undertaken by young research teams, whose members are all under the age of forty. The study was evaluated for funding by the supervisory board of the Foundation, which is comprised of Latsis family members Henrietta, Margarita, Marianna and Spiro Latsis. Throughout 2014, research teams performed a series of experiments to evaluate the effects of ocean acidification and to raise public awareness of the problem with a view to influencing policy makers at the highest level.

The Effects on the Calcified Structures of Benthic Organisms of Ocean Acidification

The aim of the 2014 study was to perform a series of experiments designed to quantify the effect on the calcified structures of benthic organisms of ocean acidification. This included using micro-computed tomography to study shell density and structure. Comparisons were made between juvenile vs. adult life stages, benthic organisms using different forms of calcium carbonate, external vs. internal hard structures and short-term vs. long term acidification.

Continue reading ‘John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation fund study into effects of ocean acidification’

Ministèere de l’écologie, du développement durable et de l’énergie; Commissariat général au Développement durable; Direction de la recherche et de l’innovation – Service de la recherche

Date limite de réception des projets : 30 octobre 2015 minuit (sous forme numérique)

Soumission

Les projets seront soumis sous forme de lettre d’intention conformément à l’annexe du présent appel et doivent être envoyés sous format électronique au ministère de l’écologie / CGDD/ direction
de la recherche et de l’innovation et à la fondation pour la recherche sur la biodiversité, au plus tard le 30 octobre à minuit.

Les critères d’évaluation des projets par les experts

· Intérêt scientifique et caractère innovant du projet par rapport à l’état de l’art international, aux références bibliographiques sur le sujet et au positionnement stratégique par rapport à d’autres projets ;

· Qualité scientifique et technique du projet et qualité de la démarche et de la méthodologie. Approche interdisciplinaire, articulations effectives ou potentielles entre les différentes disciplines impliquées ;

· Constitution du consortium : références de l’équipe et adéquation des compétences réunies au programme de travail (travaux antérieurs, liste de publications, implication de doctorants dans le projet, …), management du projet, ouverture internationale

· Faisabilité : adéquation des moyens aux objectifs et cohérence des délais et des budgets par rapport au programme de travail proposé. La durée moyenne des projets attendus est de 36 mois (24 mois minimum, 42 maximum), et les budgets demandés seront d’un maximum de 200k€. La part de contribution sur ressources propres des organismes qui sollicitent des subventions sera examinée.

· Dimensions nationale, régionale et internationale, et les échelles d’élaboration et de mise en oeuvre des actions publiques.

· Caractère opérationnel et transférable des résultats attendus, modalités d’interaction avec les acteurs. Capacité à générer des enseignements généraux à partir de l’étude de cas.

· Valorisation envisagée auprès de la communauté scientifique et des acteurs de l’action publique.

Les meilleurs projets seront alors présentés aux financeurs qui effectueront le choix final avec l’appui du Ministère de l’écologie et la Fondation pour la recherche sur la biodiversité. Le nombre de projets retenus pour financement dépendra du budget définitif collecté.

Continue reading ‘Appel à propositions de recherche “Acidifications des océans” (in French)’