Developing an empirical understanding of knowledge exchange: experience gained from the TICAS project
by Jialin Zhang and Tim Jennerjahn
ZMT | ZMT
To manage the complexity and uncertainty of global environmental problems, it is important to integrate the scientific knowledge into decision-making and practical processes, which requires knowledge exchange between scientists and end users of research. However, this exchange remains a significant challenge.
This talk will review experience gained from the TICAS project (Tackling environmental change Issues of China’s coastal Aquatic Systems: networking, capacity building and knowledge exchange), which is a trans-disciplinary project aimed at producing and disseminating knowledge that contributes to solving environmental issues of Chinese coastal ecosystems, with a focus on knowledge exchange between scientists and non-scientific stakeholders. This talk will 1) summarize the challenges and barriers experienced throughout the TICAS project, including cultural differences among the groups, as well as a lack of clear guidance, 2) highlight the key features that are needed when conducting a knowledge exchange project, such as involving a third party (e.g. knowledge broker), understanding the complexity of potential impacts, and implementing two-way and participatory communication.
In doing so, we hope it can provide empirically-derived experience to help guide future research /implementation projects in this field and improve the sustainable management of coastal resources.
The vertical particle transport in the northern and southern Benguela Upwelling System: A drifter study.
by Luisa C. Meiritz, Niko Lahajnar, Claire Siddiqui and Tim Rixen
Institute of Geology, UniversitätHamburg, Hamburg, 20146, Germany. | Institute of Geology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, 20146,Germany. | ZMT | ZMT
The Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) is the most productive eastern-boundary upwelling system in the world’s ocean. With an estimated mean annual productivity of 0.37 Gt C yr-1, large amounts of inorganic carbon are transformed into organic carbon and exported through the so-called biological carbon pump. Recent studies have revealed, however, that the northern BUS (nBUS) acts as a source for CO2, whereas the southern BUS (sBUS) is considered as a sink for CO2. Yet, little is known about the functionality of the biological carbon pump in the BUS, especially about the relevance of actively migrating organisms in comparison to the passively sinking organic matter (marine snow). Within the research project TRAFFIC (Trophic TRAnsfer eFFICiency in the Benguela Current), we deployed four free-floating sediment trap in order to collect samples for investigating the transfer efficiency of carbon and associated elements in the food web of the BUS. Our first results indicate slightly higher C/N/P-ratios in the nBUS in comparison to those in the sBUS. This suggests a more efficient use of nutrients in the sBUS due to the occurrence of key-species, which differ between the nBUS and sBUS. Furthermore, our results enable us to assess and to quantify the active and passive transport of carbon in the BUS, which provides some new insights into the functioning of the biological carbon pump in response to changing concentrations of dissolved oxygen in source water masses.
Virtual Academy for Marine & Coastal Sustainability – connecting partners around the globe for a joint initiative?
by Janine Reinhard
ZMT Academy
The currently ongoing “digital turn” can create great opportunities for a global education of early career scientists as important multipliers and future decision makers. In the presentation I would like to develop ideas and visions on How can we as ZMT together with our partners establish transnational capacity development using digital tools?
The basic idea is to build a virtual academy together with partner institutes from tropical countries. Each institute brings its expertise, lectures and a target group. The curriculum and course offerings are designed together in a board and early career scientists from all institutes can join. With digital instruments a curriculum is established that leads to skill development and networking. Yearly “live” sessions could be added to foster the socializing part of the program. This model would go beyond the classical graduate school that connects people working at a specific university but connect people around the globe bound to various institutions but somehow dealing the very similar research questions.
With this presentation I would like to present the vision, get feedback and ideas from the ZMT community and find collaborators who would be willing to engage in such a virtual academy in case we can gain funding.
Digital ZMT: vision and roadmap for data and digital collaboration at ZMT and beyond
by Arjun Chennu, Miroslav Shaltev and Joscha T Schmiedt
ZMT | ZMT | ZMT
The Digital ZMT (DigiZ) strategic expansion seeks to develop and improve the digital landscape of ZMT’s research activities, and enable collaborative analysis and prediction of complex socio-ecological systems in tropical coastal regions. DigiZ will comprise a variety of efforts in infrastructure and capacity development, with the aim to deliver FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, re-usable) data and scientific results to academic and non-academic users – both at ZMT and beyond.
The path towards DigiZ touches up on many operational and strategic aspects of the institute. In this session, we seek to provide an overview of the DigiZ efforts and present a roadmap on planned developments. One current effort is the establishment of a DataLab, which is being designed as a digital working place with built-in tooling for agile digital collaboration. The design of the DataLab aims for a user experience that welcomes all levels of computational expertise, by supporting different kinds of workflows for both scientific and infrastructural ZMT groups. The DataLab will be useful to extend collaboration potential within, and also beyond, ZMT through finding solutions for shared scientific projects, digital learning and internships, and streamlined data flows. The latter will be an important target of the next phase, which foresees the development of a scalable data facility that will help organize and track data from sample collection to archival storage and publication – and therefore make ZMT’s research data and processes FAIR and possible to easily integrate with national infrastructures. The DataLab and other DigiZ projects will follow an “open development” model, with the decisions and discussions open to all. We present details on how to get involved, and welcome follow up discussions on any relevant issues. A Digital ZMT holds the promise for pervasive collaboration, and welcomes input that helps make it for everybody.
Poster
Effects of temperature and oxygen availability on blood parameters of Hallobatrachus dactylopterus
by Juan Molina
ZMT
Temperature and oxygen are two of the most dynamic and influential physical drivers for marine animals. Unsurprisingly, climate change exerts most of its deleterious effects on the biota by changing these two drivers. We simulated climate change scenarios, to see what were the effects of high temperature, hypoxia and a combination of both on the blood parameters of Hallobatrachus dactylopterus, as well as a condition index. The two environmental drivers studied showed effects on some of the blood parameters of this species over the course of 30 days of exposure. The most affected parameter was the hematocrit, which increased significantly in hypoxic conditions. Hemoglobin concentration was unaffected by our treatments. Red blood cell counts were higher in high temperature, but oxygen levels showed no effects on this parameter. Blood pH was significantly lower in the high temperature normoxic scenario in comparison to all other treatments. These changes seem to have negatively impacted the condition of the fish, as individuals on the high temperature conditions exhibited much lower condition index values.
DatAlumni – Scientific Data Cooperation with our Alumni Network
by Janna Just, Janine Reinhard and Matthias Wolff
Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research | LeibnizCentre for Tropical Marine Research | Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research
The livelihoods of many millions of people are currently threatened by overexploitation of natural resources, climate change and environmental pollution. In particular, the tropics face severe challenges because of natural environmental changes, such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise. Anthropogenic shaping of coastlines and vegetation makes coastal areas more vulnerable to flooding and land-loss. Moreover, the exploitation of biologic and minerogenic resources severely disturb the balance of ecosystems and biodiversity.
Most of the members of the ZMT Alumni Network are based in the tropical belt and are active in marine sciences or in the management, utilization, and protection of natural resources. Thus, they are involved in solving global challenges regarding environment, climate, and marine resources. To facilitate the development of management strategies, international cooperation and a comprehensive scientific data basis is required.
The DAAD funded project DatAlumni – Scientific Data Cooperation with our Alumni Network – aims to combine scientific efforts of ZMT Alumni to facilitate the understanding as well as maintaining and managing natural resources. DatAlumni conveys basics and background in research data management, so that research data are Findable Accessible Interoperable and Reproducible contributing to the global data basis. Digital training and information material provides analytical techniques for the Alumni, which they can further utilize for teaching at their home institutes. At networking events, such as workshops of the Alumni Circle on Data Cooperation and a big digital ZMT Alumni Conference in spring 2021, the participants identify needs and ideas for data management and explore collaborations for future data synthesis projects aiming at the understanding of natural (eco-) systems and the sustainable use of marine resources.