The call for Outline and Full Proposals is closed
Deadline for submissions : 25 June 2010
Background
The last ten years have seen great advances in our understanding of cold-water corals as significant ecological “engineers” on the continental shelf, offshore banks, seamounts and canyons. Stony scleractinian cold-water corals can develop large deep-water reef frameworks providing complex three-dimensional habitat for a spectacularly diverse associated fauna. Other groups of corals, such as gorgonians and black (antipatharian) corals also provide long-lasting habitat, notably on seamounts and mid-ocean ridges. Indeed, recent dating studies show that a cold-water antipatharian coral from the Hawaiian Seamounts is the oldest marine animal, and probably the oldest animal, on Earth. But cold-water corals are not only a biological or ecological curiosity. They develop deep-sea reefs and giant coral carbonate mounds that trace their origins back to the Pliocene 2.7 Ma. Their long-lasting skeletons give a newly discovered archive of intermediate water mass history providing records of the variability of important ocean properties during past periods of climate change.
The idea behind the EuroTRACES basin-scale research programme is to attract the wider marine science community, including many who have not previously worked with cold-water corals. For example, in terms of ocean climate studies, records of palaeo-productivity and palaeo-ocean circulation represent vital contributions to our basic understanding of the drivers of deep-sea biota at ecological timescales. Particularly exciting opportunities exist to use geochemical tracers identified in both deep-sea sediments and coral habitats. These habitats are rich in associated species, and dynamic in terms of local sedimentary regimes. Recent research shows that over the last 200,000 years, cold-water corals thrive in certain periods but are absent during others, often correlating with numerous periods of rapid climate change over the past 25,000 years and more. As such they offer tremendous potential for broad, interdisciplinary deep-sea research and EuroTRACES sets out the framework for a unique new collaboration in Europe between palaeoceanography, deep-sea ecology and marine geology.
The EuroTRACES programme will benefit from recent scientific and technical advances: (1) baseline habitat mapping provides a database of target sites across the Atlantic basin, itself a global centre of cold-water coral records; (2) genetic markers (notably microsatellites) have recently been developed for a number of cold-water corals, allowing issues such as their genetic connectivity and clonality to be examined; (3) exciting geochemical advances have now produced coral skeletal proxies for several parameters including ocean ventilation history, seawater temperature, seawater provenance, nutrient status and even pollution history; (4) the seagoing infrastructure (e.g. remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles, coring and observation tools) and expertise available in European research groups have greatly expanded over the last decade. While EuroTRACES is based around questions of Atlantic connectivity and (palaeo)oceanography, studies of the adjoining Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean basins are also relevant.
Understanding deep-water, suspension-feeding systems, such as those formed by cold-water corals, requires integrated interdisciplinary research involving marine biologists, chemists, geologists and physicists. Developing appropriate tools for their long-term conservation not only requires understanding their ecological connectivity but also the policy context in which conservation strategies can further develop. Here contributions from social scientists and those working at the interface of science and policy are needed. EuroTRACES is an ambitious programme designed to bring together European research groups to conduct internationally excellent deep-sea science especially alongside North American collaborators.
EuroTRACES will contribute to the review and compilation of relevant information of maritime policy both at European and international (High Seas) levels. The policy work should ensure clear two-way communication between the pure science projects and the policy-maker end users. For example, several social scientists are the members of the Trans-Atlantic Coral Ecosystem Study (i.e. TRACES) community; their research (as well as others in similar fields) could focus upon regional governance case studies to critically evaluate the process of conservation policy development for cold-water corals and deep sea habitats in general. EuroTRACES policy research would directly benefit major European policy developments including the Natura 2000 network and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
In terms of ethical issues, all partners in EuroTRACES should agree to follow the ‘Code of Conduct for Responsible Marine Research in the Deep Seas and High Seas of the OSPAR Maritime Area’.
Scientific Goals
This EUROCORES call will examine the connectivity, ecology, biodiversity and palaeoceanographic archives of Atlantic deep-sea coral habitats. As we enter a time of rapid climate change induced by anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, cold-water corals are not only threatened by ocean warming and acidification but their skeletal remains and associated reef deposits contain vital clues to past rapid climate change events.
EuroTRACES sets out to unlock this information and set these long-lived, biodiverse deep-sea habitats in a wider context. Alongside its scientific vision, EuroTRACES CRPs should maintain a strong dialogue with policy makers to ensure relevant information quickly becomes available to support on-going efforts to conserve the Atlantic’s cold-water coral ecosystems.
Key scientific questions to be addressed by the projects include:
- Ecosystem research: Linkages and connectivity
- Ecosystem research: Biodiversity & biogeography
- Ecosystem research: Coral biology
- Climate records research
The following cross-cutting research activities are planned to supplement and support the previously mentioned scientific research themes:
- Mapping & habitats
- Oceanography & food supply
- Policy
Extension of deadline for Outline and Full Proposals
On an exceptional basis and with the aim of attracting more Proposals, ESF has decided to merge the deadline for the submission of Outline and Full Proposals. The deadline for the joint submission is June 25th, 2010 noon CET.
With this new deadline the relevant scientific communities are provided an extended opportunity to establish new cooperation and to prepare proposals for collaborative research projects (CRPs). Please note that for new applicants (i.e., those who have not responded to the call of outline proposals under EuroTRACES Programme) it is mandatory to submit both the Outline and the Full Proposal. In this exceptional case, the length of the Outline Proposals can be limited to a maximum of 2 pages.
The proposing teams which have already submitted the Outline Proposals by the original deadline of March 26th, 2010, are invited to submit only the Full Proposals.
Call for Eurofleets
Since the availability of ship time is a crucial component for the EuroTRACES Programme, ESF invites all the scientific communities interested in this Programme to consider as well the submission of an application to the EU initiative Eurofleets, part of the 7th Framework Programme. If successful after the FP7 selection process, the application will allocate some days of ship time on one of the research vessels listed in the Eurofleets website. The deadline for submissions to Eurofleets is May 31st, 2010, 18:00 CET. For more information on Eurofleeets, please follow this link.
National Funding Organisation eligibility and requirements for participation in EUROCORES
A list (sorted by country) containing information on special National Funding Organisation eligibility and requirements for participation in EUROCORES can be downloaded here.
Please note that this list may not be complete, since it is updated only as information becomes available to the ESF office from the participating EUROCORES Funding Organisations (EFOs). It remains your responsibility to check with your national funding organisation for the most recent requirements. The contact persons for all participating organizations are provided on the last page of the Call for Proposals.
E-Alert
If you would like to recieve an e-mail alert on the status of the Call after the 23rd April please send an e-mail to EuroTRACES with "EuroCORES Status Alert" as the subject.
For more information about the EuroTRACES please contact Dr Paola Campus at the previously mentioned e-mail address.
ESF provides the scientific, administrative and technical secretariat
for COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).