The 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, in cooperation with the Kiel University (CAU) and the State Office for the Environment of Schleswig-Holstein (Landesamt für Umwelt, LfU), has launched a new project to study the role of seagrass meadows as natural carbon sinks and to develop strategies for their conservation and restoration.

The name of the project, ZOBLUC, stands for “Zostera marina as a Blue Carbon Sink in the Baltic Sea” – Zostera marina being the scientific name for seagrass. The project is funded by the German Federal Environment Ministry's Nature-based Climate Action Programme (ANK) and state funds, with a total budget of around €6 million.

Three Focus Areas for Seagrass Conservation

“Seagrass meadows are like underwater peatlands,” explains the scientific project leader, Dr Thorsten Reusch, Professor of Marine Ecology at 91̽��. “They store carbon, which is preserved in oxygen-poor sediments for centuries.” The project will examine under which conditions seagrass meadows store the most CO₂ to find blue carbon hot spots, which in turn would be prime areas for protection. Reusch: “For example, areas with strong wave-driven erosion store less carbon than calm bays with faster sedimentation.” The research will not only quantify the carbon storage capacity of seagrass meadows but also model how it might change under different environmental conditions.

Another focus of 91̽�� is the restoration of seagrass meadows. It is crucial to ensure that restored meadows are resilient and sustainable. “There’s little point in replanting seagrass that won’t survive rising water temperatures in a few years’ time”, says Reusch. Experimental studies will expose seagrass to various stressors in order to cultivate robust, climate-resilient populations and practice ‘assisted evolution’.

Community Involvement in Underwater Gardening

The third focus is on involving local people in the restoration process. After developing training programmes and testing small-scale seagrass restoration in previous years, 91̽�� now plans to significantly expand its efforts with the help of volunteers. Reusch: “The pilot phase has been successfully completed; now we’re scaling up.”

This support is urgently needed, as the most reliable way to restore lost seagrass meadows is still to plant individual shoots manually by diving. Reusch says: “It’s important to complete the training course and only use areas that we have checked for suitability for restoration.”

Diving clubs and NGOs will use volunteer divers to plant seagrass in scientifically selected restoration sites. Observational data collected during these efforts will be analysed at 91̽�� to refine future restoration practices.

The development of other planting techniques, such as seeding, is the focus of the parallel project SeaStore II, which started last September.

Mapping with Multibeam Sonar and Drones

The first step, however, is a comprehensive mapping of the existing seagrass meadows in the Baltic Sea. Professor Natascha Oppelt and Dr Jens Schneider von Deimling from CAU and their teams, will use remote sensing methods that combine advanced optical and acoustic surveying technologies. CAU will also be responsible for monitoring the newly planted areas using drones.

Results from ZOBLUC will be shared through workshops and policy recommendations to advance the protection and restoration of seagrass meadows in the Baltic Sea.

Background: Blue Carbon

Blue Carbon is the carbon dioxide stored by marine and coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows. Seagrass meadows sequester carbon in the form of dead biomass and organic sediment particles that remain in the oxygen-poor seabed for centuries – much like peatlands on land.

Background: Assisted Evolution

Assisted Evolution is a technique that aims to accelerate the evolutionary adaptation of organisms to make them more resilient to environmental change. In this project, seagrass plants are exposed to experimental heat waves in 91̽��’s climate chambers. This approach identifies potentially heat-tolerant local populations and uses advanced methods – from cellular physiological reactions (metabolomics) to genetic analysis (gene expression studies) and microbiome research – to understand the mechanisms behind plant resilience.

Experimenting in giant test tubes

The study adopted an approach with moderate perturbations to seawater chemistry: CO₂-equilibrated Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. With this approach, the alkalised water has already absorbed CO₂ intended for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) before being released to the marine environment. For their experiment, the scientists used KOSMOS mesocosms (Kiel Off-Shore Mesocosms for Ocean Simulations) - large test tubes that are lowered directly into the seawater, isolating eight cubic metres of the water column.

Different concentrations of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate were added to achieve varying intensities of CO₂-equilibrated OAE, ranging from no increase in alkalinity to a doubling of natural alkalinity. Over a period of 33 days, the researchers monitored the effects of alkalinisation on zooplankton, which plays a key role in transferring energy through the food web up to fish. A range of responses were studied in the zooplankton, from biomass and production to diversity and fatty acids.

Overall, researchers found that the plankton communities remained stable and that the zooplankton largely tolerated the moderate chemical changes associated with CO₂-equilibrated OAE. During the experiment, the nutritional quality of the particulate matter on which zooplankton can feed potentially deteriorated, but this did not seem to affect the consumers. The researches argue that food limitation, a result of the oligotrophic conditions under which this experiment took place, and which characterize subtropical waters, could have buffered these possible indirect responses of zooplankton to OAE.

“Our study shows that the increase in alkalinity has minor impacts on the zooplankton and that the food web as a whole remains stable,” says Nicolás Sánchez, PhD student and first author of the study.

Potential in climate protection and need for further research

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement could become an important ally in reducing CO₂ emissions to combat climate change. By enabling the ocean to absorb more CO₂ without becoming more acidic, this approach could strengthen the ocean’s role as a buffer against global warming. It could help bridge the transition to a future where fossil fuels are replaced by renewables, emissions from industries that cannot be decarbonized are neutralised, and historical carbon emissions are safely removed and stored. However, extensive research is urgently needed in order to determine the impact of OAE on the whole marine environment.

“Our experiment has shown that CO₂-equilibrated OAE does not have a lasting impact on zooplankton and the food web in the nutrient-poor subtropical area we studied,” says Nicolás Sánchez, “but this does not say anything about how it will affect other marine environments, nor about the safety of other, technically more feasible forms of OAE that cause greater changes to seawater chemistry”.

The scientists recommend further research on the method and across different ecosystems, as there will not be a single OAE approach that can be applied everywhere. Sánchez: “Our study is a promising first step towards defining a responsible framework for the application of alkalinity enhancement”.

Original Publication

Sánchez, N., Goldenberg, S., Brüggemann, D., Taucher, J., & Riebesell, U. (2024). Plankton food web structure and productivity under Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. Science Advances.

Funding:

The OceanNET (Ocean-based Negative Emission Technologies) project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 869357. The study was co-financed by the Helmholtz European Partnering Project Ocean-CDR.

Susanne Neuer Receives Prof. Dr Petersen Foundation Excellence Professorship

13 November 2024/Kiel. Professor Dr Susanne Neuer, renowned marine biogeochemist and professor at Arizona State University, was today awarded the 31st Excellence Professorship from the Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation. The award ceremony took place at the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany. In her keynote lecture, Susanne Neuer highlighted how phytoplankton and bacteria contribute to the global carbon cycle through the biological carbon pump. These processes play a crucial role in climate protection and are a core focus of Professor Neuer’s current research.

The ocean absorbs about a quarter of annual carbon dioxide emissions. One mechanism that facilitates this is known as the biological carbon pump. This process starts with the photosynthesis of tiny microscopic algae, phytoplankton, floating in the sunlit upper layers of the ocean. Professor Dr Susanne Neuer and her team study the Biological Carbon Pump, focusing particularly on the role of plankton organisms in the formation of sinking particles, both in the laboratory and at sea. Since 2004, she has been a Professor of Marine Biogeochemistry at Arizona State University in Tempe, USA. Since 2022, she is also the founding director of the new School of Ocean Futures. For her contributions, she has been awarded the 31st Excellence Professorship of the Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation, which includes €20,000 in funding and a six-week research stay at the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

Dr h.c. Klaus Wichmann, Chair of the Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation, said: “On behalf of the Foundation, I am very pleased to award another outstanding scientist with an Excellence Professorship today. Since its inception in 2009, the Excellence Initiative has been an indispensable part of our mission to promote scientific excellence in Schleswig-Holstein and to intensify international cooperation. It is an honour for us to continue to support this and I hope that this initiative will set an example for others to follow.”

Professor Dr Katja Matthes, Director of 91̽��, congratulated the awardee: “I am delighted that we can honour Susanne Neuer with this well-deserved award. With her outstanding research on the biological carbon pump, she has made an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the processes that influence our climate. Professor Neuer has excelled not only as a scientist but also as a mentor. She is a dedicated advocate for the advancement of women in science, having played leading roles with the Association for Women in Science and at Arizona State University. Her expertise and extraordinary achievements have made her a leading voice internationally. We are proud to welcome her to 91̽�� today and look forward to the inspiring contributions she will make during her stay.”

In her laudatio, Professor Dr Anja Engel, Head of the Marine Biogeochemistry Research Division at 91̽��, emphasised the importance of the awardee's research: "Professor Neuer plays a leading and internationally visible role in marine biogeochemistry, the carbon cycle and particle export. Her highly acclaimed work has contributed significantly to our current understanding of the biological carbon pump in the ocean. Her analyses of ocean time series have laid the foundation for comparative studies of the efficiency of this central mechanism in the carbon cycle".

Insights into the Work of the Ocean’s Biological Carbon Pump

In her keynote lecture, Susanne Neuer discussed the significance of the Biological Carbon Pump for our planet’s climate. A fascinating aspect of this mechanism is the formation of so-called marine snow—sticky aggregates of phytoplankton, bacteria, and other organic matter held together by larger particles such as dust. These aggregates can grow large enough to be visible to the naked eye and form the basis for the transport of carbon into the deep ocean. Planktonic animals such as krill and copepods also contribute to carbon export by releasing phytoplankton particles into the ocean's twilight zone, an area of near darkness where the light barely penetrates.

“The processes initiated by phytoplankton and bacteria in the upper ocean layers of the ocean are a fundamental component of the long-term storage of CO₂ and thus play a critical role in the context of climate change,” explained Prof. Neuer. “In the deep ocean, there is a fascinating interplay between microscopic cells that not only remove carbon from the atmosphere, but also sustain life throughout the ocean,” said Neuer. “The next time you look at the ocean, think of all the microscopic life in the water and all that it does for the well-being of our planet.”

Back to the roots: a reunion with Kiel and the chance for new collaborations

Kiel is not new territory for Susanne Neuer: some 40 years ago, she began her training as a marine scientist here at the former Institut für Meeresforschung (IfM), before moving on to the USA for further studies. This is not the first time she has returned to Kiel to talk about her research. At the invitation of 91̽��'s Women's Executive Board, she gave a talk in 2016 as part of the Marie Tharp Lectures, discussing career issues with young female scientists.

“I am very honoured to receive the Excellence Professorship,” she says, “it will allow me to expand my collaboration with 91̽�� and especially with Prof. Dr Anja Engel and to develop synergies in our research on the biology of the global carbon cycle.” She is particularly looking forward to the exchange with young scientists at 91̽��. Susanne Neuer: “It is important that the next generation receives special support in their careers so that they can not only be successful, but also make a sustainable contribution to solving environmental problems.”

About: Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation

The Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation, based in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, aims to promote science, research, technology, and culture. A central area of support is the Excellence Initiative, which, in close cooperation with 91̽��, honours outstanding scientists with international reputations. Through this initiative, leading marine scientists from around the world are invited to come to Kiel as guest scientists for up to six weeks.

Published today in the journal Earth System Science Data, the report analyses emissions from fossil fuels, land-use changes (such as deforestation), and the complex interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, and land. It assesses the amount of carbon absorbed or released by plants, soils, and oceans and projects future carbon flows to calculate the remaining CO₂ budget critical for meeting global climate goals.

The Marine CO₂ Sink Remains Stable – But Challenges are Mounting

The report shows that the ocean continues to absorb around 26 per cent of global CO₂ emissions – a crucial function, yet one increasingly threatened by climate change. Higher water temperatures reduce the solubility of CO₂, thus diminishing the ocean’s capacity to act as a carbon sink. “Climate change has reduced the ocean’s CO₂ uptake capacity by around six per cent over the past decade,” explains Professor Dr Judith Hauck, environmental scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). The 2023 El Niño cycle temporarily boosted the ocean’s carbon uptake as less carbon-rich deep water reached the surface, but ongoing warming could weaken the ocean’s role as a carbon store in the long term.

CO₂ Monitoring in the North Atlantic – A Long-Term 91̽�� Project

The ocean sink – the amount of CO₂ the ocean absorbs and stores from the atmosphere – is estimated through measurements of CO₂ levels in the surface ocean and simulations with global ocean models. Scientists from 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research have been contributing data through long-term monitoring in the North Atlantic. This ongoing dataset, collected by 91̽��’s CO₂ research group for over 20 years, relies on sensors installed on the container ship MS ATLANTIC SAIL in cooperation with the shipping company Atlantic Container Lines (ACL). Operating between North America and Europe, the vessel continuously collects data on temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and CO₂ in surface waters. This data is part of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) European research infrastructure, providing annual data for the Global Carbon Budget.

The monitoring systems on board are maintained by Dr Tobias Steinhoff, chemical oceanographer and co-author of the Global Carbon Budget report. “Last year, we had to remove the instruments from the vessel to overhaul and upgrade them after a decade of continuous operation,” says Dr Steinhoff. “As a result, fewer data were available this year.”

SOCAT Data Platform: Key to Carbon Research and Climate Policy

Beyond 91̽��’s own measurements, Dr Tobias Steinhoff is actively involved in the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT) platform, an international initiative that compiles and quality-checks surface CO₂ data. SOCAT data provides an early estimate of oceanic carbon uptake and also feeds into the Global Carbon Budget. Dr Steinhoff notes, “Our work in SOCAT strengthens the global understanding of oceanic CO₂ dynamics and highlights the ocean’s role as a CO₂ �����������Ǿ���.”

About: The Global Carbon Project

The Global Carbon Project (GCP) is part of the international Future Earth research initiative. Its goal is to develop a comprehensive picture of the global carbon cycle, including its biophysical and human dimensions and their interactions. Climate scientists worldwide contribute to the annual report on the global carbon budget. The Global Carbon Budget 2024 is the 19th edition, with the first published in 2006. Each year, the report is published in the journal Earth System Science Data.

Numerous researchers from German-speaking countries contributed to the Global Carbon Budget 2024, including scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute (Bremerhaven), ETH Zurich, 91̽�� (Kiel), Helmholtz Centre Hereon (Geesthacht), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (Warnemünde), Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich), Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (Hamburg), Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (Jena), Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and the universities of Bremen, Bern, and Hamburg.

Original Publication

Friedlingstein et al. (2024) Global Carbon Budget 2024. Earth System Science Data.

Gaps in Ocean Observation: Technological and Financial Shortfalls

Members of the EU project EuroSea have reviewed ocean observation in Europe. Their two recent reports, “Urgent Gaps and Recommendations to Implement During the UN Ocean Decade” and “Towards a Sustained and Fit-for-Purpose European Ocean Observing and Forecasting System”, identify the main gaps in monitoring marine biodiversity, invasive species, and ocean phenomena such as warming and sea level rise. Many of these gaps are due to technological shortcomings or insufficient funding.

“We urgently need a more sustainable and effective ocean observation system to track changes in the state of the ocean and to mitigate the effects of climate change,” says Dr Toste Tanhua, chemical oceanographer at the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and leader of the recently completed EU project EuroSea, on which the reports are based.

He himself is attending the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, which starts today, to lend his voice to the issue of ocean observation at the international level. At the Ocean Pavilion, in which 91̽�� is a partner this year, he will speak on a panel on the participation of non-scientific actors, such as sailors, in ocean observation.

In their position papers, the scientists stress the need to improve data collection, use innovative technologies such as environmental DNA (eDNA) and more autonomous devices, and strengthen international cooperation. A key recommendation is to secure long-term funding and establish central coordination bodies to ensure the long-term effectiveness of ocean observation.

“The recommendations we have developed together are aimed at the scientific community as well as policy makers and industry,” says Dr Tanhua. “The challenges are great, but the solutions we propose provide a clear course of action. We need to generate as much information as possible to better understand and protect marine ecosystems. This is a very important building block in efforts to mitigate the climate crisis. Observation alone will not reduce the effects of climate change, but it will enable us to understand and propose appropriate measures. After all, you can only manage what you can measure!”

Recommended Actions to Improve Ocean Observation

For example, the reports recommend the development of comprehensive programmes to monitor marine biodiversity. In particular, the use of innovative technologies such as eDNA could help detect invasive species at an early stage and improve data collection.

The use of autonomous devices (e.g. Argo floats and sensors) should be increased to validate data from satellites and improve observations of the deep ocean. This is particularly important for extremely cold regions that are difficult to access.

In addition, common measures for monitoring eutrophication indicators such as nutrient concentrations and oxygen levels should be developed to better monitor and reduce the negative impact of human activities on the marine environment.

In regions with high nutrient inputs, the use of autonomous sensors should be promoted. These systems will allow continuous monitoring of algal blooms and ocean acidification.

The reports also call for increased cooperation between countries and stakeholders to harmonise monitoring strategies and facilitate data sharing.

Recommendations for Ocean Observation Coordination and Management

Increased cooperation between different countries and stakeholders is recommended to harmonise monitoring strategies and facilitate data exchange. Coordination requires a single entity responsible for the management and strategic planning of ocean observing activities. This structure would promote efficiency and facilitate collaboration across countries and disciplines.

To ensure that ocean observation systems are sustainable and can be continuously updated, a funding strategy for long-term observation programmes should be developed. “Our research funding structures support knowledge generation, but not monitoring,” explains Dr Abed El Rahman Hassoun, lead author of the first position paper. “To close this gap, we need cross-sectoral collaboration and co-funding between different ministries. This is a problem we see not only in Germany, but also in other EU countries”.

About the EuroSea Project

The EU project EuroSea, led by Dr Toste Tanhua at 91̽��, brought together over 150 experts from 53 partner institutions across 16 countries from 2019 to 2023 to better integrate existing ocean observation systems and improve the delivery of ocean information. The focus was on the entire value chain of ocean observation, from measurements to data users. The European Union funded the project with €12.6 million.

Original Publications:

Hassoun A.E.R., Tanhua T., Lips I., Heslop E., Petihakis G., and Karstensen J. (2024) The European Ocean Observing Community: urgent gaps and recommendations to implement during the UN Ocean Decade. Frontiers in Marine Sciences, 11:1394984.

Tanhua T., Le Traon P-Y., Köstner N. et al. (2024) Towards a sustained and fit-for-purpose European ocean observing and forecasting system. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11:1394549.

By computer and ship: evidence of volcanic influence in the South Pacific

For a comprehensive analysis of the eruption’s effects, the researchers used a combination of advanced computer simulations and precise sample analysis. To simulate the spread of volcanic ash after the eruption, they used the HYSPLIT computer model from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a US federal agency. The model simulates the transport of substances in the atmosphere. It was used to calculate the dispersion of volcanic ash at different altitudes for 72 hours and the trajectories of the ash for up to 315 hours.

During the SONNE expedition SO289 as part of the international GEOTRACES programme from February to April 2022, the researchers collected water samples along a designated route to analyse the distribution of trace elements and their biogeochemical effects. A large amount of floating tephra, mostly pumice, was observed and collected in the western SPG during the expedition. Using radiogenic neodymium isotopes and rare earth element concentrations, the researchers were able to fingerprint a marked volcanic input into the western SPG. This is the region identified as the primary site of post-eruption deposition based on the volcanic ash dispersal model. In addition, seawater analyses of neodymium isotopes and rare earth elements were used to track volcanic input and chlorophyll-a as an indicator for phytoplankton.

Phytoplankton Benefits from Trace Elements in volcanic material

In the western SPG the researchers identified significant amounts of trace elements such as iron and neodymium, which normally only enter the ocean in minimal quantities via atmospheric dust. The volcanic eruption released an additional 32,000 tonnes of iron and 160 tonnes of neodymium. The amount of iron is equivalent to what the region normally receives in a year, while the amount of neodymium is equivalent to a year’s worth of global input.

“At the same time, we measured increased chlorophyll-a concentrations in surface waters, indicating increased phytoplankton growth and hence biological activity,” says Dr Zhouling Zhang, a research associate in the Palaeo-Oceanography Research Unit and lead author of the study.

Long-term Climate Implications

The team was able to show that trace elements released by volcanic eruptions play an important role for marine life. These elements, particularly the micronutrient iron, act as nutrients in the ocean that stimulate the growth of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton play an essential role in the global carbon cycle, absorbing CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it in the ocean. Increasing biological productivity may therefore also improve the ocean's ability to absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere - a process that could have a long-term impact on climate.

The researchers estimate that the release of the micronutrient iron from the HTHH eruption is comparable to the iron fertilisation caused by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991, when around 40,000 tonnes of volcanic material was released and a 1.5 ppm slowdown in the rise of atmospheric CO₂ was measured about two years after the eruption. Zhouling Zhang says, 'We think the Hunga Tonga eruption could have a similar effect.

Original Publication:

Zhang, Z., Xu, A., Hathorne, E. et al. (2024): Substantial trace metal input from the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption into the South Pacific. Nat Commun 15, 8986.

Originally from China, Dr Yuanxu Dong's most recent academic stint was in Norwich, England, where he earned his doctorate at the University of East Anglia. Ideally, the newly minted oceanographer Dr Yuanxu Dong would have set sail immediately afterward with his current co-host: Dr Christa Marandino, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Air-Sea Gas Exchange Research Group at 91̽��, served as expedition leader on a five-week voyage to the Labrador Sea last December. During this winter expedition, she investigated the contribution of bubbles to gas exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean. This very topic is what Dr Yuanxu has chosen for his postdoctoral research project at 91̽��.

“I am interested in the global air-sea CO2 flux,” he says. While it is known that the ocean absorbs a significant portion of CO₂ emissions, the role of bubbles in this process remains a mystery.

His host, Dr Marandino, outlines the challenge: “Quantification is often done mathematically, based on laboratory data. Laboratory studies are useful to understand mechanisms, but the laboratory is not a real ocean environment.” However, field observations of the bubble-mediated transfer are challenging because of the rough sea state at very high wind speeds and with wave breaking. It's not surprising that there are still no measurement data for gas exchange under storm conditions, i.e., at high wind speeds of 20 to 30 meters per second (approximately 70 to 100 kilometres per hour). However, the number of storms is expected to increase due to climate change, making it increasingly important to understand the role of bubbles in air-sea gas exchange.

Recently, Dr Yuanxu Dong published a significant study in the renowned journal Science Advances. Together with an international team, he demonstrated that the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica absorbs around 25 per cent more carbon dioxide than previously thought. This new study employed a high-precision measurement method called “eddy covariance,” which measures the movement of atmospheric eddies to calculate the net gas flow by computing the correlation of the vertical wind speed and gas concentration fluctuations. This allows for the direct determination of CO₂ exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. Data was collected using this method during seven research cruises in the Southern Ocean. The results represent a significant advance in understanding the role of this ocean in regulating the global climate, although winter data is still lacking.

Since the summer, Dr. Yuanxu Dong has been involved in the innovative design and construction of a CO₂ eddy covariance system for deployment on a buoy as part of the MUSE research project (Marine Environmental Robotics and Sensors for Sustainable Research and Management of Coasts, Seas, and Polar Regions). This rare type of installation has the potential to significantly enhance our direct measurements of CO₂ flux between the air and sea, expanding our understanding of air-sea exchange processes.

In March and September, he has been hosted by his co-host Prof. Dr Bernd Jähne at the Institute of Environmental Physics at Heidelberg University. In the Aeolotron facility there, one of the largest and most modern annular wind-wave channels in the world, he conducted experiments on bubble-mediated transfer processes. He will now cross-link these laboratory results with the data from his field experiments to understand the mechanisms of the bubble-mediated gas exchange.

Just in time for the start of the dark season, Dr Yuanxu is back in Kiel. However, he is not afraid of the northern German winter: “I survived Norwich, and Kiel is only slightly further north,” he says with a hearty laugh.

Original publication:

Yuanxu Dong et al. (2024): Direct observational evidence of strong CO2 uptake in the Southern Ocean. Sci. Adv.10.

DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adn5781

Professor Katja Matthes, 91̽�� Director: “The Global Stocktake for COP28 in Dubai last year showed that the world is heading towards 2,6 degrees Celsius rather than the 1,5 degrees set out in the Paris Agreement in 2015. We need to cut greenhouse gas emissions immediately and drastically. Meanwhile, we have to find solutions for residual emissions that cannot be avoided. Ocean research provides essential knowledge on natural and technical approaches to Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) so that the ocean can help us in the fight climate change. We call on world leaders to support this research and to promote activities that protect the ocean.”

Peter de Menocal, President and Director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: “Our future relies on humanity making smart decisions on how to manage the ocean. And making smart decisions demands that we have the best scientific information possible about the ocean and the many ways it affects everyone on the planet. Long-term, multi-scale ocean observations provide the critical data necessary to ensure a sustainable future for all.”

The ocean has absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat and almost 30 percent of the excess carbon dioxide caused by human activity. As a result, the ocean’s continued health will determine the magnitude and rate of such factors as sea-level rise, increasing atmosphere and ocean temperatures, changes to the hydrological cycle, trends in ocean acidification and deoxygenation, ecosystem and biodiversity declines, and severe weather events. Despite this, international investment in ocean observing systems has not kept pace with the need for information to guide climate adaptation efforts and other critical decisions.

Margaret Leinen, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego: “The ocean has an outsized impact on global climate even when it comes to desertification and is impacted itself by climate change. At least half of macro-organisms on the planet are marine. Most have not even been discovered, much less named, so ongoing discovery of the system supporting life on Earth is imperative to say the least.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that the world must take coordinated action to avoid exceeding 1.5°C increase over pre-industrial temperatures—a key threshold that climate scientists say staying below will avoid the most severe effects of climate change. At the same time, there is growing interest in the many opportunities that the ocean offers, including methods to mitigate rising greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, adapt to current and future climate change, and build a healthy blue economy that benefits humanity and protects critical ecosystems.

The COP29 Baku Ocean Declaration calls on the parties of the UN Climate Conference and beyond to adopt measures to improve observations of critical ocean variables to preserve these benefits and includes key points for negotiators and attendees to consider in discussions during the two-week long conference. In addition, the Declaration highlights opportunities that improved observations offer in addressing the interconnected objectives of the UN conventions on climate, biodiversity, and desertification, known collectively as the Rio Conventions.

Specific efforts spelled out in the COP29 Bakui Ocean Declaration include:

• Expand international collaboration to achieve progress in addressing the Earth’s climate, biodiversity, and freshwater crises.
• Enhance public and private funding to scale-up and diversify support of long-term ocean observation, research, and innovation for decision-making.
• Build capacity and access, particularly in small-island developing states, low-lying coastal regions, and other under-represented people and places to further develop ocean data, knowledge, and innovation.
• Improve awareness of the ocean’s role in planetary systems and the need for its preservation as a vital step towards mobilizing decision-makers to prioritize ocean protection and restoration.

Background

The Ocean Pavilion is organized by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It is a dedicated space in the Blue Zone at COP29 that returns for a third year to put the ocean center-stage at a crucial time in international climate negotiations. The pavilion brings together diverse and influential partners who will call for ocean-focused solutions to be recognized as critical in the world’s response to the climate crisis. Throughout the two-week conference, the pavilion will feature more than 50 events to stimulate discussion on a wide range of topics related to the future of the ocean. Visitors will also be able to learn more about the work of Ocean Pavilion partners and to speak with scientists, thought leaders, and students engaged in the search for solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

During the expedition, the scientists want to focus on three research projects in particular: Firstly, they will take sediment cores along the East Greenland shelf. This will allow them to reconstruct past climate changes and carbon storage in fjord sediments. "The sediment cores serve as a climate archive and are used to reconstruct the variability of the climate in the past and the changes that have resulted from shifts in sea ice cover, salinity and productivity in the East Greenland system over the last 2000 years," explains cruise leader Professor Dr Eric Achterberg. In addition, the scientists are measuring the iron and manganese fluxes from the sediments into the overlying water in order to assess the effects of these micronutrients on primary production along the East Greenland coast. Primary production describes the process by which microscopic plant organisms, mainly phytoplankton, produce organic material from inorganic substances (such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen) and light through photosynthesis. This is the basis of the marine food web.

The researchers also want to understand the effects of meltwater runoff from Greenland glaciers and Arctic freshwater runoff on the circulation and biogeochemistry of the North Atlantic. Increasing amounts of freshwater inputs are observed in the East Greenland Current (EGC), which is related to the increasing sea ice melt in the Arctic Ocean, melting of Greenland glaciers and the increasing discharge of European and Asian rivers into the Arctic Ocean. The East Greenland Current therefore leads to a freshening of the North Atlantic with possible consequences for the climate through changes in the AMOC and increases in sea surface temperatures. The freshwater inputs may also affect the primary productivity in the North Atlantic and consequently the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO₂) by the ocean.

The international research team is therefore also measuring carbon dioxide (CO₂), pH, alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, methane and primary productivity at the sea surface. These surveys complement data from surveys and moorings in the fjord systems, which are collected by Greenlandic scientists throughout the year.

"Our data and improved understanding will be used to improve model projections for the Arctic and low latitudes under future climate scenarios, assess the impact of climate change on society and inform stakeholders," says Dr Achterberg. At the beginning of the expedition, increased temperatures were detected in the North Atlantic near Iceland and a significantly stronger ice cover on the coast of East Greenland in the East Greenland Current compared to recent years. The causes of this contrast are not clear yet.

Expedition at a Glance:

MARIA S: MERIAN Expedition MSM130

Project Name: POLAR BEAST

Chief Scientist: Prof Dr Eric Achterberg

Dates: 09.07.2024 – 14.08.2024

Departure: Reykjavik, Iceland

Arrival: Reykjavik, Iceland

Study Area: East coast of Greenland

Funding:

The MERIAN expedition MSM130 is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the name "Investigation of the relationship between Arctic freshwater discharge, Atlantic biogeochemistry and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)", or "POLAR BEAST" for short.

Previous research has identified a suite of global scale processes, referred to as Planetary Boundaries, that regulate the overall habitability and stability of the planet. If critical thresholds in these processes are passed, the risk of large-scale, abrupt or irreversible environmental changes ("tipping points") increases and the resilience of our planet, its stability, is jeopardised. Among the nine Planetary Boundaries are climate change, land use change, and biodiversity loss. The authors of the new study argue that aquatic deoxygenation both responds to, and regulates, other Planetary Boundary processes.

“It’s important that aquatic deoxygenation be added to the list of Planetary Boundaries,” said Professor Dr. Rose from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, lead author of the publication. “This will help support and focus global monitoring, research, and policy efforts to help our aquatic ecosystems and, in turn, society at large.”

Across all aquatic ecosystems, from streams and rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds to estuaries, coasts, and the open ocean, dissolved oxygen concentrations have rapidly and substantially declined in recent decades. Lakes and reservoirs have experienced oxygen losses of 5.5 and 18.6 per cent respectively since 1980. The ocean has experienced oxygen losses of around 2 per cent since 1960. Although this number sounds small, due to the large ocean volume it represents an extensive mass of oxygen lost. Marine ecosystems have also experienced substantial variability in oxygen depletion. For example, the midwaters off of Central California have lost 40 per cent of their oxygen in the last few decades. The volumes of aquatic ecosystems affected by oxygen depletion have increased dramatically across all types.

“The causes of aquatic oxygen loss are global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions and the input of nutrients as a result of land use,” says co-author Dr. Andreas Oschlies, Professor of Marine Biogeochemical Modelling at 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel: “If water temperatures rise, the solubility of oxygen in the water decreases. In addition, global warming enhances stratification of the water column, because warmer, low-salinity water with a lower density lies on top of the colder, saltier deep water below. This hinders the exchange of the oxygen-poor deep layers with the oxygen-rich surface water. In addition, nutrient inputs from land support algal blooms, which lead to more oxygen being consumed as more organic material sinks and is decomposed by microbes at depth.”

Areas in the sea where there is so little oxygen that fish, mussels or crustaceans can no longer survive threaten not only the organisms themselves, but also ecosystem services such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and cultural practices. Microbiotic processes in oxygen-depleted regions also increasingly produce potent greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane, which can lead to a further increase in global warming and thus a major cause of oxygen depletion.

The authors warn: We are approaching critical thresholds of aquatic deoxygenation that will ultimately affect several other Planetary Boundaries. Professor Dr. Rose “Dissolved oxygen regulates the role of marine and freshwater in modulating Earth's climate. Improving oxygen concentrations depends on addressing the root causes, including climate warming and runoff from developed landscapes. Failure to address aquatic deoxygenation will, ultimately, not only affect ecosystems but also economic activity, and society at a global level.”

Aquatic deoxygenation trends represent a clear warning and call to action that should inspire changes to slow or even mitigate this Planetary Boundary. The study of Professor Rose and colleagues will pave the way for further research and open the door to new regulatory actions. It was developed in the context of the Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) programme of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, both co-chaired by Professor Dr. Oschlies.

Original publication:

Rose, K.C., Ferrer, E.M., Carpenter, S.R. et al. (2024): Aquatic deoxygenation as a planetary boundary and key regulator of Earth system stability. Nature Ecology and Evolution, doi:

In recognition of his engagement as an ambassador for the ocean and for communicating marine research topics to the general public, Boris Herrmann receives today the “Deutscher Meerespreis” (German Ocean Award) of the Prof. Dr Werner Petersen Foundation. The award, endowed with 20,000 euros, will be presented under the patronage of Daniel Günther, Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein, in cooperation with 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. Around 200 invited guests from the worlds of science, sport, business, and politics are expected to attend the ceremony at 91̽�� in Kiel, Germany this evening.

“The fight against climate change is a race against time – and we can only win it if everyone in the world becomes involved. This engagement needs a broad knowledge base, and it needs data from all regions of the ocean,” says 91̽�� Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes. “On the one hand, Boris Herrmann carries the message of protecting our ocean around the world and on the other, he collects important information for our research around the globe. His actions inspire many people around the world, including us researchers. The German Ocean Award recognises his important role as an ambassador and his impressive commitment. We congratulate him most sincerely and will be following the upcoming regattas with excitement and look forward to further joint projects.”

Minister President Daniel Günther honoured the awardee as a committed climate activist and supporter of science. “Boris Herrmann is a great sportsman and a champion of environmental education. The fight against global warming is literally written on your sails, and you are a role model with your way of tackling challenges,” says Günther. With his many years of commitment to climate protection and the ocean, Boris Herrmann is a more than worthy and deserving winner: “We in Schleswig-Holstein are very proud to be able to present you with the German Ocean Award 2024. Thank you very much for your great commitment.”

“The Professor Dr Werner Petersen Foundation sees it as its duty to also promote such activities that serve sustainable development and the protection of the ocean,” explains Dr h.c. Klaus-Jürgen Wichmann, Chairman of the Prof. Dr. Werner Petersen Foundation. “By awarding of the German Ocean Prize endowed with 20,000 euros, together with 91̽�� and under the patronage of the Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein, the foundation once again makes it possible to honour people who have made outstanding contributions to the conservation, protection or communication of knowledge about the ocean. The engagement of the professional sailor Boris Hermann, globally recognised ambassador of the ocean, are thus impressively honoured.”

For Boris Herrmann, a childhood dream came true in 2020 when he became the first German to complete the Vendée Globe. In 2024, he will once again participate in the non-stop single-handed race around the world. In 2023, he and his team took part in the Ocean Race with their Malizia - Seaexplorer – with a spectacular fly-by in the Kiel Fjord. Team Malizia has also announced their participation in the Ocean Race Europe, which will start in Kiel in August 2025. In May 2024, Boris Herrmann was second in New York after the transatlantic race The Transat CIC. He also recently finished the New York Vendée return race to Les Sables d’Olonne in a celebrated second place. He has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

“I am proud of what we have achieved with our Team Malizia. This includes the growing popularity and enthusiasm for our sport, but above all the visible commitment to education and science to protect the climate and the ocean. This award honours the long-standing and focused work of the entire team, our partners and supporters worldwide and, last but not least, my wife Birte with our educational programme ‘My Ocean Challenge’,” says award winner Boris Herrmann. “We see this award as an incentive to continue our mission with vigour, to look for solutions and, above all, to get people around the world excited about ocean and climate protection.”

The sailor has a long-standing collaboration with 91̽��, which can also be seen as an origin of the now diverse connections between research and German professional sailing. Since the beginning of 2024, Boris Herrmann has also been an ambassador of the German Committee of the Ocean Decade, whose coordination office is based at 91̽��.

91̽�� coordinates various programmes within the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and also contributes in many other ways to achieving the goals of the Decade. One focus of 91̽��'s work is global ocean monitoring for researching and predicting the effects of climate change and other human influences on the ocean.

In addition to scientific expeditions, autonomous measuring devices and merchant ships, sailing yachts also contribute to the collection of data as “ships of opportunity”. The innovation platform “Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities” (SOOP), which is funded by the Helmholtz Association, is leading the way here. In line with its project title, SOOP aims to create an “ocean of possibilities” for cooperation between science and industry. The aim is to create sustainable structures and technologies for ocean observation in order to improve access to measurement data and expand knowledge about our oceans. The project “Sailing for Oxygen”, which is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF), is aimed at water sports enthusiasts in the Baltic Sea and involves sailing crews collecting data on oxygen concentrations in the Baltic Sea.

Agriculture was responsible for 74 percent of anthropogenic nitrous oxide emissions in the 2010s, mainly due to the use of synthetic fertilisers and animal manure on cropland, according to the Global Nitrous Oxide Budget 2024 report, recently published in the journal Earth System Science Data. Another major source is the ocean and adjacent coastal areas.

The comprehensive study of nitrous oxide emissions and sinks is based on millions of measurements taken on land, in the atmosphere, in freshwater systems, and in the ocean. An international team of 58 researchers from 15 countries compiled these measurements, resulting in the most extensive assessment of the global N₂O budget to date.

At a time when greenhouse gas emissions must be drastically and rapidly reduced to limit global warming, the study shows that more nitrous oxide was emitted in 2020 and 2021 than ever before in history. Excess nitrogen burdens soil, water, and air. In the atmosphere, N₂O destroys the ozone layer and exacerbates climate change through its powerful greenhouse effect. In addition to emissions from soils, the ocean and adjacent coastal areas are a major source of atmospheric N₂O.

Data from the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel were used to estimate oceanic nitrous oxide emissions. 91̽�� operates the world's largest database of N₂O measurements from the ocean and adjacent coastal areas. Its name, MEMENTO (Latin for “remember!”), stands for MarinE MethanE and NiTrous Oxide.

“Human-induced nitrous oxide emissions must be reduced to keep global warming below the two-degree threshold of the Paris Agreement,” emphasises the report’s lead author, Dr Hanqin Tian, professor of global sustainability and director of the Centre for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability at the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College. “There are currently no technologies to remove nitrous oxide from the atmosphere.”

According to Dr Hermann Bange, Professor of Marine Biogeochemistry at 91̽�� and head of the Trace Gas Biogeochemistry Research Group, the international study is a milestone because it describes the global sources and sinks of nitrous oxide in unprecedented detail. Effective action to reduce emissions requires a thorough understanding of these sources and sinks.

The researchers therefore call for more frequent assessments of the N₂O budget and recommend the establishment of a global N₂O measurement network. “The ocean is one of the largest sources of nitrous oxide and must be included in this network,” says Professor Bange.

Original Publication:

Tian, H. et al (2023): Global Nitrous Oxide Budget 1980-2020, Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. Global Carbon Project.

Article DOI: 10.5194/essd-2023-401

Additional Data DOI: 10.18160/RQ8P-2Z4RDOI:

Background to the Global Carbon Project:

Founded in 2001, the Global Carbon Project (GCP) is an international research project established to work with the international scientific community to build a shared and agreed knowledge base to support policy debate and action to slow down and ultimately halt the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Its projects include global budgets for the three dominant greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) – and complementary efforts on urban, regional, cumulative, and negative emissions.

The Labrador Sea is one of the few regions in the world where the Deep Western Boundary Current is close to the surface, making the region  a gateway to the abyssal ocean. Changes in properties, such as temperature, oxygen or carbon dioxide levels, are exported to the deep sea where they can persist for centuries. Understanding the processes that lead to changes in the Deep Western Boundary Current is crucial for climate prediction using models.

Data indicate that changes are already occurring, and research has linked these changes to oceanic and atmospheric processes, such as the spread of temperature and salinity anomalies, and fluctuations in winds and heat fluxes. Long-term data series are needed to distinguish between climate and short-term variability, and to identify their oceanic and atmospheric drivers.

“Since last year, we have observed an unprecedented warming in the North Atlantic, with regions such as the Labrador Sea showing temperatures more than five degrees above average,” says Dr Johannes Karstensen, oceanographer at the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and chief scientist of the international MSM129 expedition, which set out on Saturday on the MARIA S. MERIAN from Rostock to the North Atlantic. Karstensen adds: “A key question during our expedition will be whether this heat anomaly can also be detected in deeper layers of the North Atlantic and whether it is already affecting the currents.”

To find out, the researchers will collect data associated with a long-term climate observation programme. Since 1997, 91̽�� has been operating an ocean observatory off the coast of Labrador (Canada) with seven measuring stations over a length of 120 kilometres. Each station is equipped with a couple of instruments to continuously record data on currents, temperature, oxygen, and salinity – from the seafloor to just below the sea surface. Every two years, researchers travel to the region to retrieve the data and collect additional samples along the way.

During the transit from Rostock to the first stop in St. John's, Canada, the MARIA S. MERIAN will also collect various types of underway data. It will be tested how quickly international data centers can access the data to enable its use for ocean and weather forecasts.

“The ocean has properties that have so far mitigated the effects of rapidly advancing climate warming,” says Karstensen. For example, because of its high heat capacity, the ocean has absorbed more than 90 per cent of the excess heat and stored it at increasing depths. However, as the deep sea changes, the ocean's ability to mitigate human-induced changes in the atmosphere, such as warming and increases in greenhouse gases, is diminishing. “At some point, even the deep sea’s capacity will reach its limits.”

Expedition at a Glance:

Expedition Name: MARIA S. MERIAN Expedition MSM129

Project Name: LabSeaFlow2024

Chief Scientist: Dr Johannes Karstensen

Dates: 25.05.-06.07.2024

Departure: Rostock (Germany)

Arrival: Reykjavik (Iceland)

Study Area: North Atlantic/Labrador Sea

The ship's position and initial data can be tracked live online via the 91̽��-developed BELUGA platform.

But how effective and efficient are the various possible measures? What are the hurdles to implementing them? What are the costs? How environmentally friendly are they? The research team investigated these and other questions in its latest study in which it analysed the feasibility of 14 CDR measures that could be implemented in Germany. The measures include direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) as well as measures to increase carbon uptake by ecosystems.

For their investigations, the researchers used an evaluation framework they had jointly developed in a previous study. Six different dimensions are assessed: ecological, technological, economic, social, institutional, and systemic. “For a good and comparable assessment of the feasibility, taking into account the risks and opportunities of different CDR measures, various aspects must be considered. Because these are not easy to keep track of and compare, we wanted to shed light on them with our study”, says Dr Malgorzata Borchers from the UFZ and co-first author of the study together with Dr Johannes Förster from UFZ and Dr Nadine Mengis from 91̽��.

Within the framework of workshops in multidisciplinary teams of the Helmholtz Climate Initiative, the expertise of 28 co-authors was incorporated into the study. “We thus had an incredibly large pool of expert knowledge at our disposal. This enabled us to assess the current state of knowledge on the CDR methods analysed in our study”, says Mengis. The researchers have presented their results in a clear evaluation matrix using a traffic light colour system. Red means that the hurdles to introducing a CDR measure are high in a certain area (e.g. ecological or economic). Yellow means they are medium, and green means they are low.

The study results show that the CDR measures with the lowest technological hurdles include mainly ecosystem-based measures such as the restoration of seagrass meadows, the cultivation of intermediate crops in agriculture, the rewetting of peatlands, and the reforestation of degraded land. “Ecosystem-based measures are already being used to avoid emissions in particular. They also contribute to the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, the potential of these measures is limited because Germany is quite restricted in terms of area and because we cannot rewet peatlands or reforest large areas indefinitely”, says Förster. “Nevertheless, we should try to leverage these synergies. In order to achieve the climate target, it will be necessary to combine different CDR measures in a portfolio of climate protection measures”.

For measures with a higher CO₂ removal potential such as BECCS, the traffic light colour in the evaluation matrix is red in many areas. “With technological CDR measures, the economic and institutional hurdles in particular are still quite high”, says Prof Daniela Thrän, who heads the Department of Bioenergy at the UFZ. “Because there are regional differences in the feasibility and potential of these CDR measures, we believe that more practical experience is needed at the regional and local level in order to better understand how the technologies can be further developed and established as part of local value chains”. In the evaluation matrix, there are also white spots, which indicate that there are currently no data available. “This is particularly the case with the social assessment aspects of the CDR measures. Further research is urgently needed. For example, on how the costs and disadvantages of CDR measures could be distributed fairly across society and how their implementation would benefit society as a whole”, says Mengis.

The scientists hope that their feasibility study for possible CDR measures in Germany can help decision-makers to better understand and categorise the complex information. This is the only way to set the right course for achieving the climate target for 2045.

Original publication:

Borchers M., Förster J., Thrän D., Beck S., Thoni T., Korte K., Gawel E., Markus T., Schaller R., Rhoden I., Chi Y., Dahmen N., Dittmeyer R., Dolch T., Dold Ch., Herbst M., Heß D., Kalhori A., Koop-Jakobsen K., Li Z., Oschlies A., Reusch Th., Sachs T., Schmidt-Hattenberger C., Stevenson A., Wu J., Yeates C. and Mengis N.: A Comprehensive Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal Options for Germany. Earth’s Future; DOI:

Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes is delighted to welcome her to 91̽��: "Professor Dr Maren Wellenreuther enriches our research centre not only with her excellent expertise, but also with her international perspective. Her contribution to the research and global networking of our institute will undoubtedly be of great value. I would therefore like to thank the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for its commitment and sponsorship, as well as my colleagues whose hospitality has made this collaboration possible".

For Dr Maren Wellenreuther, her first day in Kiel was marked by a special reunion: The ALKOR, one of the two research vessels operated by 91̽��, was docked at the pier right in front of her new workplace. “I sailed on the ALKOR over 20 years ago when I was studying biology in Hamburg,” she recalls. Since then, her academic stations have included Adelaide (Australia), Lund (Sweden), and finally Auckland and Nelson (New Zealand), where she has been researching at the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research since 2014 and teaching the University of Auckland since 2018.

She came to 91̽�� with a Humboldt Research Fellowship for experienced researchers. The program allows exceptionally qualified foreign scientists to carry out a self-chosen long-term research project at a research institution in Germany in cooperation with the scientific host. The fellowship can be divided flexibly into up to three stays within three years. And so, Dr Wellenreuther will be living in Kiel with her family for the next three years, from April to June each year.

“The infrastructure here is fantastic,” she says, referring to the climate chambers and specialized laboratories of the new 91̽�� building, “but I will spend most of my time at the desk.” Together with her scientific host, Professor Dr Thorsten Reusch, Head of the Marine Ecology research area, she will use her first research stay to prepare a joint publication. Both share an interest in epigenetics and genetics, specifically, how genetic and epigenetic variation influences the ability of populations to adapt to changing environments.

In her project “SOS Adapt” (The Substrate Of Species Adaptation in a Warming Ocean), Dr Wellenreuther aims to investigate whether marine organisms have the genetic potential to adapt to climate change and what role epigenetic variation plays in this process. While genetics refers to the DNA sequence inherited from parents, epigenetics refers to changes that can be made to DNA during life without altering the underlying sequence. These changes can be influenced by a variety of environmental factors. There is a wealth of knowledge on both the German and New Zealand sides that should be combined in the project.

“I am particularly interested in the exchange – what are our groups particularly good at, what can we learn from each other?” says Dr Wellenreuther. In New Zealand, for example, there is a lot of experience in fisheries and aquaculture research, as well as in optimizing stock management and applying automated feature detection of fish using artificial intelligence. “This data is crucial for linking it with epigenetic and genetic data, as it provides the biological context that is needed for interpretation.”

Additionally, she is generally curious about what is currently important in research in Germany, in Europe. “What are the big questions, the strategically important tasks for science? After more than 20 years abroad, I have a completely different perspective on this.”

To explore the enormous potential of these datasets, the Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science (MarDATA) organised a project week on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente. From 10 to 18 March, twelve MarDATA doctoral researchers met with students of the local WASCAL Master's programme "Climate Change and Marine Sciences" and local scientists at the Ocean Science Centre Mindelo, jointly operated by the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Cape Verdean partner Instituto do Mar (IMar). The aim of the project week was to develop approaches and solutions in a so-called hackathon ("to hack" and "marathon") that highlight the value of ocean data for both local stakeholders and the scientific community.

Dr Enno Prigge, scientific coordinator of MarDATA at 91̽��, initiated the project week and is enthusiastic about the results: "We had prepared three challenging tasks, and what the teams presented here after intense days of work is really impressive!"

One challenge was to improve an app for local fisheries, making it easier to record catch data with a smartphone and integrate it into local fisheries management. During a visit to the small community of Calhau in the east of the island, the young data scientists learned that the fishermen also wanted an emergency call function. By the end of the project week, they had automated the data processing of the smartphone app and added the emergency call function.

The second challenge was the supply of nutrients to the rich marine biology around the Cape Verde Islands. Two of the main sources are coastal upwelling and dust input, mainly from the Sahara. While one team developed an interactive visualisation combining dust, plankton, and other environmental data, another team worked on detecting and predicting upwelling events using machine learning.

Task number three built on the previous ones: to develop a concept for a "Digital Twin Cabo Verde". Digital twins of the ocean consist of simulations of the ocean that reflect the real ocean. The ocean and its simulation in the digital twin are linked by an exchange of information: observations and measurements are made in the real ocean, and recommendations for a future ocean are derived from the simulated ocean. The concept has been designed with local interests in mind, allowing users to explore selected datasets and upload their own data.

"During the project week, the participants were able to test their understanding of fundamental marine scientific processes and their data analysis skills in a new, unfamiliar, and interdisciplinary environment," summarises Arne Biastoch, Professor of Ocean Dynamics and MarDATA spokesperson at 91̽��. "The proximity to application and the collaboration with the WASCAL Master's programme and local stakeholders is a great gain for both sides".

The participants were also very satisfied with the week. In addition to the exciting scientific exchange, the close cooperation across status groups and cultural differences will remain in their memories. Everyone is already looking forward to next year’s reunion, when the WASCAL students will dock with the research vessel POLARSTERN in Germany as part of their training as a "floating university".

Background MarDATA

The "Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science" (MarDATA) trains marine data scientists. Young researchers from computer science, informatics, and mathematics work together on marine topics, from modelling on supercomputers, and robotics to statistics and big data methods. They are supervised by scientists from the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in cooperation with the Universities of Kiel and Bremen. The broad interdisciplinary training in block courses, summer schools, and colloquia aims to promote innovative handling of marine scientific data.

Background on WASCAL

The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a research centre in West Africa that aims to help address the impacts of climate change and improve the resilience of people and ecosystems. WASCAL strengthens the regional climate change research infrastructure. Twelve West African countries and Germany are working together to achieve this. The centre is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and implemented by West African and German partners.

The WASCAL Master's programme "Climate Change and Marine Sciences" at the Cape Verdean Universidade Técnica do Atlantico (UTA) is run by the National Fisheries Development Institute (Instituto Nacional de Desenvolvimento das Pescas, INDP) of Cabo Verde in cooperation with German partners such as 91̽��, the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU) and the Thünen Institute. The cooperation provides scientific and academic skills in climate, marine science and management at international and regional level in West Africa in the context of climate change.

An eight-person delegation from 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel took part in the conference. The group led by Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes was involved in various events at the conference and expanded its international networks.

91̽�� coordinates the Ocean Decade programmes “Global Ocean Oxygen Decade” (GOOD) on oxygen loss in the ocean and “Digital Twins of the Ocean” (DITTO) on models and visualisations that support decision-making on the future of the ocean. In addition, the centre is involved in several programmes and projects of the Decade, which runs from 2021 to 2030.

The innovation platform “Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities” (SOOP) also makes important contributions to the goals of the Ocean Decade: It aims to develop sustainable structures and technologies for ocean observation together with societal actors, improve the global usability of ocean data and thus expand knowledge about the ocean.

“We brought a wide range of topics to Barcelona and contributed to events focusing on sustainable global ocean observation as well as to the discussion on ways to use digital ocean twins – models that visualise scenarios for the future of the ocean for societal decision-making,” says Professor Matthes. “The conference also encouraged us to continue our long-term commitment in Africa. We were particularly impressed by the great interest in collaboration, the experience and the vast knowledge of many potential new partners from Africa. This motivates us to continue our commitment to research for sustainable development and to expand our involvement even further. We can only protect and sustainably use the ocean if we work closely together. The Ocean Decade creates the networks for this and we are grateful to be able to contribute to joint progress in various collaborations.”

Thanks to almost 20 years of cooperation with science, politics and society in Cabo Verde, 91̽�� can look back on a broad engagement in the West African region. Together with the Instituto do Mar (IMar) and with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF), 91̽�� established the Ocean Science Centre Mindelo (OSCM) on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente in 2017 as a central platform for field research, knowledge exchange and logistics. The international Master's programme “Climate Change and Marine Sciences” for young researchers from West Africa is also run in Mindelo. The BMBF supports this programme of the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA), the OSCM and 91̽�� as part of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL). These projects in the region are closely linked to the goals of the Ocean Decade and contribute significantly to their achievement.

91̽�� and its regional partners are currently planning a one-year research mission around Cabo Verde, which received a lot of attention and interest at the conference in Barcelona: The project “The Future of Tropical Upwelling Regions in the Atlantic Ocean” (FUTURO) brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to gain new insights into changes in the globally and regionally important marine region – a region that is currently responsible for around a quarter of the global fish catch and thus ensures the food security of many people. The knowledge generated in FUTURO is intended to help decision-makers to establish sustainable management for this important ecosystem.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback on FUTURO and have been able to establish important contacts with research institutions and foundations that would like to participate in the project,” reports Professor Dr Arne Körtzinger, Scientific Director of the OSCM and coordinator of FUTURO. “We are particularly grateful for the in-depth exchange about FUTURO with the African Ocean Decade Taskforce and the African branch of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, IOC-Africa. At our joint event ‘Looking Seaward: African Oceans and the Ocean Decade Narrative’, we were able to discuss pioneering ideas for the joint definition of research needs and the involvement of key stakeholders in the region. We also took away new ideas for WASCAL and will continue to align the programme with the vision of the Ocean Decade.”

The contact point of the German Committee of the Ocean Decade is based at 91̽�� since 2023 – an important hub for national and international involvement in the Ocean Decade. “With other national committees, we were able to work out numerous synergies for cooperation between the participating countries and receive new strategic suggestions,” summarises Dr Ulrike Heine, head of the contact point at 91̽��. “The inclusive approach and the endeavour to involve young stakeholders such as the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) much more than before seemed particularly important here.”

“We welcome the far-reaching plans and are very happy to continue contributing our knowledge and experience to protect the sea in front of our doorsteps,” emphasises Professor Dr Katja Matthes, Director of the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and member of the board of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). “In the Baltic Sea many changes can already be observed that other marine regions are yet to experience as a result of climate change and other human influences. The action plan that has now been presented will help to improve and preserve its condition. The successful conservation measures in Schleswig-Holstein could also serve as an example for other countries.”

For the implementation process, the researchers particularly recommend to effectively monitor compliance with the protection rules. In order to measure the success of the planned measures and to be able to readjust them, the current status should now be monitored in a more targeted manner. Existing scientific monitoring should consistently be improved. Various research activities, including in protected areas, are essential to address current knowledge gaps and continuously strengthen the basis for effective conservation.

“A successful protection of the Baltic Sea requires joint efforts and a clever balancing of the diverse interests,” says Professor Matthes. “Science is able to provide important information for protection and sustainable use and support a steady increase in our joint ambitions. We all know the value of the Baltic Sea – and we are determined to help preserve it.”

With the monthly measurements at the Boknis Eck station at the entrance to Eckernförde Bay, 91̽�� has been monitoring changes in the Baltic Sea for more than 65 years. Since the beginning of this time series, the temperature at a depth of one metre has already risen by two degrees Celsius. And although nutrient inputs are slowly decreasing, phases of extreme oxygen depletion become more frequent and longer. “Our time series clearly shows how strongly we humans influence our inland sea. We have our finger on the pulse of the Baltic Sea,” explains Dr. Helmke Hepach, environmental scientist at 91̽��. “This information therefore represents an important contribution to the development of the action plan. It could also be incorporated into future monitoring. In our research, we will test possible applications of artificial intelligence for taking effective protective measures and explore their feasibility together with stakeholders from the region.”

The regular expeditions of 91̽�� and its various partner institutions with research vessel ALKOR also contribute to integrative long-term data series on the state of the Baltic Sea. Twice a year, researchers assess the development of important fish stocks such as cod and herring, including their environmental conditions. “We can clearly see how a combination of stress factors threatens fish stocks and ecosystems in the Baltic Sea. To restore them, it is important to look at the entire food web together with the environmental conditions,” says Dr Jan Dierking, marine biologist at 91̽�� and Fellow of the Björn Carlson Baltic Sea Foundation. “91̽��'s model simulations then use this extensive data basis to identify solutions – including for political decision-making processes such as Baltic Sea protection.”

The restoration and protection of seagrass meadows, which are included in the action plan, also support biodiversity. At the same time, they help the sea to store carbon dioxide and filter pathogens from the water. “91̽�� is involved in various seagrass restoration projects and investigates the genetic basis for the ability climate change adaptation,” explains Professor Dr. Thorsten Reusch, Head of the Marine Ecology Research Unit at 91̽��. “Based on the knowledge where in the Baltic Sea seagrass beds, mussel beds, rocky reefs and other structures promote biodiversity, protected areas can be effectively established. However, it would be important to connect the protected areas and take an international perspective.”

91̽�� also plays a leading role in research into ammunition contamination in the Baltic Sea. Several projects contribute to the urgently needed progress. Since 2016, possibilities for detecting and mapping munitions at the seafloor have been investigated. Current projects focus on ways to safe recovery and disposal. “Thanks to the Federal Government’s emergency programme and the contributions from the state of Schleswig-Holstein, we will be able to take action this year,” says Professor Dr Jens Greinert, head of the Deep Sea Monitoring working group at 91̽�� and head of the CONcepts for conventional MArine Munition Remediation in the German North and Baltic Sea (CONMAR) research network in the research mission “Protection and Sustainable Use of Marine Areas” (sustainMare) of the German Marine Research Alliance. “As part of CONMAR, we accompany the clearance and refine our knowledge of environmental monitoring. On this basis, concepts for larger-scale operations can then be developed in dialogue with politics and industry. Direct investigations, including biological and chemical analyses, are carried out in parallel and for the emergency programme. This provides us with the necessary data to be able to make a good statement about the environmental impact during and after a major munitions recovery operation.”

91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has more than 15 years of research expertise in the storage of carbon dioxide under the seabed. In addition, 91̽�� scientists are involved in a large number of national and international research projects on marine carbon dioxide removal. For example, the research mission “Marine carbon sinks in decarboniation pathways” (CDRmare) of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM) is coordinated at 91̽��. As part of CDRmare, six research consortia investigate various approaches to carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere and its storage in the ocean in close dialogue with stakeholders.

Capture and storage of carbon dioxide in the seabed

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) was developed to capture greenhouse gas emissions at their source and store them underground. According to scientific work carried out in recent years, CCS technology has been sufficiently researched and can be used. In the deep subsurface of the North Sea, it has already been practised for decades under Norwegian waters. Under the German North Sea, there are rock formations in which large quantities of carbon dioxide could be stored, too. Monitoring and precautionary measures as well as strategies for dealing with possible conflicts caused by other forms of use of the North Sea are necessary in order to minimise risks and avoid hazards.

“The announcement of the key points is an important first step. In the coming months, the German government's Carbon Management Strategy will be published, which will clearly define the sectors for which we need and want to utilise CCS. At the same time, a bill on CO₂ storage and transport will be introduced to the Bundestag. As soon as the law comes into force, companies can take action and put their CCS plans into practice,” explains Professor Dr. Klaus Wallmann. The geoscientist from Kiel leads the research network “Submarine Carbon Dioxide Storage in Geological Formations of the German North Sea” (GEOSTOR) of the research mission CDRmare and is a member of the Carbon Management Strategy Expert Council.

However, there is still a long way to go, according to Professor Wallmann: “Suitable sites for CO₂ storage under the North Sea must be found and investigated in detail, the infrastructure for CO₂ transport must be planned and built and the separation plants at cement and lime or waste combustion plants must be constructed. In addition, public funding is needed to financially support the first CCS projects. It will therefore probably be another ten years or so before things really get underway and CO₂ is injected on an industrial scale under the seabed of the German North Sea.”

Ocean-based negative emissions

As agreed in the coalition agreement, the Long-Term Strategy on Negative Emissions for Dealing with Unavoidable Residual Emissions (Langfriststrategie Negativemissionen zum Umgang mit nicht vermeidbaren Restemissionen, LNe) will address approaches that help to achieve net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. The methods considered in the recently published key points paper include the conservation and restoration of seagrass meadows and algae ecosystems as well as accelerated weathering – also known as ocean alkalinity enhancement. While natural CO₂ sinks can be directly strengthened through immediate measures, for other approaches, the framework conditions for research and risk assessments must first be created.

To respond to the growing interest and increasing activities in the field of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, the international scientific community has developed guidelines for transparent and sustainable research with substantial contributions from 91̽��. In a three-part experiment led by 91̽�� which is part of the international project Ocean Alk-Align, scientists from various marine science disciplines investigate this year how marine ecosystems react to alkalinity enhancement from accelerated weathering. Comparable experiments have already been carried out as part of the research mission CDRmare and the Ocean-based Negative Emission Technologies (OceanNETs) project. In addition, experiments on the restoration of seagrass meadows are continuously being conducted in the Kiel Fjord.

“As many start-ups are driving the commercialisation of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, we are challenged to put research and potential subsequent applications on a responsible basis. In addition to our own research, we have also just published a ‘Best Practices Guide to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research’ in order to ensure the transparency of all research – including by start-ups – and to accelerate the generation of knowledge. However, our efforts have to continue to focus on drastically reducing our emissions,” explains Professor Dr Andreas Oschlies. The head of the research unit Biogeochemical Modelling is co-speaker of the research mission “Marine Carbon Storage in Decarbonisation Pathways” (CDRmare) of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). “Together, the approaches considered in the key point papers and strategies can offset a maximum of ten per cent of our current emissions – we need to avoid 90 per cent, and we need a much more ambitious approach.”

“91̽�� researchers contribute significantly to political and social decision-making in the field of ocean-based climate protection with their findings from national and international projects. The range of our research includes near-natural approaches to CO₂ uptake in the ocean such as the renaturation of seagrass meadows, processes related to ocean chemistry such as alkalinity enhancement and the storage of carbon dioxide in the seabed and geological formations,” explains Professor Dr Katja Matthes, Director of 91̽��. "In dialogues with politicians and other stakeholders, we contribute our expertise to the development of sustainable solutions for pressing social problems. The key points that have now been published outline the way forward in the fight against climate change, and we are very happy to remain involved in the next steps."

But how does the addition of minerals affect life at the base of the marine food web? How do microalgae, small crustaceans and other plankton react? How do the elemental cycles in the ocean change? An experiment led by 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel that starts today, helps to address these and other unanswered questions. It is the first of three multi-week experiments that will be carried out in the Kiel Fjord in different seasons. The work is part of the international research project Ocean Alk-Align coordinated by the University of Dalhousie in Halifax, Canada.

For their investigations, the researchers set up a floating test facility at the pier in front of the Kiel Aquarium: Twelve enclosed tanks, known as mesocosms, each isolate 8,000 litres of fjord water along with its phyto- and zooplankton. The environmental conditions in the mesocosms are the same as in the surrounding fjord – but there is no exchange of water. Five mesocosms receive an addition of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), and in five brucite (magnesium hydroxide) is added, each in different quantities. One mesocosm per test series serves as a control without added minerals. Unlike in previous experiments, the minerals are not added as a solution but as rock powder, which corresponds to the most likely form of application on a larger scale. Sampling, measurements and analyses will take place regularly for about a month to monitor microalgal growth, zooplankton development and various other processes.

“In view of the increasing number of start-ups that build their business models on selling CO₂ certificates for Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement, there is an urgent need for research about potential risks for marine life”, explains Professor Dr Ulf Riebesell. The head of the research unit Biological Oceanography at 91̽�� coordinates the experiment together with Dr. Kau Schulz, guest scientist from Southern Cross University, Australia. “The aim of our work is to generate a scientifically sound basis for decision-making on the possible use of alkalinity enhancement for active CO₂ ���𳾴DZ�����.”

Other approaches of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal that are currently being investigated include the restoration of seagrass meadows, the cultivation of macroalgae and the storage of carbon dioxide in the seabed (carbon capture and storage, CCS). Which measures are ultimately used needs to be decided as part of an overall societal process to mitigate climate change.

“This is the first study on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement that looks at possible seasonal effects. It is also the first one that uses rock powder instead of pre-dissolved alkalinity. We look forward to finding out more about related effects,” says Dr. Kai Schulz.

The series of experiments involves 36 researchers from a variety of research institutions in Germany, Europe, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Asia.

“The current experiment and the cooperation with international partners strengthen the expertise of marine research in Kiel on options for marine carbon uptake for climate protection,” emphasises 91̽�� Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes. “It looks at one of several currently discussed approaches to carbon dioxide uptake in the ocean and thus contributes important knowledge to social and political decision-making. In this way, it also complements the findings of the German Marine Research Alliance's research mission 'Marine Carbon Storage as a Pathway to Decarbonisation', CDRmare, which is coordinated at 91̽��.”

Background: Ocean Alk-Align

Ocean Alk-Align is a research project designed to investigate the efficiency and durability, environmental safety and requirements for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement in an unbiased approach. It is coordinated by Dalhousie University, Canada. Project partners are 91̽��, Universität Hamburg and the Universities of Southern Cross and Tasmania, Australia. The project is funded by the Carbon to Sea initiative from the United States of America.

When the German research icebreaker POLARSTERN calls at Hobart in the Australian state of Tasmania for the first time, there will also be a handover of the scientific leadership between two researchers from Kiel in Northern Germany: For Dr. Marcus Gutjahr, geochemist at 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, an extremely successful two-months long expedition to the East Antarctic Ice Sheet comes to an end. Professor Dr. Sebastian Krastel, geophysicist at Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, CAU), takes over as chief scientist. The two expeditions are part of a research programme on East Antarctic Ice Sheet Instabilities (EASI).

The three EASI expeditions aim to investigate feedbacks between ice, ocean and atmosphere in the East Antarctic, an important region for the global climate system and sea levels. The ice sheet on the continent can be up to several kilometres thick. It stores masses of water that could cause sea levels to rise by dozens of metres over the course of centuries. It is therefore important to better assess its future development. The first EASI expedition took place at the beginning of 2022 under the leadership of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). Dr. Marcus Gutjahr was already on board at that time.

EASI-2 – disappearing ice and changing current systems

In Prydz Bay on the Amery Ice Shelf, the researchers experienced surprisingly ice-free conditions at the turn of the year 2023/2024. “Almost the entire Prydz Bay was free of sea ice, much less than the average of the past four decades. Only the south-easternmost part was an icy landscape, as you would imagine in the Antarctic,” reports Dr Marcus Gutjahr. “Our measurements in the 150-kilometre-wide bay showed that the surface temperatures were far above the freezing point of salt water. While the deeper water layers had characteristically cold temperatures below minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, the regional surface water was significantly warmer.”

Over Christmas, echo sounder measurements also provided the geologists on board with new images of the topography of the seabed in the region. They showed clear traces of glacial erosion from past cold periods. The measurement results also differed significantly from previous visualisations, which were based on satellite data. The new insights will help to improve internationally authoritative maps. Researchers visited the coast using the POLARSTERN's on-board helicopter to collect samples of ice, sediment and rock for analyses and experiments. For example, 91̽�� scientists will investigate the weathering of this particularly pure rock and assess the trace metals lead and iron it contains.

Another important target was the Denman Glacier, which received sad attention in publications and media reports due to its exceptionally rapid melting. “Our data confirms previously published data. We can clearly see that the glacier is melting below the sea surface and will therefore retreat further inland,” the chief scientist summarises his initial impressions.

On the return journey towards Australia, the researchers tracked changes in temperature and salinity at different water depths as well as concentrations of trace metals by taking samples and measurements every 100 nautical miles. “This allows us to characterise the chemical composition of the water and the origin of the water masses very well. We are excited to see how pristine the composition of the water here still is,” explains Dr. Marcus Gutjahr. Sediment cores were also extracted from the seabed at almost all water stations for comparison – they contain deposits that allow for a look back into the geological past. The contrast between past and present reveals how quickly climatic changes affect ocean currents. “The circulation of the Southern Ocean always adapts to the prevailing climate. The pressing question now is how quickly it reacts to the current global warming and can thus influence the global exchange of water masses.”

EASI-3 – a look into the Earth's history

The EASI-3 expedition, which is starting now, focuses on past ice sheet changes in East Antarctica. So far, little is known about the reaction of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet to climate change, especially at the ocean-continental boundary. There is still insufficient data on the morphology of the ice shelf in this region. The cruise, led by Kiel University, will therefore obtain new geological and geophysical data and samples that provide insights into the various states of past ice sheets. For example, it was warmer in the Pliocene about three to five million years ago than it is today. The researchers hope that the new data will allow them to draw conclusions about the quantification of ice sheet behaviour during this period, among other things.

“With geophysical measurements in the ocean and on land, we can look far back into the Earth's history. By combining different geophysical systems, we are able to map structures at different depths with the best possible resolution. This allows us to look up to 1,000 metres into the seabed. Our aim is to identify characteristic structures that provide us with information about the climate and the nature of the ice sheet in the distant past,” explains geophysicist Professor Dr. Sebastian Krastel. In addition to the marine investigations in the open ocean, the EASI-3 expedition will also carry out land-based sampling of the continental shelf and coastal lagoons and lakes. EASI-3 will end in Walvis Bay, Namibia, in mid-April.

First call in Australia

At the end of the EASI-2 expedition, POLARSTERN arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, on 30 January 2024. To mark the first call, the German embassy in Australia invited personalities from politics, science and society to a festive reception on board. The public can find out more about the polar research of the Alfred Wegener Institute and its partners in a multimedia exhibition in the city centre, which is being organised jointly with the city of Hobart and the research institutes based there. There will also be a panel discussion, which will kick off a series of “Climate Talks” organised by the German Embassy in Australia, as well as exchange meetings with scientific institutions and political interest groups.

Project funding:

The EASI expeditions are part of the Helmholtz Association’s programme-oriented funding (PoF) in the research programme “Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future”, in which AWI and 91̽�� are involved. For Kiel University, the expeditions provide important impetus for research within the university’s research focus Kiel Marine Science (KMS). The researchers are funded by the priority programme “Antarctic Research” of the German Research Foundation (DFG), among others.

EuroSea brought together more than 150 experts from 53 partner institutions from 16 countries under the leadership of Dr. Toste Tanhua, chemical oceanographer at 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The project was funded with 12.6 million Euros by the European Union.

Its concluding Legacy Report advocates for a holistic and integrated approach for ocean observing and forecasting. From strengthening the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) and supporting the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) to fostering developments in blue economy and informing policymaking, EuroSea has made a significant impact on the landscape of marine knowledge and innovation.

The report emphasizes EuroSea’s commitment to delivering Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) ocean data, enhancing modelling and forecasting capabilities, and consolidating these advancements into user-focused services. The document is an extraction of the impacts of EuroSea, which leaves its footprint on many different levels of the multi-faceted observing and forecasting landscape. In addition to leading this innovative project, the 91̽�� team also made other substantial contributions to the success of EuroSea.

The researchers examined legal aspects of innovative ocean observations and existing gaps in the European Ocean Observing and Forecasting System. They estimated carbon fluxes for the tropical Atlantic. And using a wide variety of platforms, including innovative approaches, they collected and analysed research data. These contributions decisively advanced data synthesis products such as the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT) and the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAP) and improved the international and interdisciplinary coordination of ocean observations. This helped to inform, integrate and connect stakeholders with an interest in the use of ocean observations and forecasts. Also, public and political decision-makers got new valuable insights into the importance of long-term and sustainable ocean observing and forecasting for areas such as aquaculture, fisheries, port logistics, maritime transport, weather and tourism.

“EuroSea’s legacy extends beyond technological advancements and emphasizes the importance of cooperation, coordination, and a sustained, informed approach and we hope our achievements set the stage for a more effective, efficient, and impactful future in ocean observing and forecasting on a global scale”, says EuroSea coordinator Dr. Toste Tanhua.

Happy with the progress and end of the project, adds EuroSea manager Nicole Köstner: “The decisive factor for the success of the project was the exceptionally good and trusting cooperation and communication between all 53 project partners. The project mission was tackled together with great dedication and commitment and the success of the project shows once again that challenges concerning our oceans cannot be solved by individuals but only by well-coordinated teams.”

Original publication:

Eparkhina, D. (2023): EuroSea Legacy Report. EuroSea Deliverable, D8.12., doi:

Project funding:

The EuroSea project is a European Union innovation action funded with 12.6 million euros from 2019 to 2023 by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 research and innovation funding programme as part of a call to support the G7 Future of Seas and Oceans initiative.

Seagrass-based ecosystems provide multiple functions and services – for instance as protection against erosion that preserves coastal seascapes, as biodiversity hotspots for associated animals and algae and as a nature-based solution for climate mitigation owing to their carbon storage capacity in belowground biomass. Both conservation and restoration are areas of intensive research because seagrasses are being lost, as are coral reefs, to climate warming and other human impacts.

As the saying goes, “Many hands/brains make the work light”: To begin, the research consortium took a deep evolutionary look at the structure of the genomes themselves, followed by a comparative analysis of their more than 20,000 genes and relevant pathways that have evolved into the specific marine adaptations. Next, the 23 collaborating research teams each focused on different complementary structural or functional gene sets including their physiological functions. A key question was whether genomic adaptations came about in parallel, or whether they arose independently and maybe even involved different gene sets.

Professor Dr. Olsen points out: “Seagrasses underwent an extremely rare set of adaptations. Whereas re-adaptation to freshwater environments has occurred more than 200 times in flowering plant evolutionary history – involving hundreds of lineages and thousands of species – seagrasses evolved from their freshwater ancestors only three times – involving 84 species. To do this required specialized ecological tolerance to, for example, high salinity, lower light, a wide range of temperature tolerances, underwater carbon capture for photosynthesis, different pathogen defense, structural flexibility and an underwater pollination.”

One major result was that seagrasses were able to jump-start radical adaptation via genome duplication, which is often associated with severe environmental stress.

“Comparison of the three independent seagrass lineages, including freshwater sister lineages, revealed a shared ancient whole genome triplication at about 86 million years. This was quite exciting because large parts of the ocean were oxygen-free at that time and it’s also a uniting event involving the three lineages,” says Professor Dr. Van De Peer.

Further, the researchers found that the retention and expansions of some gene families could still be traced back through retained syntenic blocks to these early duplication events, for example flavonoids to provide protection against ultraviolet radiation and fungi, while stimulating recruitment of nitrogen-fixing bacteria; expanded cysteine oxidases for coping with hypoxic sediments and genes associated with circadian clocks. The results also showed that “jumping genes” – transposable elements – played a major role in creating new genetic variation for selection to act upon. This applied particularly to the large genomes of Thalassia testudinum and Posidonia oceanica.

The team also found several adaptations to be the result of convergence. This applied mainly to traits that became redundant or detrimental in a submerged, highly saline, marine environment. Loss of genes for stomata – the tiny holes in the leaf surface providing gas exchange with the atmosphere – loss of genes for volatiles and signaling to defend against pathogens and tolerate marine heat waves, notably heat shock factors, are compelling examples of “use it or lose it”.

Dr. Procaccini explains: “It’s clear that fine-tuning of supportive pathways has played the dominant role, rather than genes taking on major new functions. Salt-tolerance is a good example in which a higher efficiency of multiple processes has occurred to regulate sodium, chlorine and potassium. Evolutionary changes have also provided different species with the ability to withstand different environments.”

Professor Dr. Reusch summarizes: “Most ecologically important functions are complex traits, involving the interaction of many genes through flexible pathways. With genomic tools now developed for key seagrasses, we can begin to experimentally test and manipulate them. This is especially important for restoration under climate change scenarios involving many of the conditions discussed here.”

The new genomic resources will accelerate experimental and functional studies that are especially relevant to transformative management and restoration of seagrass ecosystems. They are a formidable resource for the research community.

Original publication:

Xiao Ma, Steffen Vanneste, Jiyang Chang, Luca Ambrosino, Kerrie Barry, Till Bayer, Alexander A. Bobrov, Lori Beth Boston, Justin E. Campbell, Hengchi Chen, Maria Luisa Chiusano, Emanuela Dattolo, Jane Grimwood, Guifen He, Jerry Jenkins, Marine Khachaturyan, Lazaro Marin-Guirao, Attila Mesterhazyt, Danish-Daniel Muhd, Jessica Pazzaglia, Chris Plott, Shanmugam Rajaskear, Stephane Rombauts, Miriam Ruocco, Alison Scott, Min Pau Tan, Jozefien Van de Velde, Bartel Vanholme, Jenell Webber, Li Lian Wond, Mi Yan, Yeong Yik Sung, Polina Novikova, Jeremy Schmutz, Thorsten B.H.Reusch, Gabriele Procaccini, Jeanine L. Olsen & Yves Van de Peer (2024): Seagrass genomes reveal ancient polyploidy and adaptation to the marine environment. Nature Plants, doi:

Project funding:

DOE, JGI, Berkeley, California, USA, under the Community Sequencing Program 2018, Project no. 504341 (Marine Angiosperm Genomes Initiative-MAGI). Additional sequencing and bioinformatic support from HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Al-USA and DNA/RNA extraction and processing from the Arizona Genomics Institute, Tucson, AZ-USA)

Changes in the BCP are an important research topic in the context of climate change. Ivy Frenger notes that when considering the impact of the BCP on atmospheric CO₂, it is common to focus on the export flux and neglect the ocean circulation. She and six international colleagues have therefore published an opinion paper entitled “Misconceptions of the marine biological carbon pump in a changing climate: Thinking outside the 'export' box”.

In their paper, the scientists aim to address the misconception that there is a direct link between the global export flux - equivalent to deposits - and the biogenic storage of CO₂ in the ocean, and hence, atmospheric CO₂ – the equivalent to the bank account balance. “There is no such simple correlation,” says Dr Frenger. The “withdrawal” side also needs to be taken into account.

A much simpler and scientifically more accurate approach, she says, would be to directly estimate the CO₂ reservoir resulting from biological processes in the interior ocean. Such an estimate can be made by measuring the oxygen content of the ocean's interior along with its physical state, such as temperature. Changes in these variables under climate change would also explain a seemingly paradoxical response of the BCP under anthropogenic climate change: Despite a decreasing export flux, carbon storage due to the biological pump in the interior ocean increases. This is because changes in ocean circulation delay the return of biologically stored carbon from the ocean interior to the surface. As in the bank account analogy: while the deposits are lower, if the withdrawals are reduced to an even greater extent there will be a net increase. Accordingly, for climate change, this feedback results in more CO₂ being stored in the ocean's interior than would be the case without the biological carbon pump. Co-author Angela Landolfi remarks: “It is important to note that this effect is small when compared to the continuing massive anthropogenic CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels”.

The scientists hope that their opinion paper and proposed approach will contribute to a clearer understanding of the influence of the marine biological carbon pump on atmospheric CO₂ in a changing world. A broader view of the biological carbon pump is particularly important for proposals to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere through marine CDR approaches, such as artificially stimulating marine biology.

Original publication:

Frenger, I., Landolfi, A., Kvale, K., Somes, C. J., Oschlies, A., Yao, W. and Koeve, W. (2023):  Misconceptions of the marine biological carbon pump in a changing climate: Thinking outside the “export” box. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17124

“The Eastern Mediterranean Sea as a Model for Future Ocean Research” (EMS FORE) is the name of an international project led by the 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and funded by the Helmholtz Association as a Helmholtz International Laboratory. “In the project, we are using the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from the coast to the deep sea as a natural laboratory,” explains Dr Thomas Browning, Junior Research Group leader in the Research Unit Chemical Oceanography at 91̽��. He is the chief scientist of METEOR expedition M197, a key part of the project, which starts today.

“As the surface waters of the ocean warm, this affects the nutrient supply, which in turn affects marine ecosystems,” says Browning, citing an example of the links between environmental change and ocean processes. “The waters of the Eastern Mediterranean have already warmed rapidly, faster than in other subtropical regions of the global ocean”. So the scientists on the expedition will be looking at things like which nutrients are limiting the growth of phytoplankton, how nutrients are supplied to surface seawaters, recording the different microorganisms that live from the sea surface down to the sediments, and measuring carbon export from surface to deep waters. Continuously deployed autonomous platforms and satellite observations measuring more basic properties alongside computer modelling work will help to put the observations of the research expedition into a broader context. In addition, investigation of collected sediments will also be used to reconstruct past environmental changes in the Eastern Mediterranean over the last few thousand years.

The research expedition will host multiple teams with expertise in the different topics and deploy a wide range of instruments, from specialized equipment for collecting seawater to assess trace element concentrations without contamination, instruments collecting dust transporting nutrients from land to the surface of the ocean, through to towed video cameras to observe deep-sea life.

The research expedition represents a strong international collaboration, with 28 scientists from 12 nationalities participating from 91̽��, The University of Haifa and the Institute for Seas and Lakes Research (Israel), the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (Republic of Cyprus), the Marine Biological Laboratory and University of Chicago (USA), and Xiamen University (China).

Expedition at a glance:

METEOR Expedition M197

Eastern Mediterranean Process Study, EMS PS

Chief scientist: Dr Thomas Browning (91̽��)

06.01.2024 - 06.02.2024

Start: Limassol (Republic of Cyprus)

End: Catania (Italy)

Funding:

German Research Foundation (DFG) ('Eastern Mediterranean Sea – Process Study EMS-PS’)

Helmholtz (Helmholtz International Laboratory EMS-FORE)

The marine research, conservation and sustainable use communities especially welcomed references to the ocean in the final documents of COP28. Among other aspects, countries are invited “to preserve and restore oceans and coastal ecosystems and scale up, as appropriate, ocean-based mitigation action” and encouraged to “further strengthening of ocean-based action”. It is now up to governments to fill these decisions with concrete life and increase their action on climate change together with all society and economy.

91̽�� researchers were present at COP28 to discuss key aspects of marine science with delegations and other stakeholders, including ocean observation, approaches for marine carbon dioxide removal, ocean oxygen and digital ocean twins as a tool for science-based decision-making. For the first time, 91̽�� contributed to the Ocean Pavilion, a central hub offering more than 80 events coordinated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Prior to COP28, the Dubai Ocean Declaration was launched by the pavilion partners with strong support from 91̽��.

“With the Dubai Ocean Declaration, we called upon world leaders to acknowledge the ocean as a crucial factor in the fight against climate change and take decisive action. Together with activities at the Ocean Pavilion, the thematic day on nature, land use and ocean, as well as many other events and efforts of the community, it increased attention for the ocean’s invaluable services to humankind”, says 91̽�� director Professor Dr. Katja Matthes. “We therefore welcome the references to the ocean in the COP28 decision documents and will continue to contribute our knowledge to the development of effective strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

“The focus on ocean-based mitigation approaches makes clear where scientific research is crucially needed”, emphasises Professor Dr. Andreas Oschlies, Earth system modeller at 91̽�� and co-chair of the research mission Marine Carbon Sinks in Decarbonisation Pathways (CDRmare) of the German Marine Research Alliance. “It is true that, in addition to drastic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, we need to remove a substantial amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, the effectiveness, scalability and side effects of many of the approaches currently being discussed are not fully understood yet. Research on them needs to be transparent and coordinated carefully to avoid potential risks while speeding up knowledge generation. This is also why we launched a Best Practices Guide to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research in Dubai.”

“Ocean monitoring provides an important basis for climate action, for example with respect to the carbon flux between the ocean and the atmosphere. So far, most of the carbon monitoring is being done on land – although 80 per cent of the Earth’s active carbon is stored in the ocean. In addition to measurements on research expeditions, we use a variety of other platforms to monitor these processes”, explains Dr. Toste Tanhua, marine chemist at 91̽��, coordinator of the EuroSea and Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities (SOOP) projects, as well as co-chair of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). “At COP28, we were able to highlight the importance of sustainable ocean monitoring systems and find support for a North Atlantic Carbon Observatory that would serve as a pilot for later global implementation.”

“For political and societal decisions, we often wonder if the planned ocean interventions to mitigate or adapt to climate change work, are cost effective and desirable. Digital twins of the ocean allow us to explore the benefits and side effects of ocean interventions with the objective to maintain a healthy and resilient ocean that is crucial for our lives. At COP28, there was large interest in these applications and the Digital Twins of the Ocean programme of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”, reports Professor Dr. Martin Visbeck, head of the Research Unit Physical Oceanography at 91̽��. “This is important to make justifiable decisions on the ocean we need for the future we want.”

The researchers found twelve events in which an unusually cold North Atlantic surface temperature was followed by a maximum land temperature in Europe. Additionally, there were 17 European heat events preceded by a drop in sea surface temperatures. In addition to the contrast between cool water and hot land temperatures, the interaction between a North Atlantic low-pressure system and a European high-pressure system was another striking feature. Climate physicist Julian Krüger, PhD student in the Climate Extremes research group of the Marine Meteorology research unit at 91̽�� and lead author of the study, says: “We can see this connection particularly well in the summers of 2015 and 2018, when the North Atlantic was unusually cold and at the same time heat events occurred over Europe.”

The researchers analysed several meteorological factors to understand the relationship between North Atlantic temperatures and European heat events. They found that during these events, the subpolar North Atlantic experiences an increased flow of heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, as well as rising air masses and precipitation. The released heat is transported towards Europe, contributing to the formation of an area of high pressure. This in turn favours clear skies with strong solar radiation, which is decisive for the maximum surface temperature in Europe.

Krüger: “The results of the study contribute to the understanding of the statistical and physical relationship between the North Atlantic surface temperature and European heat events, which is also crucial for better predictability of heat events in a changing future climate.”

Publication:

Krüger, J., Kjellsson, J., Kedzierski, R.P. and Claus, M., 2023. Connecting North Atlantic SST Variability to European Heat Events over the Past Decades. Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography, 75(1), p.358–374.

Funding:

J.Krüger was supported by JPI Climate & JPI Oceans (ROADMAP, grant 01LP2002C).

The scientists used advanced three-dimensional seismic imaging techniques to examine the hydrate dissociation zone off the coast of Mauritania, Africa. Published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the study identified a specific case where dissociated methane migrated over 40 kilometres and was released through a field of underwater depressions, known as pockmarks, during past warm periods in Earth’s history.

Lead author Professor Dr Richard Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global and Sustainability, Newcastle University, said: “It was a Covid lockdown discovery: I revisited imaging of strata just under the modern seafloor offshore of Mauritania and pretty much stumbled over 23 pockmarks. They formed because methane released from hydrate, from the deepest parts of the continental slope vented into the ocean. Scientists had thought this hydrate was not vulnerable to climatic warming, but we have shown it is.”

Researchers have previously studied how changes in bottom water temperature near continental margins can affect the release of methane from hydrates. However, these studies mainly focused on areas where only a small portion of global methane hydrates are located. This is the first study to investigate the release of methane from the deep parts of the hydrate stability zone. The results show that methane released from the hydrate stability zone travelled a significant distance towards land.

Professor Dr. Christian Berndt, Head of the Research Unit Marine Geodynamics at 91̽��, added: “This is an important discovery. So far, research efforts focused on the shallowest parts of the hydrate stability zone, because we thought that only this portion is sensitive to climate variations. The new data clearly show that far larger volumes of methane may be liberated from marine hydrates and we really have to get to the bottom of this to understand better the role of hydrates in the climate system.”

The study results can play a key role in helping to predict and address the impact of methane on our changing climate. The team are now planning a scientific cruise to drill into the pockmarks and see if they can more closely tie them to past climatic warming events.

Original publication:

Davies, R.J., Yang, J., Ireland, M.T, Berndt, C., Morales Maqueda, M.A., Huuse, M. (2023): Long-distance migration and venting of methane from the base of the hydrate stability zone. Nature Geoscience, doi:

Several methods of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) are currently being assessed and discussed, ranging from nature-based to technological approaches. One approach is ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). OAE mimics and accelerates the natural process of rock weathering, adding minerals such as silicate or lime to seawater to increase its alkalinity and enhance its capacity for carbon dioxide uptake.

Responding to the rapidly increasing research and the emergence of start-ups, an international team of researchers developed a Best Practices Guide to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research in a bottom-up community approach. The guide is published in the open-access peer-reviewed scientific journal State of the Planet and will be launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai on 2 December 2023.

In this guide, the authors compare and synthesise previously published methods and offer guidance for future research. The guide sheds light on strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, scientific uncertainties, biological and ecological impacts, knowledge gaps and research needs. Best practices are formulated for experimental set-up of laboratory, pelagic and benthic mesocosm and field experiments, as well as for modelling scenarios and monitoring, reporting and verification. In addition, data management, legal aspects and public engagement are addressed.

“The goal of this guide is to speed up knowledge generation and sharing while continuing to ensure transparency and responsibility in our research,” said Professor Dr. Andreas Oschlies, Earth system modeller at 91̽�� Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and co-chair of the research mission Marine Carbon Sinks in Decarbonisation Pathways (CDRmare) of the German Marine Research Alliance. “This will also inform the public debate and facilitate the development of effective governance, monitoring and risk management.”

“The development of the guide was inspired by a similar bottom-up approach used to develop a Best Practices guide to ocean acidification research back in 2010,” said Professor Dr. Jean-Pierre Gattuso,  biogeochemist at the Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS) and Chair of the Ocean acidification and other ocean changes – impacts and solutions (OACIS) initiative of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. “That guide had an enormous catalytic effect in growing the field of ocean acidification research by lowering the barrier to entry and making comparison of different studies and the generation of synthesis products more straightforward. We hope the new guide on ocean alkalinity enhancement research will have a similar impact to advance comparable and inclusive research for OAE and ocean CDR at large.”

“We know the oceans are a powerful climate ally, but as the climate warms, oceans are absorbing more and more acid-causing carbon dioxide. The acid dissolves protective alkaline shells around oysters, crabs and other animals vital to ocean health and to people who depend on oceans for their livelihoods. Ocean alkalinity enhancement can give the ocean an antacid and combat climate change, yet too little is known about this approach. This OAE guide helps to better illuminate the challenges and opportunities associated with this promising approach,” said Dr. Jan Mazurek, senior director of Carbon Dioxide Removal at ClimateWorks Foundation.

Original publication:

Oschlies, A., Stevenson, A., Bach, L. T., Fennel, K., Rickaby, R., Satterfield, T., Webb, R., and Gattuso, J.-P. (Eds.): Guide to Best Practices in Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research. Copernicus Publications, State of the Planet,

Funding information:

The guide was funded by ClimateWorks Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

“I am very pleased that this year, two researchers from 91̽�� have received the coveted funding from the European Research Council. I wish Dr. Eleni Anagnostou and Dr. Jan Taucher every success in their exciting investigations on the Antarctic ice sheet and deep-sea research and look forward to the first results,” says Professor Dr. Katja Matthes, Director of 91̽��. “The awarding of the Consolidator Grants underlines the importance and potential of both research projects and recognises the commitment and expertise of the research teams and 91̽��.”

HighBorG: Geological Reconstructions of Carbon and Climate Processes

The past holds a wealth of information about the dynamics of carbon and climate. “This is my research playground,” says Dr. Eleni Anagnostou, senior scientist in the Paleooceanography group at 91̽��. “I look at the Earth’s climate with focus on the carbon cycle when it was warmer than today, millions of years ago, to find the tipping elements that drive the growth and retreat of the Antarctic Ice sheets, and with their understanding to inform future sea level projections.”

Her project, “HighBorG” (High-resolution Boron and beyond Geologic reconstructions for carbon and climate processes), aims to explore previously unknown links between Earth's orbit and variations in temperature, carbon, and sea level when atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) was higher than today, but similar to what is expected at the end of this century and in our near future. Specifically, HighBorG targets three distinct climatic periods: a hot Earth with high CO₂ levels, 52-46 million years ago (Ma), a less studied period from 39-23 Ma, during which Antarctica was likely fully glaciated, and a colder Earth with high CO₂ levels again (17-13 Ma).

Dr Anagnostou and her team will use a combination of chemical tracers in fossil remains of marine organisms that are buried in sediments in the deep sea, with a primary focus on the element Boron and its isotopes, a tool used to reconstruct ocean pH and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. The project utilises established techniques, innovative automation approaches, new marine archives and the application of Earth system models to produce unique geological reconstructions on a millennial scale. Dr Anagnostou says: “This will help us to better understand the interactions within the Earth's climate during periods of glaciation and deglaciation of Antarctica, and so they can contribute to a better understanding of current climate change and improve the quality of climate projections.”

SEA-THROUGH: In Search of the “Ladder” into the Deep Sea

The second funded research project focuses on the ocean depths, the largest but still largely unexplored habitat on our planet. The deep sea harbours a vast biodiversity and is an important reservoir of carbon in the global climate system. The deep layers of the ocean are connected to the surface ocean by the daily migration of plankton: every night, countless small organisms rise from several hundred metres deep to the surface, where there is more food, and then return to the depths during the day. According to a decades-old but unproven theory, this could be just the first step on a “ladder of vertical migrations” that extends to much greater depths. This would result in a series of synchronous and interconnected vertical migrations that extend the food web throughout the water column to depths of several kilometres.

With the SEA-THROUGH project, Dr Jan Taucher and his team aim to unravel this mystery. State-of-the-art camera technology will be used to obtain a comprehensive picture of biodiversity and food webs in the deep sea, particularly with regard to their spatial and temporal dynamics in the water column. “We want to give ourselves a new set of eyes to look into the deep sea,” says Dr Taucher. Since 2018, the marine biologist has been working on the development of innovative camera systems to better observe the wide range of organisms in the ocean. “To understand key ecological mechanisms such as the ‘ladder of vertical migrations’, we first need basic information about the diversity of organisms: who is where, when and what are they doing there? However, collecting such data is quite challenging,” explains Dr Taucher.

To overcome this hurdle, the new project will develop and combine several advanced camera technologies. The new camera system will then be used on shipboard expeditions to make ecological observations of the deep sea and the vertical movement of its inhabitants. Dr Taucher says: “If we can prove the existence of the ‘ladder of vertical migration’, it would be an important piece of the puzzle in solving some of the great mysteries of deep-sea research”.

About the ERC:

The ERC (European Research Council) is an institution of the European Union whose main objective is to support excellent and groundbreaking basic research in Europe. The ERC funds “Starting Grants” for early-stage researchers, “Consolidator Grants” for promising researchers between seven and twelve years after their doctorate whose own research group is in the process of consolidation, “Advanced Grants” for outstanding researchers with proven research expertise, and “Synergy Grants” for teams of researchers working together on a single project. The total budget of the ERC from 2021 to 2027 is more than €16 billion, funded by the EU's research and innovation framework programme “Horizon Europe”.