scar ukncar
TRANSCRIPT
Update on SCAR Activities…
Mike Sparrow
UK National Committee for Antarctic Research
SCAR’s Mission for 50+ Years…
Science Leadership -initiate, develop and coordinate
high quality international
scientific research in the Antarctic
and Southern Ocean region
Scientific Advice - provide
objective and independent
scientific advice to the Antarctic
Treaty System and other bodies,
such as the IPCC
State of the Antarctic Ecosystem
(AntEco)
‘Biological diversity is the sum of all those
organisms that determine how ecosystems
function, and underpins the life-support
system of our planet’
• Focuses on past and present patterns of
biodiversity
• Will provide the scientific knowledge on
biodiversity, including genetic diversity,
species diversity and ecosystem diversity
which,
• Coupled with increased knowledge of species
biology, can be used for the conservation and
management of Antarctic ecosystems. Aleks Terauds <[email protected]>
Major gaps
in our
understanding
of biodiversity
ANTOS DRAFT Objectives
• Coordinate and expand strategic observations
of Antarctic and subantarctic near-shore and
terrestrial ecosystems to identify, track and
attribute environmental change.
• Stimulate the development of new observation
technologies.
• Provide opportunity for alignment of national and
international programs and projects.
• Provide an observational platform for SCAR Life
Sciences programs
* morning and afternoon tea provided, lunch to be purchased by particpants from local cafes
Antarctic Near-Shore and Terrestrial
Observing System (ANTOS)
Workshop
Friday 22nd August 2014
VENUE: The College of Law
3 City Road,
Auckland,
10 am - 4 pm*
ALL WELCOME
RSVP June 2nd 2014
Workshop Aim:
To develop an implementation framework for ANTOS
Workshop targets
• Initiate ANTOS planning
• Open discussion on concept
• Confirm objectives
• Identify current & potential locations for long term
observations and predictions of change
• Call for chief officers of ANTOS
• Develop linkages for AntECO and ANTERA
• Develop submission for expert group status to LSSG
• Initiate Wiki pages
Surveillance of the impact of change on Antarctic life
Examines biological PROCESSES,
defines their TOLERANCE limits and
determines RESISTANCE and RESILIENCE to change.
Antarctic Thresholds –
Ecosystem Resilience and
Adaptation (AnT-ERA)
Julian Gutt <[email protected]>
Themes:
1. Physiology & biomolecular
performance
2. Population processes & species
traits
3. Ecosystem functioning & services
Antarctic Climate Change in the
21st Century (AntClim21)
“Predictions of the future role and response
of Antarctica to global change”
Themes:
1. Quantification of Antarctic climate variability
2. Climate model verification for the Antarctic
region
3. Antarctic climate prediction to 2100
4. The impact of physical changes on the
Antarctic environment and the biosphere.
Nancy Bertler <[email protected]>
• Coordinates research across
SCAR on past and potential
future climate change over the
Antarctic continent and in the
Southern Ocean
• Annual Updates produced
Antarctic Climate Change and the
Environment (ACCE)
John Turner <[email protected]>
Ocean Acidification
Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics
(PAIS)
PAIS aims to improve our understanding of ice sheet
dynamics during past warm world conditions by:
• Targeting the study of vulnerable areas around the continent;
• Linking ice-proximal records with coastal and offshore record;
• Integrating data into the latest generation of coupled GIA-Ice
Sheet-Climate models.
Carlota Escutia <[email protected]>
Solid Earth Response and
influences on Cryosphere Evolution
(SERCE)
SERCE aims to advance understanding of the
interactions between the solid earth and the
cryosphere, to better constrain ice mass balance
and sea level change in a warming world
• Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and ice mass
change
• The influence of solid earth parameters (e.g. heat
flow, substrate) on ice sheet dynamics
• Builds on the IPY Polar Earth Observing Network
(POLENET) geophysical sensor deployment with
modeling studies
Terry Wilson <[email protected]>
Astronomy & Astrophysics
from Antarctica (AAA)
Mission: To coordinate astronomical
activities in Antarctica in a way that
ensures the best possible outcomes from
international investment in Antarctic
astronomy, and maximizes the
opportunities for productive interaction
with other disciplines.
John Storey
Data, Information and Products
Proper management and sharing of data andinformation is not an “add-on” or an additional task; itis a fundamental aspect of modern science.
SCAR Products
Antarctic Digital Database, Antarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project,
Biodiversity.aq, Antarctic Map Catalogue, Antarctic Master Directory,
Antarctic Bedrock Mapping, BEDMAP 2, Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica,
Continuous Plankton Recorder Database, International Bathymetric Chart of
the Southern Ocean, Reference Antarctic Data for Environmental Research
(Met, Ice and Ocean)…
• SCAR provides independent scientific advice to policy makers
e.g. the Antarctic Treaty and the UNFCCC
• Advice to the Treaty is through its Standing Committee on the
Antarctic Treaty System
• Provides papers (WPs and IPs) on subjects such as climate
change, non-native species, persistent organic pollutants, marine
noise…
• Also provides a SCAR Science Lecture
Scientific Advice to Policy Makers
• SCAR, with partners such as COMNAP and IUCN, is developing
a strategy entitled ‘Antarctic Conservation for the 21st Century’
(ACS)
• The ACS links closely with the Environments Portal being
developed by New Zealand, SCAR, Australia and others.
Scientific Advice to Policy Makers
Jana Newman <[email protected]>
• Develop scientific capacity in its Members, emerging National
Antarctic programmes, as well as students and early career
scientists
• Promote and facilitate the incorporation of Antarctic science in
education at all levels and communicate scientific information
about the Antarctic region to the public.
Capacity Building, Education And
Training
SCAR/COMNAP Fellowships
SCAR Visiting Professor
Scheme
Martha T Muse Prize
The 1st SCAR Antarctic and Southern Ocean Science
Horizon Scan assembled some of the world's leading
Antarctic scientists, policy makers, leaders, and
visionaries to identify the most important scientific
questions that will or should be addressed by
research in and from Antarctica and the Southern
Ocean over the next two decades.
Scanning the Horizon…
An Enthusiastic Community Effort!
Queenstown, NZ 20-23 April 2014
80 attendees from 24 Countries
Publications
COMMENT
July 2014 Issue
Opinion/Editorial Piece
Antarctic Science
August 2014 Issue
“Meeting Report”
Process and Outcomes
Targeted topical/theme publications in specialized journals
The SCAR Open Science, Business and Delegates’
Meetings
The SCAR Delegates’ Meetings: Some Issues
• New Associate Members: Czech Republic and Iran
(interest from Turkey, Colombia, Kazakhstan [2016?] plus
Saudi Arabia, Austria and Thailand)
• Elections for two new Vice Presidents
• External Review of AAA
• A possible review of the structure of SCAR?
• Next SCAR Strategic Plan 2017-2022
• Budgets and other finance (-2016)
• …
The Southern Ocean Observing
System
Based around 6 science
questions:
• Role of Southern Ocean in global
freshwater balance
• Stability of Southern Ocean
overturning
• Stability of Antarctic ice sheet and future contribution to sea-level rise
• Future of Southern Ocean carbon uptake
• Future of Antarctic sea ice
• Impacts of global change on Antarctic ecosystems