FP6 IP HERMES Coordinated by Phil Weaver, National Oceanography - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

EC Contract No. GOCE-CT-2005-511234 FP6 IP HERMES Coordinated by Phil Weaver, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

HERMES is an international, multidisciplinary research HERMES is an international, multidisciplinary research programme investigating Europe's deep marine ecosystems investigating Europe's deep marine ecosystems programme and their environment and their environment • Funded under the EC’s Global Change and Ecosystems FP6 programme • Total project budget approx. €60M; EC contribution €15.5M. • Project duration 4 years (April 2005 - March 2009) • 41 academic partners plus 9 business partners from 18 countries. • HERMES is led by the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK.

Why study deep- -sea ecosystems? sea ecosystems? Why study deep • Europe’s ocean margins cover 3 million km2 - a third of the landmass! • The margins are host to a spectacular variety of unique habitats and ecosystems, many only recently discovered. • Marine organisms may contain economically important proteins and molecules. • The EU is developing a European Maritime Policy, but it is difficult to legislate for an environment that is largely unknown. • Sustainable exploitation of maritime resources cannot be achieved unless the potentially vulnerable ecosystems are understood. • This applies equally to the consequences of climate change on marine ecosystems.

Cold- -water coral ecosystems water coral ecosystems Cold Economic activity in vulnerable Economic activity in vulnerable ecosystems can have severe ecosystems can have severe consequences consequences

Integrated Ecosystem Management Roadmap Integrated Ecosystem Management Roadmap • Physical character of margin processes • Catalogue of margin processes HERMES • Economic potential of ocean resources • Socio-economic studies of multiple ocean uses and their interactions • Preparation of margin inventory atlases, GIS • Establishment of a monitoring and evaluation programme Marine Strategy • Policy options for governance of IOM Maritime Policy • Enactment of new ocean law • Formal government adoption of policies , goals, measures • IOM implementation (incl. staffing and organisational changes)

European Marine Ecoregions Ecoregions European Marine

Study areas Study areas Science areas: • Open slopes (includes landslides- red) • Cold-water corals (pink dots) • Cold seeps (yellow shaded) • Anoxic microbial (Black Sea) • Canyons (off Ireland, Portugal, S.France, Italy, Greece) HERMES GIS: Denoted by yellow boxes

Infrastructure & equipment Infrastructure & equipment Submersible: JAGO ROV: Isis AUV: Aster X In-situ cameras In-situ experiments Landers HERMES uses the latest in cutting-edge marine technology…

Infrastructure & equipment Infrastructure & equipment RRS James Cook RV Meteor RV Prof. Logachev RV Urania RV Pourquoi Pas? RV Polarstern RV L’Atalante RRS Discovery RV Belgica RRS Charles Darwin RV Pelagia RV Lophelia …aboard a range of European research vessels

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science

HERMES science HERMES science Not always plain sailing …….. !!

HERMES Publications HERMES Publications

Integration of Natural and Social Sciences Integration of Natural and Social Sciences Goods & Users Slightly modified from Burbridge, Univ. Newcastle upon Tyne (ESF, 2002) services Functions Margin Environmental Ecosystems processes Hydrology HOTSPOTS HOTSPOTS Particulate transport Nutrient Flux Energy Geo-habitat GIS GIS description and classification NATURAL SCIENCES SOCIAL SCIENCES ….. to provide policy/management options

Training the next generation of marine scientists TTR cruises and other ship-based schemes are invaluable for young scientists to gain experience at sea HERMES also provides dedicated workshops for graduate students on all aspects of HERMES science

Outreach & education Outreach & education HERMES is also developing novel ways to communicate our research to the public, for example through collaboration with art students at the Zurich College of Art and Design