(euro-ecogeocentre - romania) european centre of excellence for environmental and geo-ecological...

European Centre of Excellence for Environmental and Geo-ecological Studies on River – Delta – Sea Systems

in Europe:

case study River Danube – its Delta – Black Sea System

(Euro-EcoGeoCentre - Romania)(Euro-EcoGeoCentre - Romania)

National Institute of Research and Developmentfor Marine Geology and Geo-ecology

GeoEcoMar

Euro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaEuro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaMain objectivesMain objectives

• Continuous formation and training of young scientists for improving the scientific level of the Romanian R&D units;

• Enhanced East - West scientific co-operation by networking and improving mobility schemes ;

• Enhanced long-term co-operative research and monitoring of the River Danube-its Delta-Black Sea system using jointly the local and international human and logistic resources (a “matrix” and “catalyst” of the two previous objectives) .

Euro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaEuro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaPart I: Continuous training of young scientistsPart I: Continuous training of young scientists

WP.1 - Specialised coursesWP.1 - Specialised courses (duration two weeks yearly)Course 1Course 1 "Hydrological, sedimentological, biogeochemical processes "Hydrological, sedimentological, biogeochemical processes

in fluvial, deltaic and coastal marine environments"in fluvial, deltaic and coastal marine environments" (Year 1, Month 8)

(a) Coastal marine processes of water and sediment dynamics, erosion-accumulation equilibrium, schemes for coastal zone protection

(b) Delta hydrology and sedimentary processes, river-sea contact zone processes and water and sediment dynamics

(c) River hydrology, sediment transport, scouring, changes in morphology, sedimentation, navigation improvement etc.

Course 2Course 2 " Biogeochemistry of water and sediments in rivers, deltas " Biogeochemistry of water and sediments in rivers, deltas and coastal seas, the quality of water and sediments" and coastal seas, the quality of water and sediments" (Year 2, Month 22)

Course 3Course 3 "Ecosystem structure and functioning" "Ecosystem structure and functioning" (Year 3, Month 32)


• WP.2 - Summer schoolsWP.2 - Summer schools (10 days yearly)

Year 1 – Month 9; Year 2 – Month 21; Year 3 – Month 33

Topics to be covered:Topics to be covered:

Environmental complex studies, geo-ecology of the River Danube, its Delta and the coastal Black Sea;

Genesis and evolution of the Danube, of the Delta and of the Black Sea; Structure and functioning of the characteristic ecosystems in the region; Environmental changes impact on aquatic and sedimentary systems; Major pollution issues impacting the environmental state of the region, the

water resources and supply; Cost-effective solutions to protect and rehabilitate the river, delta and

coastal sea environments; Sustainable management of living and mineral resources within the Danube-

Black Sea system.


• WP.3 - Junior scientists visitorsWP.3 - Junior scientists visitors (two young scientists/one month each yearly)

Task 3.1: Two young scientists from Euro-EcoGeoCentre will have one month training at IFREMER and Hamburg University for specialised analyses of samples collected during the first River Danube cruise and using new methodologies and analytical equipment (Year 1 – Month 9).

Task 3.2: Two young scientists will take part in the study of Black Sea and Danube Delta samples at the Institute of Environment and Sustainability of JRC in Ispra (Year 2 – Month 21).

Task 3.3: Two young scientists will participate for a one month period in processing and interpretation of the results of the three year research programme of the Euro-EcoGeoCentre at IFREMER (Year 3 – Month 33).


• WP.4 – Two Ph.D. thesis with double supervisionWP.4 – Two Ph.D. thesis with double supervision In the In the first two yearsfirst two years the PhD students will spend two the PhD students will spend two

months/year at the partner university. months/year at the partner university.

In the In the last third yearlast third year the PhD students will have two times the PhD students will have two times two months stays – one for finishing the thesis research two months stays – one for finishing the thesis research and the second for preparing the public presentation of and the second for preparing the public presentation of the thesisthe thesis


• WP.5 – Workshops WP.5 – Workshops ((Duration 3 days/workshop - 18 participants, of which 8 from abroad)Duration 3 days/workshop - 18 participants, of which 8 from abroad)

Task 5. 1.: Workshop 1 – "New ideas for an integrated observing and forecasting system in the Lower Danube River, Danube Delta and NW Black Sea“ (Year 1 – Month 7)

Task 5. 2.: Workshop 2 – " Present-day environmental problems of the Lower

Danube River, including Danube Delta" (Year 1 – M 12)

Task 5. 3.: Workshop 3 – "Environmental disequilibria in the NW Black Sea coastal system: causes, consequences, correctives" (Year 2 – M 21)

Task 5. 4.: Workshop 4 – "Changes in the structure and functioning of the open sea ecosystems" (Year 3 – M 33)


• WP.6 - Symposia, conferencesWP.6 - Symposia, conferences (35 participants, of which 15 from abroad)

Task 6. 1. Symposium 1: "Abnormal influxes into the European Seas,

particularly BAB Seas (Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas) – causes,

consequences, correctives" (Year 1, month 10 - 3 days)

Task 6. 2. Symposium 2: "Reciprocal connections between subsystems along

the contour interfaces in semi-enclosed European Seas – a review of the

diversity and variability of terrestrial - aquatic, atmosphere - sea and water

mass-seabed interactions” (Year 2, month 22 – 3 days)

Task 6. 3. Symposium 3: "Sequential/differential approach for the holistic

knowledge of the coastal zone – fundamentals of sustainable

management" (Year 3, month 34 – 3 days)


• WP. 7 – Establishing of dedicated web site for a WP. 7 – Establishing of dedicated web site for a virtual school and dissemination of the Centre's virtual school and dissemination of the Centre's results results

Electronic publishing of general and specific information about the project and about the Centre and its facilities;

Electronic publishing of information about the current progress and agenda of the project;

Electronic publishing of all written materials of courses and seminars;

Gathering and structuring in a database of all the scientific data acquired during the project; publishing this information on the project web site;

Publishing on the project web site of the suitable deliverables and the corresponding scientific papers.

Euro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaEuro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaPart II: Enhanced scientific cooperation by networkingPart II: Enhanced scientific cooperation by networking

• WP.8 – Co-ordination - Steering Committee meetingsWP.8 – Co-ordination - Steering Committee meetings Management of scientific, teaching and networking activities Management of scientific, teaching and networking activities

of European-EcoGeoCentre; of European-EcoGeoCentre; Management and control of the administration and financial Management and control of the administration and financial

state of the Centre;state of the Centre;Upgrading the development strategy of the Centre.Upgrading the development strategy of the Centre.Time schedule:

Year 1: Meeting 1 - month 1, 3 days; Meeting 2 - month 12, 3 days;

Year 2: Meeting 3 - month 21, 3 days;

Year 3: Meeting 4 - month 30, 3 days; Meeting 5 - month 36, 3 days.


• WP.9 – Participation in cruises on the Danube, in the WP.9 – Participation in cruises on the Danube, in the Danube delta and on the Black SeaDanube delta and on the Black Sea

Task 9.1 – The participation of high-level scientists from the co-Task 9.1 – The participation of high-level scientists from the co-operating West-European institutes in cruises on the River operating West-European institutes in cruises on the River Danube, within the Danube Delta and on the Black Sea as Danube, within the Danube Delta and on the Black Sea as co-chiefs of the cruisesco-chiefs of the cruises

Objectives:To enhance the co-operation among Romanian and West-European partners; To develop closer networking through direct participation of high-level

professionals from the West-European co-operating institutes in field research organised by the European EcoGeoCentre;

To facilitate the transfer of know-how from the western scientists to young Romanian researchers.


• WP.10 – Participation in laboratory workWP.10 – Participation in laboratory work Task 9.1 - The participation of high level scientists from the co-Task 9.1 - The participation of high level scientists from the co-

operating West-European institutes in laboratory work on operating West-European institutes in laboratory work on samples and records obtained within the cruises on the River samples and records obtained within the cruises on the River Danube, in the Danube Delta and on the Black Sea.Danube, in the Danube Delta and on the Black Sea.

Objectives:To enhance the co-operation among Romanian and West-European partners; To develop closer networking through the direct participation of high-level

professionals from the West-European co-operating institutes in laboratory work on collected samples and recorded profiles during the field works carried out through the Centre;

To facilitate the transfer of know-how from western scientists to young Romanian researchers.


• WP.11 - Participation in processing and interpretation of WP.11 - Participation in processing and interpretation of data; publication of results.data; publication of results.

Task 11.1 – The participation of high-level scientists from the co-operating Task 11.1 – The participation of high-level scientists from the co-operating West-European institutes in data processing and interpretation, West-European institutes in data processing and interpretation, structuring and validating a complex data-base and a project GIS, as structuring and validating a complex data-base and a project GIS, as well as predicting the evolution of the Danube-its delta-Black Sea system.well as predicting the evolution of the Danube-its delta-Black Sea system.

Objectives:To enhance the co-operation between Romanian and West-European partners;

To develop closer networking through the direct participation of high-level professionals from the West-European co-operating institutes in data processing and interpretation at Euro-EcoGeoCentre as well as at the other participating institutes;

To facilitate the transfer of know-how from western scientists to young Romanian researchers.

Euro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaEuro-EcoGeoCentre - RomaniaPart III: Part III: Long term co-operative research and monitoring Long term co-operative research and monitoring of the River Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea systemof the River Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea system

• WP.III/1 - Process studies (hydrology, sedimentology, WP.III/1 - Process studies (hydrology, sedimentology, biogeochemistry etc.), water and sediments quality, biogeochemistry etc.), water and sediments quality, structure and functioning of ecosystems within the structure and functioning of ecosystems within the Danube - its delta - Black Sea system Danube - its delta - Black Sea system

Not financed through the Centre of ExcellenceNot financed through the Centre of Excellence

Objectives:Scientific cruises on the River Danube, in the Danube Delta and on the Black

Sea for sampling water, sediments and biota, in-situ measurements of different physical-chemical parameters, bathymetric, hydrologic and geo-environmental studies (side-scan, acoustic and seismo-acoustic profiling, geomagnetics, etc.) ;

Laboratory analyses of samples collected during the cruises Processing and interpretation of the data obtained


• WP.III/2 - Global and sea level changes and their WP.III/2 - Global and sea level changes and their influence on the ecological state and socio-economic influence on the ecological state and socio-economic development of the region; anthropogenic changes development of the region; anthropogenic changes and their role in the ecosystems functioningand their role in the ecosystems functioning


Objectives:Task A: Geophysical, geological and biological studies of

continental, shallow and deep-water depocenters for evidencing global changes in sedimentary records.

Task B: Identification and quantification of the main categories of physical-chemical and biological disturbances of the regional aquatic ecosystems, as a consequence of anthropogenic socio-economic activities.


• WP.III/3 – Data-base, GIS and predicting the WP.III/3 – Data-base, GIS and predicting the trends of environmental evolution of the trends of environmental evolution of the region; studies on the sustainable management region; studies on the sustainable management of the mineral and living resourcesof the mineral and living resources


Objectives:Objectives:Task A - To create a complex database for the River Danube - Danube

Delta - Black Sea system. Task B - To establish a project GIS which will be able to generate

thematic maps as needed and will be updated throughout the project.

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