Developing IMBER science in the UK

Welcome to the conference web site

8-9 January 2009, University of Plymouth, UK

Abstract Book the draft Abstract Book is available online.

Oral Presentations are now available online.

Session Reports are now available online.

Developing IMBER science in the UK is sponsored by:

SOFI: Strategic Oceans Funding Initiative

IMBER (Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research) is an IGBP-SCOR project focusing on ocean biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. The IMBER vision is “to provide a comprehensive understanding of, and accurate predictive capacity for, ocean responses to accelerating global change and the consequent effects on the Earth System and human society”.

Within the UK, marine biogeochemical and ecological research is funded through several NERC programmes and research grants, including parts of QUEST, UK SOLAS and Oceans 2025. International projects which contribute to or are endorsed by IMBER include EUR-OCEANS (European Network of Excellence for Ocean Ecosystems Analysis), CARBOOCEAN (an EU integrated project which will determine the ocean’s quantitative role for uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide), BIOSOPE (French Biogeochemistry and Optics South Pacific Experiment), and ICED (Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean).

Using five high priority research topics selected from the IMBER Science Plan, which also map onto the NERC Earth System, Climate System, Technologies, Natural Resources and Biodiversity Draft Theme Action Plans, the aim of the proposed meeting is to improve interaction between UK marine researchers studying these IMBER topics, thereby providing added value to programmes such as Oceans 2025 and creating the forum for discussions leading to new collaborative proposals.

Meeting objectives

To inform the UK community of the science and implementation of IMBER
To inform the UK community of current IMBER-related science funded by NERC including that within OCEANS 2025
To expose the UK scientific community to relevant international initiatives and expertise
To build links between UK research communities working to understand and model aspects of marine biogeochemistry and ecosystem function
To develop an IMBER ‘identity’ for those researchers already funded to undertake research aligned with the IMBER objectives
To initiate collaborative research projects relevant to the IMBER Science Plan and NERC Theme Action Plans

An important output from the meeting will be the five science topic reports detailing potential areas for future UK / EU proposals.

Meeting convenors: Carol Robinson, University of East Anglia (IMBER SSC member); Richard Sanders (NOCS); Andy Rees (PML)

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