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The IMBeR Synthesis and Future Planning Conference

(Future Oceans 3) was successfully held, bringing together 306 participants from 129 affiliations  across 28 countries and regions, both in person in Shanghai, China, and online.

Time: 7-8 June 2025

Location: Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, Shanghai, China

To mark the 17th World Oceans Day, themed “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” the China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association and East China Normal University, in collaboration with numerous ocean-related universities, research institutes, international organizations, enterprises, social groups, and partners, will co-host a grand marine science popularization event.

More information here.

A Decade of IMBeR: Advocating at a Transition Point

Authors: F. Zuo, G. Hong, K. Qin, and S. Qian

Journal: Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin

IMBeR—Integrated Marine Biosphere Research—is a large global research project. It is dedicated to promoting, developing, and communicating the integrated and interdisciplinary marine scientific research required by society for securing or transitioning towards ocean sustainability under global change (Hofmann and The IMBeR Scientific Steering Committee 2016). IMBeR, internationally co-sponsored by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) of the International Science Council (ISC) and Future Earth (FE), is nearing the culmination of its decade-long journey from 2016 to 2025. At this pivotal transition, we invite all IMBeR participants and the broader community to appraise the decadal activities and collaboratively launch a new project to succeed IMBeR. A notable event at this point is the IMBeR Synthesis and Future Planning Conference (Future Oceans 3, FO3, 13–16 May 2025, Shanghai & online, https://imber.info/event/fo3) featuring Looking Inward, Looking Outward, and Looking Forward.



Click to read the full paper

Fig. 1: IMBeR science teams and international network. The Scientific Steering Committee is responsible for the overarching leadership and scientific direction of IMBeR. IMBeR Fellows serve as an additional advisory board. National Contacts are key links to scientists conducting IMBeR-relevant research, fostering collaborations, coordinating national research activities, and disseminating knowledge at nationally. The International Project Office provides day-to-day administrative support for IMBeR activities and facilitates communication and outreach. Figure credit: Kai Qin.

The Role of the Interdisciplinary Marine Early Career Network (IMECaN)

in Supporting Capacity Building, Ocean Literacy, and Collaborative Leadership of Early Career Researchers

Authors: J. Palacios-Abrantes, B. S. Dias, I. Gianelli, M. Strand, S. Li, G. A. Yeboah

Journal: Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin

The Interdisciplinary Marine Early Career Network (IMECaN) (https://imber.info/imecan-interdisciplinary-marine-early-career-network/, assessed March 2025) was established in 2016 as an initiative of early career researchers (ECRs) participating in the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR, https://imber.info/, assessed March 2025) summer school, ClimEco (Cvitanovic et al., 2024). At that time, a group of ECRs identified the need for a platform where they could both develop collaborations and exchange training and opportunities within the relatively new field of interdisciplinary marine science. With the endorsement of IMBeR's Scientific Steering Committee, IMECaN has since become a vital platform for fostering collaboration, professional development, and leadership opportunities for ECRs within and beyond IMBeR. Here, we share what IMECaN is, including its structure and operations. Additionally, we highlight key achievements of the network over the past eight years and present membership statistics. We finish by looking forward, and highlighting how we see IMECaN developing in the near future.



Click to read the full paper

Fig. 2: Distribution of IMECaN members. The number of members per country is on the circular graph. Red stars in blue map indicate the nationality of current Organizing Committee members. Currently, there are 1243 members, representing 101 countries.

We sincerely thank the Editors of Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin for inviting us to contribute two community news articles - one from the IMBeR IPO and another from IMECaN - and for providing free access to support wider sharing of our work.

This month's Editor Picks present nine intriguing studies across evolutionary biology, climate science, marine ecology, and ocean biogeochemistry. These works examine how flexible trait evolution can accelerate species diversification in fish, and how key feedbacks in ocean circulation help maintain the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation despite climate extremes. Several studies explore changes in aquatic environments and organisms, including the transformation of microplastic particles through animal digestion, and the contribution of macroalgal expansion to Arctic carbon cycling. Other featured research investigates early Earth chemistry through microdroplet-induced luminescence, redefines the phylogenetic origin of eukaryotes, and explores the influence of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on ocean productivity. A closer look at storm deposits in North Carolina reveals new approaches to interpreting coastal vulnerability, while biomarker tools track ecosystem shifts driven by environmental and anthropogenic forces.

Evolutionary lability of a key innovation spurs rapid diversification

Authors: N. Peoples, M. D. Burns, M. Mihalitsis, and P. C. Wainwright 

Journal: Nature

Rates of lineage diversification vary considerably across the tree of life, often as a result of evolutionary innovations. Although the ability to produce new traits can vary between clades and may drive ecological transitions, the impact of differences in the pace at which innovations evolve at macroevolutionary scales has been overlooked. Complex teeth are one innovation that contributed to the evolutionary success of major vertebrate lineages. Here we show that evolutionary lability of tooth complexity, but not complexity itself, spurs rapid diversification across ray-finned fishes. Speciation rates are five times higher when transitions between simple and complex teeth occur rapidly. We find that African cichlids are unique among all fishes; they are dominated by lineages that transition between simple and complex teeth at unparalleled rates. This innovation interacted with the ecological versatility of complex teeth to spur rapid adaptive radiations in lakes Malawi, Victoria and Barombi Mbo. The marked effect on diversification stems from the tight association of tooth complexity with microhabitat and diet. Our results show that phylogenetic variation in how innovations evolve can have a stronger effect on patterns of diversification than the innovation itself. Investigating the impact of innovations from this new perspective will probably implicate more traits in causing heterogeneous diversification rates across the tree of life.



Click to read the full paper

Fig. 3: The evolutionary dynamics of tooth complexity across ray-finned fishes.



Continued Atlantic overturning circulation even under climate extremes

Authors: J. A. Baker, M. J. Bell, L. C. Jackson, G. K. Vallis, A. J. Watson, and R. A. Wood

Journal: Nature

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), vital for northwards heat transport in the Atlantic Ocean, is projected to weaken owing to global warming1, with significant global climate impacts. However, the extent of AMOC weakening is uncertain with wide variation across climate models and some statistical indicators suggesting an imminent collapse. Here we show that the AMOC is resilient to extreme greenhouse gas and North Atlantic freshwater forcings across 34 climate models. Upwelling in the Southern Ocean, driven by persistent Southern Ocean winds, sustains a weakened AMOC in all cases, preventing its complete collapse. As Southern Ocean upwelling must be balanced by downwelling in the Atlantic or Pacific, the AMOC can only collapse if a compensating Pacific Meridional Overturning Circulation (PMOC) develops. Remarkably, a PMOC does emerge in almost all models, but it is too weak to balance all of the Southern Ocean upwelling, suggesting that an AMOC collapse is unlikely this century. Our findings reveal AMOC-stabilizing mechanisms with implications for past and future AMOC changes, and hence for ecosystems and ocean biogeochemistry. They suggest that better understanding and estimates of the Southern Ocean and Indo-Pacific circulations are urgently needed to accurately predict future AMOC change.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 4: Schematic and analysis method for AMOC upwelling pathways.

Tracing Macroalgal-Induced Changes in Carbon Dynamics of

High-Arctic Fjords Using Biomarker Fingerprinting

Authors: B. Roy, A. Singh, and M. Tiwari

Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans

Due to rising seawater temperatures and reduced sea ice extent, the coastal Arctic region is witnessing an expansion of macroalgal forests. However, changes in carbon dynamics resulting from such extensive macroalgal growth are still unknown in the high-Arctic fjords. To trace the macroalgal signatures in Arctic fjords, bulk C-isotopic and compound-specific n-alkane distributions were studied in dominant macroalgae (brown, red, and green) (n = 20) and also surface sediments (n = 13) from the inner to outer regions of Kongsfjorden (Svalbard). The macroalgal species shows variable C-isotopic signature (−17.0‰ to −28.9‰) but similar distribution of long-chain n-alkanes (>n-C₂₃) with no predominance in carbon homologs, supporting environmental induced n-alkyl lipid production compared to the bulk biomass. Despite similar grain size and mineral composition of the fjord sediments, differences in C-isotopic composition and n-alkanes distribution indicate contribution of organic matter from different sources. In the inner and middle fjord region, the C-isotopic distribution (−23.3 ± 1.1‰ to −23.4 ± 1.3‰) and short-to long-chain n-alkanes signatures highlight possible mixing of contribution from phytoplankton, macroalgal-debris, and terrestrial sources. While, in the outer fjord, significantly lower δ¹³C values (−25.6 ± 0.9‰) and n-alkane distribution similar to macroalgal communities suggest lipid accumulation possibly sourced from the reworking of macroalgal-debris. High sedimentation and microbial breakdown of macroalgal debris create a low-oxygen environment, as evidenced by higher cyclic octasulphur compounds in the inner and middle fjord region. Under future warming conditions, such oxygen-starved regions in Arctic fjords may become more common as macroalgal forests expand and sediment influx increases.

Click to read the full paper

Deep origin of eukaryotes outside Heimdallarchaeia

within Asgardarchaeota

Authors: J. Zhang, X. Feng, M. Li, Y. Liu, M. Liu, L. Hou, and H. Dong

Journal: Nature

Research on the morphology, physiology and genomics of Asgard archaea has provided valuable insights into the evolutionary history of eukaryotes^1,2,3. A previous study suggested that eukaryotes are nested within Heimdallarchaeia⁴, but their exact phylogenetic placement within Asgard archaea remains controversial^4,5. This debate complicates understanding of the metabolic features and timescales of early eukaryotic ancestors. Here we generated 223 metagenome-assembled nearly complete genomes of Asgard archaea that have not previously been documented. We identify 16 new lineages at the genus level or higher, which substantially expands the known phylogenetic diversity of Asgard archaea. Through sophisticated phylogenomic analysis of this expanded genomic dataset involving several marker sets we infer that eukaryotes evolved before the diversification of all sampled Heimdallarchaeia, rather than branching with Hodarchaeales within the Heimdallarchaeia. This difference in the placement of eukaryotes is probably caused by the previously underappreciated chimeric nature of Njordarchaeales genomes, which we find are composed of sequences of both Asgard and TACK archaea (Asgard’s sister phylum). Using ancestral reconstruction and molecular dating, we infer that the last Asgard archaea and eukaryote common ancestor emerged before the Great Oxidation Event and was probably an anaerobic H₂-dependent acetogen. Our findings support the hydrogen hypothesis of eukaryogenesis, which posits that eukaryotes arose from the fusion of a H₂-consuming archaeal host and a H₂-producing protomitochondrion.

Click to read the full paper



Fig. 6: Phylogenomic analyses of several sets of concatenated marker proteins, showing the placement of eukaryotes relative to genomically sampled Asgard archaea.

Contemporary decline in northern Indian Ocean primary production offset by rising atmospheric nitrogen deposition

Authors: M. Malsang, L. Resplandy, L. Bopp, Y. Zhao, S. Ditkovsky, F. Yang, F. Paulot, and M. Lévy

Journal: Frontiers in Marine Science

Since 1980, atmospheric pollutants in South Asia and India have dramatically increased in response to industrialization and agricultural development, enhancing the atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic nitrogen in the northern Indian Ocean and potentially promoting primary productivity. Concurrently, ocean warming has increased stratification and limited the supply of nutrients supporting primary productivity. Here, we examine the biogeochemical consequences of increasing anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen deposition and contrast them with the counteracting effect of warming, using a regional ocean biogeochemical model of the northern Indian Ocean forced with atmospheric nitrogen deposition derived from an Earth System Model. Our results suggest that the 60% recent increase in anthropogenic nitrogen deposition over the northern Indian Ocean provided external reactive nitrogen that only weakly enhanced primary production (+10 mg C.m^–2.d^–1.yr^–1 in regions of intense deposition) and secondary production (+4 mg C.m^–2.d^–1.yr^–1). However, we find that locally this enhancement can significantly offset the declining trend in primary production over the last four decades in the central Arabian Sea and western Bay of Bengal, whose magnitude are up to -20 and -10 mg C.m^–2.d^–1.yr^–1 respectively.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 7: Increased nitrogen deposition in the northern Indian Ocean from 1980 to 2020. (A) Monthly time series of nitrogen deposition averaged over the northern Indian Ocean (mmolN.m⁻².d⁻¹) and its 15-year running average (thick black line). (B) Mean nitrogen deposition averaged from 1980 to 2020 over the northern Indian Ocean (mmolN.m⁻².d⁻¹) simulated by the GFDL ESM4.1 model.

Interdisciplinary Applications for Identifying and Quantifying Modern Storm Washover Deposits on Pea Island, North Carolina, USA

Authors: S. L. Gremillion, D. J. Wallace, and E. R. Eisemann

Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans

Hurricanes and nor'easters annually threaten or impact the North Carolina (NC) Outer Banks, generating significant destruction to infrastructure, habitat, and life, while costing taxpayers thousands to billions of dollars. The geologic record (i.e., washover deposits) of these storms can be used to better understand past frequency and magnitudes, and aid in resource cost estimations for post-storm recoveries and clean-ups. Therefore, understanding washover rates and their influences on barrier island evolution is of critical importance. To identify and map recent storm washover deposition on Pea Island (PI), NC, for the period of 2003–2019, meteorological records, aerial photographs, lidar digital elevation models, ground penetrating radar (GPR) data, and sediment from trenches and cores were collected and analyzed. Hurricanes Isabel (2003), Irene (2011), and Sandy (2012), and three nor'easters (2006, 2009, and 2018) impacted PI during the study period, yielding washover deposits to the backbarrier. To quantify the storms' washover sedimentology and annual sand deposition rates, radiocarbon ages, washover thicknesses, and volumes were utilized on three distinct PI washover fans. These six storms yielded ∼9 × 10⁴ m³ of total washover in the study areas combined, with Isabel contributing 38.4%, Sandy contributing 35.8%, and the remaining storms contributing 25.8%. The washover deposition rate was at least ∼5.6 × 10³ m³/yr for the study period, an increase of 40% over the previous period of 1996–1999 at two comparative sites. This research highlights PI's vulnerability to repeated future storm impacts and provides stakeholders with quantifiable data with which to allocate future post-storm resources.

Click to read the full paper



Modeling coastal land use scenario impacts on ecosystem services restoration in Southwest Ghana, West Africa

Authors: S. Kankam, H. Koo, J. N. Inkoom, and C. Fürst

Source: npj ocean sustainability

Urbanization significantly degrades coastal habitats in West Africa, necessitating habitat restoration. However, application of land use scenarios to investigate coastal habitat restoration outcomes in West Africa is still lacking in the scientific literature. We developed four land use scenarios for Southwest Ghana—Urbanization Scenario (UBS), Urban Greening Scenario (UGS), Plantation Agriculture Scenario (PLAS), and Landscape Restoration Scenario (LRS). The impacts of these scenarios on land use patterns and ecosystem services (ES), namely, food, fuelwood, carbon sequestration, and recreation benefit were assessed and visualized by integrating benefits transfer data and experts’ knowledge in a spatially explicit modeling platform. UBS decreased all ES supplies, while LRS showed negative synergies between food and carbon sequestration, turning positive with increased restoration. LRS also led to mixed swamp forests’ expansion, unchanged palm swamp forests, and declining mangrove swamps. The study recommends planning regulations to protect and restore swamp forests to safeguard these critical habitats from urbanization impacts.



Click to read the full paper



Fig. 8: Methodological framework for modeling the impacts of coastal land use scenarios on ecosystem. services (ES) supply in Southwest Ghana.

Events, Webinars and Conferences

Information shared by our contacts:

• Summer courses - Marine ecosystems, 30 June - 4 July 2025, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.

• The 3rd International Conference on Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems - BECoME 2025, 19-23 August 2025, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Registration for the conference & Workshop will commence at the end of May.

• Pan-CLIVAR Meeting 2025 & CLIVAR Symposium: Bridging Science and Society in Southeast Asia and Beyond, 22-26 September 2025, Bali, Indonesia. Registration by 15 June 2025, 23h59 CEST.

• International Workshop on Mid-latitude Atmosphere-Ocean-Ecosystem Interactions: Processes, Predictability, and Habitability, 16-18 July 2025, Japan.

• 13th WIOMSA Symposium, 28 September - 3 October 2025, Mombasa, Kenya.

• Southern Ocean Bio-optics Workshop, 10-14 November 2025, Hobart, Australia. Registration is now open.

• One Ocean Science Congress 2025, 4-6 June 2025, Nice, France.

• Third United Nations Ocean Conference Nice 2025, 9 - 13 June 2025, Nice, France.

• SIIECS Seminar Series, 10 June 2025, Online. A seminar to practise oral presentations and get feedback - ideal for preparing conference talks or thesis defenses.

• OCEANS 2025 Brest, 16 - 19 June 2025, Le Quartz - Brest, France. 

• 16th International Symposium on the Interactions between Sediment and Water, 30 June - 4 July 2025, Le Touquet, France.

• 14th International Temperate Reefs Symposium 2025, 1-4 July 2025, Brest, France. Registration by 1 June 2025.

• The 58th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS), 6-9 July 2025, Bodø, Norway.

• Marine Protected Areas in Marine Spatial Planning Conference, 9-12 July 2025, Bodø, Norway.

• Busan IAMAS-IACS-IAPSO Joint Assembly 2025, 20-25 July 2025, Busan, Republic of Korea.

• 27th Conference on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, 18-22 August 2025, San Diego, CA and Online.

• ICES Annual Science Conference 2025, 15-18 September 2025, Klaipeda, Lithuania.

• Polar Data Forum VI, 20 - 24 October 2025, Tasmania, Australia. The abstract submission deadline is midnight 30 May 2025.

• CRIMAC International School - SymbioMar 2025, 4 - 7 November 2025, Amendolara, Italy. Early bird register by 15 June 2025.

• Ocean Science Meeting, 22 - 27 February 2026, Glasgow, Scotland. The deadline to submit a session or town hall proposal is 28 May 2025, 23:59 EDT/03:59 UTC.

• 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, 17 - 20 November 2026, Bruges, Belgium.

Jobs and Opportunities

Information shared by our contacts:

• Associate or Senior Editor (environmental carbon cycle), Nature Communications. Apply by 8 June 2025. Candidates will be considered as they apply.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Climate Change Impacts on Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecosystems & Fisheries, Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada.
• Position will remain open until filled.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Transforming Climate Action - Uncertain Seas, Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada. Open until filled. 

• Anthropocene Coasts Recruiting Position: Associate Editors
• Applications will continue until the position is filled.
• Anthropocene Coasts is a Golden Open Access journal hosted by East China Normal University, and published by Springer. The journal publishes multidisciplinary research addressing the interaction of human activities with our estuaries and coasts. To help build on the success of Anthropocene Coasts and to expand the opportunities for international collaboration and contributions to the work of the journal, the journal is seeking more international Associate Editors.

• Call for Decade Actions No. 09/2025.
• Part I - 15 June 2025: Submission of Expression of Interest for Decade Programmes.
• Part II - 31 August 2025: Submission of applications for Decade Projects.
• Part III - 31 August 2025: Submission of applications for Ocean Decade Contributions.
• Read the full call here.

• SCAR Visiting Scholar Scheme 2025
• Apply by 31 August 2025
• The scheme was inaugurated in 2013 and it is directed at any scientists and academics (more than five years after completing their PhD) whose work contributes to the research objectives of SCAR, offering the opportunity for them to undertake a short-term visit to another SCAR member country to provide or receive training and mentoring. Learn more here.

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) 2025
• Apply by 10 September 2025
• If you are a PhD researcher in environmental and marine sciences looking to advance your research career, the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, invites you to apply for the MSCA-PF. Learn more here.

• Open Consultation on Biology and Ecosystems Essential Ocean Variables.
• Submit your feedback by 10 August 2025.

Capturing IMBeR: Share Your Photos and Memories

We invite all IMBeR participants - past and present - to contribute photos that capture the spirit of IMBeR’s activities over the years. Whether from fieldwork, meetings, workshops, summer schools, or community engagement events, your photos will help illustrate IMBeR’s impact and legacy.

Please send high-resolution images, along with a brief description and credit information, to imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

More jobs and opportunities for ECRs, please sign up for IMECaN newsletter

If you would like to put some recruitment information in the IMBeR monthly newsletter, please contact us through imber@ecnu.edu.cn.

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