1. Ken Drinkwater and Eileen Hoffman
Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research
“…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”
Ken Drinkwater and Eileen Hoffman
CLIVAR SSG Meeting
2-5 May, 2011
IOC/UNESCO, Paris 1

2. Presentation Outline IMBER research focus IMBER program structure
Some recent activities
IMBER science
CLIVAR-IMBER Collaboration 2

3. IMBER RESEARCH FOCUS FOUR RESEARCH THEMES
Interactions between biogeochemical cycles and marine food webs
Sensitivity to global change
Feedbacks to the Earth System
Responses of society
investigate the sensitivity of marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems to global change, on time scales ranging from years to decades
To achieve its goal, IMBER will identify key interactions between marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems, and to assess how these interactions respond to complex natural and anthropogenic forcings. Understanding the biogeochemistry and ecosystems are at the heart of IMBER’s goal and climate, CO2, nutrients and harvesting are considered to be the main drivers of global change.
IMBER research is structured around four themes, each addressing specific issues. 3

4. IMBER Science Plan and Implementation Strategy SPIS (2005)
Supplement to the SPIS (2010)
IMBER science is based on a science plan and implementation strategy. This was updated in 2010 when GLOBEC merged with IMBER.
 IMBER II - next five years

5. Regional Project Office Working Groups / Task Teams
SPONSORS
Structure
IPO
IMBER Scientific Steering Committee (16 members)
National contacts
Regional Project Office
Working Groups / Task Teams
Regional
Activities
Contributing
Projects
Human Dimensions
ICED
SIBER
CLIOTOP
ESSAS
Data Management
EUR-OCEANS
CARBOCHANGE
Carbon Research
Capacity Building
IMBER is co-sponsored by IGBP (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme and SCOR (Scientific Committee for Oceanographic Research).
The project is directed by a Scientific Steering Committee (SSC), responsible for providing scientific guidance and overseeing its development, planning and implementation to ensure that IMBER goals are met.
The International Project Office (IPO), provides administrative support for IMBER and all SSC activities. A major responsibility of the IPO is sourcing funding for IMBER activities.
National contacts help to promote IMBER, seek funding for research and coordinate IMBER-related science in their respective countries, thereby broadening IMBER’s international scope.
IMBER currently has four working groups or task teams. These groups are responsible for developing implementation plans for specific research topics. Often the group will be formed to tackle scientific issues that need special attention. A working group on human dimensions has been proposed and is under discussion.
Note that the e2e food webs working group finished its tasks and has been disbanded.
IMBER also collaborates with other projects to implement IMBER objectives. There are currently four Regional activities (ICED, CLIOTOP, ESSAS and SIBER), as well as Contributing Projects (EUR-OCEANS, CARBOOCEAN) involved in IMBER research.
Continental Margins
IMBER Scientists 5

6. IMBER National Network (2011)
The IMBER national network is composed of 30 national contacts (yellow dots) and 24 endorsed projects.
IMBER Endorsed Projects (24)
IMBER National Contacts

7. Synthesis along Regional Programs
IMBER Regional Programmes
ESSAS
CLIOTOP
SIBER
IMBER has 4 regional programmes since ESSAS and CLIOTOP were incorporated in IMBER after GLOBEC ended in 2010.
See details on following slides.
ICED 7

8. Four IMBER Regional Programmes
ESSAS: Ecosystem Studies of Sub-Arctic Seas
To understand how climate change will affect the marine ecosystems of the Sub-Arctic Seas and their sustainability.
Leaders: K. Drinkwater (Norway) and G. Hunt (US)
CLIOTOP: CLimate Impacts on Oceanic TOp Predators
To study oceanic top predators within their ecosystems using a worldwide comparative approach.
Leaders: O. Maury (France) and A. Hobday (UK)

9. ICED: Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean
To better understand climate interactions in the Southern Ocean, the implications for ecosystem dynamics, the impacts on biogeochemical cycles, and the development of sustainable management procedures.
Leader: E. Murphy (UK)
SIBER: Sustained Indian Ocean Biogeochemical and Ecological Research
Basin-wide program in the Indian Ocean focused on biogeochemical and ecological research, with existing and planned observing systems and expeditions providing the observational backbone.
Leaders: Raleigh R. Hood (US) and S. Wajih A. Naqvi (India)
Strong involvement with CLIVAR-IOP

10. Recent IMBER Activities
ClimECO2 - Oceans, Marine Ecosystems, and Society facing Climate Change - A multidisciplinary approach
Leader: Y-M. Paulet, IUEM, France
An international Summer School co-organized by IMBER, IUEM, and Europôle Mer, August 2010, Brest, France
Objective:
To provide participants with an overview of knowledge, methods, models and approaches for analyzing the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and the consequences for society
75 students and scientists attend the summer school.

11. IMBIZO ll
125 Attendees
Workshop 1: The effect of varying element ratios on community structure at low   trophic levels and food quality at mid and high trophic levels
Workshop 2: Large-scale regional comparisons of marine biogeochemistry and ecosystem processes - research approaches and results
-Special Issue of J Mar Syst
Workshop 3: Sensitivity of marine food webs and biogeochemical cycles to enhanced stratification
-Special Issue Prog in Oceanogr
In 2010, IMBER organized the second IMBIZO symposium entitled: “Integrating biogeochemistry and ecosystems in a changing ocean: Regional comparisons”.
The congress will consist of three concurrent workshops
Workshops will include oral presentations showing current research and knowledge about each topic and discussion sessions to identify key questions to be addressed by IMBER.
Co-convened by regional programmes: ESSAS, ICED, CLIOTOP, and SIBER
A hands-on “Dry Cruise” workshop, based on the IMBER Data Management Cookbook was held priort to the IMBIO with 30 participants. 11

12. IMBER Science Ocean Acidification
Atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean has increased and this is shifting the pH of seawater to be more acid
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, about one third of the CO2 released in the atmosphere by anthropogenic (human-caused) activities has been absorbed by the world’s oceans which play a key role in moderating climate change.
There is considerable scientific evidence that the amount of CO2 absorbed by the ocean has increased resulting in a decrease of the seawater pH (it’s becoming more acid).
This can be seen in this graph showing the change over time in the North Pacific Ocean.
A new IMBER/SOLAS working group on Ocean acidification was launched in 2010.
It is chaired by Jean-Pierre Gattuso.
The aims of this group are:
1- to coordinate international research efforts in ocean acidification
2- to undertake synthesis activities in ocean acidification at the international level
Lowered pH affects ocean organisms
that have calcareous structures 12

13. IMBER Ocean Acidification Research
Joint IMBER/SOLAS Carbon Working Group on Ocean Acidification
Chair: Jean-Pierre Gattuso
Objectives
 Coordinate international research efforts
 Undertake synthesis activities at the international level
Establishment of an International Coordination Office is underway 13

14. Comparative Studies of Southern Ocean Food Webs
IMBER Science
Comparative Studies of Southern Ocean Food Webs
Seasonal length
Sub
Antarctic
Differences due to
Circulation
Sea-ice
Biogeochemistry
Light levels
Seasonality
Recognition that a range of food webs occur throughout the Southern Ocean. These are being modified by changing sea ice conditions, especially in the western Antarctic Peninsula region. A focus for the IMBER ICED program is to understand food web structures and production and to be able to provide projections of how these will change with climate change and exploitation of natural resources.
High
Antarctic
Low
Production
High Production

15. Comparative Studies of Southern Ocean Food Webs
Differences in light, sea ice, day length
controls - CDW/Southern ACC boundary versus Southern ACC Front
advective influences - closed versus open system
self sustaining krill population versus non-local inputs of krill
high productivity - natural iron fertilization through different mechanisms
Support large populations of predators which depend on Antarctic krill
Southern ACC Front
Study on going to provide a synthesis of Southern Ocean food webs. A focus is comparisons between South Georgia (Sub-Antarctic environment) and the western Antarctic Peninsula. The two regions are connected by the large scale Antarctic circumpolar current system. Krill at South Georgia are not self sustaining and depend on inputs from the western Antarctic Peninsula to maintain the krill populations that feed the large number of predators at South Georgia. This connectivity may be changing because of changing sea ice conditions in the western Antarctic Peninsula. Krill need winter sea ice to successfully recruit and winter sea ice is decreasing.
Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia
Connectivity is through Antarctic krill transport 15

16. Alternative Food Web Pathways
The South Georgia and western Antarctic Peninsula region may be shifting more to a food web that is based on other zooplankton. The transfer is not as efficient and may not allow sustaining of top predators.
High krill
Low krill
Alternative pathways buffer change. but may not
support long-term change
Need better quantification of alternative pathways

17. Temperature Effect on Snow Crabs
ESSAS
Temperature Effect on Snow Crabs
CPUE (kg/trap)
ln(recruits # millions)
ln(recruits index)
Temperature °C
n=24 p=0.006
n=21 p=0.020
n=32 p=0.107
n=35 p=0.001
Negative relationship; No effect of gadoids
Temperature °C

18. Capelin Distribution August “traditional” Recent years
Changes in drift patterns of larval and 0-group capelin since 1995, and in particular since 2003, appear to be an important causal linked to recent developments in the capelin stock, such as declining recruitment and stock size.
August present condition
Hjálmar Vilhjálmsson

19. Saturation state for seawater with respect to aragonite (Ωarg) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the Labrador Sea 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-300
-250
-200
-150
-100
-50
Barrow Strait S N 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
-500
-400
-300
-200
-100
Smith Sound 50
100
150
200
250
300
-1000
-800
-600
-400
-200
Davis Strait 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
Baffin Bay
-2500
-2000
-1500
-1000
-500 50
100
-400
-350
-300
-250
-200
-150
-100
-50
Hudson Strait S N
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
-3500
-3000
-2500
-2000
-1500
-1000
-500
The Labrador Sea
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
(Kumiko Azetsu-Scott et al., 2010)

20. ESSAS Open Science Meeting
Seattle, May 22-26
Comparative studies of climate effects on polar and sub-polar ocean ecosystems: progress in observations and predictions
Sessions on comparative studies, IPY, biogeochemistry, human dimensions, Bering Sea, modelling, gadoids and crusteans, ESSAS programs
Strong emphasis on physical forcing
ICES, PICES, IOC, etc. as co-sponsors

21. ICES/PICES AMO Workshop
June 6-10, 2011, Woods Hole, USA
Dealing with physics and biology
Aims to improve our understanding of the forcing mechanisms, the physical responses, biological responses, etc.

22. Thoughts on CLIVAR-IMBER Collaboration
Circulation – Large scale (i.e. MOC) and regional
NAO, PDO, ENSO, AMO, etc.
Vertical Stratification
Upwelling and changes in winds
CO2 fluxes and role of atmosphere and oceans
Climate Change – Regional Downscaling
Natural vs Anthropogenic Changes
Need to match spatial and temporal scales.
Biological feedbacks on the climate system.

23. To Stay Informed imber@univ-brest.fr http://www.imber.info
Contact the IPO to recieve the
IMBER e-NEWS and Newsletter
For further information, feel free to contact the IMBER International Project Office 23