Periodic Reporting for period 3 - iAtlantic (Integrated Assessment of Atlantic Marine Ecosystems in Space and Time)
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2024-03-31
The European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 iAtlantic Project undertook an ocean-wide approach to understanding the factors that control the distribution, stability and vulnerability of ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean. Our work aimed to determine the tipping points – the points of irreversible change – for deep and open-ocean ecosystems, identify which drivers are most crucial in propelling ecosystems towards those tipping points, and understand what factors influence and support ecosystem resilience to environmental change.
With 36 beneficiaries spanning four continents and 16 countries, iAtlantic took a basin-scale, interdisciplinary scientific approach to unifying stakeholder efforts to better inform sustainable management and enhance human and observational capacity in an all-Atlantic context.
iAtlantic has five key objectives: 1. Standardise South and North Atlantic Ocean observations to enable short, medium and long-term assessments of Atlantic Ocean circulation and physico-biogeochemical environment; 2. Map deep and open-ocean ecosystems at basin, regional and local scales; 3. Assess the stability, vulnerability, and tipping points of deep and open-ocean Atlantic ecosystems to changes in ocean circulation, and effects of single and multiple stressors; 4. Align and enhance human, technological and data inter-operability capacities for cost-effective cooperation and planning across the Atlantic; and 5. Define requirements for sustainable management with industry and governmental stakeholders to reflect societal needs and inform policy developments that ensure and encourage a sustainable Blue Economy.
With 36 beneficiaries spanning four continents and 16 countries, iAtlantic took a basin-scale, interdisciplinary scientific approach to unifying stakeholder efforts to better inform sustainable management and enhance human and observational capacity in an all-Atlantic context.
iAtlantic has five key objectives: 1. Standardise South and North Atlantic Ocean observations to enable short, medium and long-term assessments of Atlantic Ocean circulation and physico-biogeochemical environment; 2. Map deep and open-ocean ecosystems at basin, regional and local scales; 3. Assess the stability, vulnerability, and tipping points of deep and open-ocean Atlantic ecosystems to changes in ocean circulation, and effects of single and multiple stressors; 4. Align and enhance human, technological and data inter-operability capacities for cost-effective cooperation and planning across the Atlantic; and 5. Define requirements for sustainable management with industry and governmental stakeholders to reflect societal needs and inform policy developments that ensure and encourage a sustainable Blue Economy.
Overall, the major results of iAtlantic project can be summarised in the following categories:
Contribution of new scientific knowledge to fill gaps in our understanding of deep-sea and open-ocean ecosystems
- Improved ocean models at a range of scales to better understand the variability of AMOC in the past, present and future.
- New understanding of the role of ocean currents in the connectivity of specialised hydrothermal vent communities at the MAR.
- Identification of key drivers of ecosystem change and potential tipping points in the deep and open ocean.
- Identification of a tropicalisation trend in warm-water affinity species becoming more abundant across the Atlantic.
- Better understanding of what effects changes in the upper ocean have on the deep ocean environment.
- Demonstration of the likely impacts of climate change and human activities on a range of deep-sea ecosystems.
Development of new technologies and techniques to help supply missing information and expand capabilities
- New habitat suitability models to predict habitat and species shifts as a consequence of climate change, as well as new machine learning approaches to develop habitat maps at basin to local scale.
- Advancement, demonstration and transfer of a low-cost video survey tool, eDNA sampler, cost-effective 3D photogrammetric method, new high-resolution imaging technologies, and mapping tools.
Provision of underpinning infrastructure to support and facilitate access to marine data
- Establishment of the iAtlantic GeoNode, allowing users to search for, visualise, download and share 370+ geospatial datasets.
- Catalysed the establishment of the All-Atlantic Ocean Data community portal on the GEOSS platform.
- Integrated the South African Environmental Observation Network data catalogue system with the GEOSS.
- Progressing the transfer of data resources from PANGAEA to EMODnet thematic portals.
Facilitating the transfer of new scientific knowledge and know how to stakeholders and end users
- Production of transparent ocean basin-scale management scenarios for the whole Atlantic, as well as at regional scales.
- 110+ open access publications, 7 science/policy briefs, 200+ conference presentations.
- iAtlantic open access Zenodo archive of all project outputs and publications, including expedition reports.
- 3 focused stakeholder dialogue events to share and discuss latest project results.
- Participation in major ocean policy processes and events.
- Collaboration with marine industries.
Supporting the training and development of the next generation of deep-sea scientists across the Atlantic region
- Establishment of the iAtlantic Fellowship, comprising >50 early career researchers.
- 16 scientific capacity development workshops, 27 webinars.
- At-sea training, researcher exchange, jointly supervised PhD/MSc students.
Building and strengthening international scientific collaboration, partnerships and networks
- Inclusive project consortium spanning Europe, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Canada and the USA, complemented by a wider network of associated partners.
- Broader regional and sectoral representation through Advisory Board and Science Council members.
- Joint capacity building activities and scientific exchanges.
Raising public awareness of the importance of the ocean
- Strong online presence via the iAtlantic website, social media accounts, plus bi-annual newsletters.
- Extensive blog coverage of research expeditions through the course of the project.
- Active participation in more than 50 public events.
- Production of 4 iAtlantic films that aim to share knowledge and results with a broad audience.
- Publicity in the mainstream media on key ocean issues.
Contribution of new scientific knowledge to fill gaps in our understanding of deep-sea and open-ocean ecosystems
- Improved ocean models at a range of scales to better understand the variability of AMOC in the past, present and future.
- New understanding of the role of ocean currents in the connectivity of specialised hydrothermal vent communities at the MAR.
- Identification of key drivers of ecosystem change and potential tipping points in the deep and open ocean.
- Identification of a tropicalisation trend in warm-water affinity species becoming more abundant across the Atlantic.
- Better understanding of what effects changes in the upper ocean have on the deep ocean environment.
- Demonstration of the likely impacts of climate change and human activities on a range of deep-sea ecosystems.
Development of new technologies and techniques to help supply missing information and expand capabilities
- New habitat suitability models to predict habitat and species shifts as a consequence of climate change, as well as new machine learning approaches to develop habitat maps at basin to local scale.
- Advancement, demonstration and transfer of a low-cost video survey tool, eDNA sampler, cost-effective 3D photogrammetric method, new high-resolution imaging technologies, and mapping tools.
Provision of underpinning infrastructure to support and facilitate access to marine data
- Establishment of the iAtlantic GeoNode, allowing users to search for, visualise, download and share 370+ geospatial datasets.
- Catalysed the establishment of the All-Atlantic Ocean Data community portal on the GEOSS platform.
- Integrated the South African Environmental Observation Network data catalogue system with the GEOSS.
- Progressing the transfer of data resources from PANGAEA to EMODnet thematic portals.
Facilitating the transfer of new scientific knowledge and know how to stakeholders and end users
- Production of transparent ocean basin-scale management scenarios for the whole Atlantic, as well as at regional scales.
- 110+ open access publications, 7 science/policy briefs, 200+ conference presentations.
- iAtlantic open access Zenodo archive of all project outputs and publications, including expedition reports.
- 3 focused stakeholder dialogue events to share and discuss latest project results.
- Participation in major ocean policy processes and events.
- Collaboration with marine industries.
Supporting the training and development of the next generation of deep-sea scientists across the Atlantic region
- Establishment of the iAtlantic Fellowship, comprising >50 early career researchers.
- 16 scientific capacity development workshops, 27 webinars.
- At-sea training, researcher exchange, jointly supervised PhD/MSc students.
Building and strengthening international scientific collaboration, partnerships and networks
- Inclusive project consortium spanning Europe, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Canada and the USA, complemented by a wider network of associated partners.
- Broader regional and sectoral representation through Advisory Board and Science Council members.
- Joint capacity building activities and scientific exchanges.
Raising public awareness of the importance of the ocean
- Strong online presence via the iAtlantic website, social media accounts, plus bi-annual newsletters.
- Extensive blog coverage of research expeditions through the course of the project.
- Active participation in more than 50 public events.
- Production of 4 iAtlantic films that aim to share knowledge and results with a broad audience.
- Publicity in the mainstream media on key ocean issues.
Conceived in response to the EU’s call under the Belém Statement, iAtlantic emerged as a collaborative North-South initiative with an ambitious suite of objectives to enhance scientific knowledge of deep Atlantic ecosystems and inform decision-making and sustainable marine resource management on multiple scales. Now nearly five years into its operation, iAtlantic has significantly advanced understanding of ocean ecosystem functions in a changing environment, including insights into the impacts of emerging activities like deep-sea mineral mining.
The impact of iAtlantic’s work can be considered in the following contexts:
• Contributing new scientific knowledge to fill gaps in our understanding of deep-sea and open-ocean ecosystems: distribution, dynamics, vulnerability and response to multiple threats such as climate change and human activities.
• Developing new technologies and techniques to help supply missing information and expand capabilities: survey tools, sample processing techniques, innovative ways of handling and manipulating marine data.
• Providing underpinning infrastructure to support and facilitate access to marine data: common data standards, open access data repositories, better connections between existing facilities and communities.
• Facilitating the transfer of new scientific knowledge and know how to stakeholders and end users – from scientific peers in other regions to international policy fora, and encompassing marine industries, regulatory authorities, national governments and conservation groups.
• Supporting the training and development of the next generation of deep-sea scientists across the Atlantic region: widening opportunities, broadening participation, sharing knowledge, facilitating innovation.
• Building and strengthening international scientific collaboration, partnerships and networks through research co-design, sharing of resources, data and equipment, and working towards common goals.
• Raising public awareness of the importance of the ocean – and specifically the deep ocean – as the planet’s life support system by improving ocean literacy.
The impact of iAtlantic’s work can be considered in the following contexts:
• Contributing new scientific knowledge to fill gaps in our understanding of deep-sea and open-ocean ecosystems: distribution, dynamics, vulnerability and response to multiple threats such as climate change and human activities.
• Developing new technologies and techniques to help supply missing information and expand capabilities: survey tools, sample processing techniques, innovative ways of handling and manipulating marine data.
• Providing underpinning infrastructure to support and facilitate access to marine data: common data standards, open access data repositories, better connections between existing facilities and communities.
• Facilitating the transfer of new scientific knowledge and know how to stakeholders and end users – from scientific peers in other regions to international policy fora, and encompassing marine industries, regulatory authorities, national governments and conservation groups.
• Supporting the training and development of the next generation of deep-sea scientists across the Atlantic region: widening opportunities, broadening participation, sharing knowledge, facilitating innovation.
• Building and strengthening international scientific collaboration, partnerships and networks through research co-design, sharing of resources, data and equipment, and working towards common goals.
• Raising public awareness of the importance of the ocean – and specifically the deep ocean – as the planet’s life support system by improving ocean literacy.