- Info
Overview
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Our aim
The researchers in the Dynamic Oceans research theme work towards a greater understanding of fundamental processes and patterns that occur in the marine environment for example relating to climate variability.
Our approaches
- Processes: We investigate fundamental biological, chemical and physical processes in the marine environment
- Scale transition: Using modelling we determine how patterns and processes on smaller scales are mechanistically linked to larger scales
- Patterns: We investigate environmental patterns, validate models and inform our process studies using observational series on relevant spatio-temporal scales
These three approaches allow us to utilise the extensive expertise within the theme to develop long-term capabilities in the areas of modelling / scale transitition (led by Dr Sheila Heymans), large scale and long-term observations (led by Prof Toby Sherwin) and microcosm and mesocosm studies (led by Dr Angela Hatton).
Dynamic oceans research areas
- Microbial Biogeochemistry and Feedbacks
- Ocean Acidification
- Ocean Mixing Dynamics
- Ecosystem Function and Response in a Changing World
Members of the Dynamic Oceans Theme sit on a range of strategic national panels and advisory groups including SOLAS, QUEST, Ocean acidification, Arctic and Macronutrients, as well as the Challenger Society Council. This ensures that our expertise contributes to advising NERC and other Scientific Bodies.
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Microbial biogeochemistry
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Every millilitre of seawater is teaming with microscopic organisms: Algae, bacteria, archaea and viruses may be small in size but they have a big effect on how carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and a host of other elements are cycled around the globe. Marine microbes are responsible for about half the total photosynthesis on the planet, fixing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Furthermore some microbes can convert atmospheric nitrogen from an inert gas into the organic nutrients that fuel marine ecosystems, while others produce volatile sulphur compounds that seed the formation of rain clouds.
Human activity is having a major effect on our environment, including its climate. If we are to understand the ocean’s response to climate change and human perturbations, we need to first understand the ocean’s role in global biogeochemical cycles.
Our researchers investigate
- the factors controlling the production of greenhouse (methane, nitrous oxide) and climate feedback (DMS, methylamines) gases
- the role of oxygen and remineralisation
- the cycling of key elements
The combined expertise within the Dynamic Oceans Theme allows us conduct cross-disciplinary research using a combination of advanced molecular (SIP-DNA, qPCR), analytical (GC, SIMS), and in situ technology (microsensors, planar optodes) to enhance our understanding of the natural feedbacks between the ocean biosphere, marine productivity and global climate.
We have been successful in obtaining a number of NERC Blue Skies grants on microbial biogeochemistry and feedbacks over the last five years. These include the ALBA, Understanding the Ocean methane paradox, MISM, DMS oxidation, NF innovation, MicroNiches, EDDY and TopoDeep projects and total over £2.9 M. We also work on the EU funded Hypox project (£217K).
Contact information
Lead scientist: Dr Angela Hatton
Contributors: Dr Henrik Stahl, Dr David Green, Professor Ronnie Glud, Dr Robert Turnewitsch, Dr Keith Davidson
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Acidification
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The average acidity (pH) of the world's oceans has been stable for the last 25 million years. However, due to the burning of fossil fuel the oceans are now absorbing so much anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that measurable changes in seawater pH and carbonate chemistry can be observed. Already ocean pH has decreased by 30% and if we continue emitting carbon dioxide at the same rate by 2100 the acidity of the ocean will increase by an estimated 150%. It is predicted that this could affect the basic biological functions of many marine organisms, especially calcifying ones, with implications for the survival of populations and communities, as well as the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem function.
A recently employed strategy for mitigating the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which involves pumping carbon dioxide into sub-seabed reservoirs for long-term storage. However, little is known about the risks and impacts on the overlying sediments and water column associated with a leak of carbon dioxide from a CCS-site.
Our ocean acidification research involves studying the impacts of elevated pCO2 and subsequent lowered pH on a wide variety of marine habitats and processes including:
- calcification rates in cold water corals (Lophelia pertusa and Carophyllia smittii)
- calcification rates and DMS/DMSP production in coralline algae (Lithotamnion glaciale)
- benthic carbon and nitrogen cycling in different coastal soft bottom habitats (muddy and sandy sediments)
- population dynamics and structure of marine invertebrates
- pelagic primary production in the Arctic
SAMS is also involved in research relating to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), looking at the impacts of a sub-seabed leak of carbon dioxide on the overlying benthic system.
We have recently been successful in obtaining research funding relating to ocean acidification from: UK Ocean Acidification Programme (Benthic OA £453K; OABTT1 £91K) which is jointly funded by NERC, DEFRA and DECC; thematic NERC funding on CCS (QICS -£210K) as well as from the EU (EPOCA studentship, £60K).
Contact information
Lead scientist: Dr Henrik Stahl
Contributors: Dr Mike Burrows, Professor Ronnie Glud, Dr Angela Hatton, Dr Ray Leakey, Dr Kim Last
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Mixing dynamics
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By drawing down buoyant water from the upper ocean, mixing provides a key driver of the overturning circulation of the global ocean and profoundly influences the role of the ocean in heat storage and the wider climate system. On smaller scales, mixing in coastal and shelf systems mediates the link between coastal and oceanic waters and controls the vertical structure of the water column with important implications for ecosystem structure.
Our research focuses on the physical processes associated with stratified flow over topography at both large scales (Atlantic-Arctic exchange) and relatively small scales. While we conduct work in deep ocean and polar environments, we also use our local fjordic environment as an ocean process laboratory from which insights are transferable to other environments. We make observations of turbulent microstructure from vertical profilers, an AUV and moored platforms, as well as directly studying vertical and horizontal dispersion by injecting fluorescent dye tracers into the water column and tracking drifting buoys.
Current activity in ocean mixing and turbulence includes NERC-funded projects DIMES (Diapycnal and Isopycnal Mixing Experiment in the Southern Ocean), Great Race Eddies and Turbulence and ICE BELL.
Contact information
Lead scientist: Dr Mark Inall
Contributors: Dr Andy Dale, Professor Toby Sherwin, Dr Tim Boyd, Dr Finlo Cottier
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Ecosystem function
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The natural variety of marine life plays an important role in delivering ecosystem functions and benefits. To lessen impacts and ensure sustainable use of the marine environment in a changing world, we need to be able to detect and predict changes in biodiversity and predict likely consequences.
Understanding the drivers of change in biodiversity often uses evidence from spatial patterns. Organisms can vary in numbers over 100s of kms but be similarly abundant at sites closer together, while others vary enormously between sites just a few km apart. Our studies of spatial patterns in abundance of intertidal species have found, for example, that species on the more complex Scottish coast vary more on small spatial scales than in southwest England and Wales. Such patterns also reveal the relative roles of large-scale influences, such as temperature and phytoplankton production, and small-scale effects, such as the local variation in flow conditions associated with waves and tides. Insights from these patterns can shed light on what regulates populations and communities: large-scale variation suggests that the likely controlling processes are acting over large scales.
The impact of changes on the functioning of ecosystems are often described by whole systems science and as such ecological network analysis has been used to look at the emergent properties of ecosystems and how they change over time due to climate change and other anthropogenic drivers.
Our Oceans 2025 WP 4 uses a range of approaches to address gaps in our knowledge of how biodiversity affects marine pathways and processes from contrasting roles of predators and prey in energy flows, microbial mediation of primary productivity and algal biodiversity and linking habitat complexity, size diversity and invasion-related changes in species diversity to the delivery of ecosystem services.
Other activities includes NERC grants on population and community level impacts of ocean acidification, and the impact of quality of settling larvae at the end of the pelagic phase of benthic organisms, and membership of international working groups such as the NCEAS Marine Impacts of Climate Change.
Contact information
Lead scientist: Dr Mike Burrows
Contributors: Dr Sheila Heymans, Dr Keith Davidson, Dr Bhavani Narayanaswamy, Dr Claire Gachon, Dr David Green
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Adams, Dr Tom
Apr 18, 2011
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Aleynik, Dr Dmitry
Apr 18, 2011
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Boyd, Dr Tim
Apr 18, 2011
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Burrows, Professor Michael
Dec 11, 2011
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Clark, Neil
Apr 18, 2011
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