Annual Meeting 22 nd 24 th November 2010, Dunkeld SAGES Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment & Society “How does SAGES work with MASTS coastal and oceanographic research” Panel Discussion: Introduced by Mark Inall (SAMS/UHI) and Sandy Tudhope (University of Edinburgh)

SAGES Theme 3: Atmosphere, Oceans & Climate Statement of the problem: Future climate change is inevitable. However, the rate and magnitude of future change, and in particular the regional expressions of change remain poorly known. Theme 3 (Source: IPCC, 2001)

SAGES Theme 3: Atmosphere, Oceans & Climate Original Proposal: three overarching questions: (i) What are the mechanisms and drivers of abrupt regional and global climate change? (ii) In the context of future global climate change, how can we predict the manifestations and impacts of such change at regional level? (iii) What is the climatological and environmental significance of variability in transport of warm and saline Atlantic Water to NW Europe and Scandinavia? New Capability in Scotland: Centre for Earth System Dynamics, CESD Theme 3

SAGES Theme 3: Tools and approaches: Processes studies and observation PalaeoModelling

MASTS: Institutional partners University of Aberdeen Marine Scotland, Science Heriot-Watt University Napier University University of St Andrews Scottish Association for Marine Science (UHIMI) University Marine Biological Station, Millport University of Stirling University of Strathclyde University of Glasgow

What MASTS will do: Address the strategic science requirements of Scotland in a UK context Combine research expertise across traditional institutional and administrative boundaries Act as a gateway for marine science in Scotland Develop and nurture new talent in marine science

Nine Permanent Joint Research Themes: –Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function “The web of life in the oceans” –Coastal Zone “The land- people-and sea interface” –Marine Predators “Bellwethers of change” –Sustainable Mariculture “Scotland’s largest agricultural export” –Genomics “Predicting effects and responding to change” –Fisheries “Sustainable harvesting from the oceans” –Physical Oceanography “The fundamental driver of change” –Modelling “Synthesising knowledge and building hypotheses” –Platforms and Sensors “Observing the oceans” … Plus Four rolling “Community Research Programmes” Bioscience Economics SAGES Telford Institute ACES Geoscience Engineering MASTS

MASTS JRTs and SAGES: Structural Links MASTS X-Cutting JRTs: Physical Ocean. Modelling Platforms SAGES T3: Atmosphere, Oceans and Climate MASTS JRTs: Coastal Predators Fisheries Mariculture Biodiversity Genomics SAGES T2: Carbon Process understanding and parameterisation SAGES CESD: Future climate scenarios (e.g. abrupt change) SAGES T5: Society NE Atlantic and NW Europe: physical environment Process understanding and parameterisation

Some areas of potential SAGES / MASTS scientific synergy : MASTS Initial “Community Research Programmes” Renewable Energy Sea-lochs and Firths Salmon Genome Rockall and Offshore Waters SAGES T3: three overarching questions: (i) What are the mechanisms and drivers of abrupt regional and global climate change? (ii) In the context of future global climate change, how can we predict the manifestations and impacts of such change at regional level? (iii) What is the climatological and environmental significance of variability in transport of warm and saline Atlantic Water to NW Europe and Scandinavia? New Capability in Scotland: Centre for Earth System Dynamics, CESD ? ? SAGES T5: Society SAGES T2: Carbon

Opportunities JRT flyers available Join a JRT (any affiliation allowed!) Access JRT enabling funds via membership (~£10k pa per JRT) Contact Community Project leaders Renewable Energy: Paul Thompson, (Aberdeen) Sea-lochs and Firths: Alex Cunningham (Strathclyde) Salmon Genome: Chris Secombes (Aberdeen) Rockall and Offshore Waters, Ursula Witte (Aberdeen), Mark Inall (SAMS)