ESF EuroCLIMATE Workshop

Programme

Workshop Structure:
Day 1 (26th Sept., Barcelona):Overview talks in the morning and public lectures in the afternoon. The overview talks will summarise current knowledge and set the agenda for the workshop phase of days 2 and 3.
Days 2 and 3 (27-28th Sept., Sant Feliu): Workshop discussion structured in specific presentation and breakout sessions.
 

Core Themes for the workshop sessions:
A= Biocalcification mechanisms and their vulnerability to acidification
B= Genetics and Physiology - investigating organismal responses to acidification
C= Ecology and Biogeography - predicting the effects of population responses to acidification
D= Lessons from the fossil record - past responses to acidification
E= Case study: the likely impact of acidification in the Mediterranean 

Wednesday 26 September

9:00

Welcome

9:15 - 13:30

Overview talks, theme A-E by discussion leaders, 20 minutes per talk plus 15 minutes introduction of the main questions

9:15

Theme A - two talks lasting for 55 minutes

10:15

Theme B - two talks plus main questions

11:15

Coffe break and main questions

11:30

Theme C - two talks plus main questions

12:30

Theme D - two talks plus main questions

13:30

Lunch

15:30 - 19:30

Public lecture at the Auditorium of the New Science Museum 'Cosmo Caixa', Barcelona

15:30

Introduction

15:45

Global warming and ocean acidification: Double trouble for marine ecosystems - Richard Feely

16:30

Ocean acidification: A global geochemical experiment with unknown ecological consequences - Victoria Fabry

17:15 - 17:30

Break

17:30

Long-term consequences of ocean acidification: A Paleoperspective - James Zachos

18:15

Taking the science of ocean acidification to policy makers, stakeholders and society - Carol Turley

19:00 

Discussion

19:30

Departure for Sant Feliu - Dinner

 

 

Thursday 27 September

9:00 - 11:15

Theme A:

1. Will biological calcification significantly modulate the response of the ocean calcification system, or will the gross effects be similar to those of an inorganic system? i.e. how much biology do we need to include in order to accurately predict the effect of rising CO2 levels on oceanic biogeochemical cycling of CO2 and carbonate?

2. How will rising CO2 levels affect the calcifying taxa - will they simply produce lighter skeletons or will there be significant reductions in their gross productivity and selective extinctions?

11:15

Coffe Break

11:30 - 13:30

Theme B:

3. What will be the secondary ecological and biogeochemical consequences of a reduction in biocalcifiying plankton? For example:
a. Coccolithophores frequently form major blooms in temperate latitudes during summer. These blooms are spectacular but essentially harmless. If coccolithophore blooms are suppressed by ocean acidification is it possible that they will be replaced by blooms of more harmful organisms - e.g. Phaeocystis, toxic dinoflagellates, Prymnesium parvum? I.e. is a major increase in harmful algal blooms (HABs) a likely indirect result of ocean acidification?
b. Will a decrease in calcification significantly reduce the export flux of organic carbon by a reduction in the ballasting role, and will this significantly reduce the buffering of atmospheric CO2 by pH rise?

4. How will changes in the biogeography of key planktonic calcifiers affect overall marine carbonate export production? As an example, coccolith culture experiments have thus far revealed species-specific responses to changes in “seawater” pH. Are such responses expected for other calcifying organisms like foraminifera and pteropods? How will this impact the marine component of the global C cycle?

13:30

Lunch

14:30 - 16:30

Two parallel sessions: Theme C and E (the results of discussion will be reported on Friday morning)

Breakout Theme C:
5. How will functional gene-diversity respond to changes in ocean chemistry such as acidification and nutrient distribution? What is known about the evolution of these genes, such as potential adaptability?

Breakout Theme E:
6. What is known  about the impact of anthropogenic CO2 in the Mediterranean on biocalcification and ecology.

16:30

Coffee Break

16:45 - 18:45

Theme D:

6. What have we learned from past and rapid ocean acidification events in relation to the above questions and points?

20:30

Dinner

 

 

Friday 28 September

9:00 - 9:30

Reporting of Breakout groups Themes C and E

9:30 - 10:00

Discussion, conclusions, future work on Themes C and E

10:00 - 11:30

Theme A - main results of group discussion, future work, review paper

11:30

Coffee break

11:45 - 13:00

Theme B - main results of group discussion, future work, review paper

13:00

Lunch

14:00 - 15:30

Theme D - main results of group discussion, future work, review paper

15:30 - 16:30

Strategy on communication of climatic issues and ocean acidification to the public, policymakers, and funding agencies. Discussion

16:30

Coffe break

17:00

Other issues

18:00

End of workshop