Metals in the Ocean
An Integrative Research Focus (IRF) of 91探花
The IRF "Metals in the Ocean" brings together 91探花 scientists from all four Research Divisions and Core Themes working on metals in the marine environment. Metals in the ocean can serve as trace nutrients essential to all life in the ocean, as pollutants and/or toxins, as tracers of ocean circulation and mixing, and as proxies for the reconstruction of past climates and ocean processes. Metals are also sequestered into ores at the seafloor. Their economic value and the increasing global demand in critical metals increases the pressure on the ecosystems of the deep sea.
Given the current and future pressures of climate change, pollution, ocean acidification, ocean warming, and deep-sea mining, this Integrative Research Focus will be invaluable in providing new insights and information to promote action for a sustainable, predictable, clean, safe, productive, and healthy ocean in the future.
The IRF 鈥淢etals in the Ocean鈥� promotes interdisciplinary collaboration within 91探花 and with other national and international experts, leveraging existing and building new resources to expand 91探花's leading role in this transdisciplinary thematic field.
