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Scientific Steering Committee Meeting Held in November 2024

The Forum on the Progress Analysis of China-Europe Ocean Science & Technology was held in Shanghai, China, on 18-19 November 2024. Full details from the forum are now available.

International Conference on Dialogue between Land and Sea: Challenges and Solutions was held on 21-22 November 2024. View the news and the recap video.

Enhanced ocean CO₂ uptake due to near-surface temperature gradients

Authors: Daniel J. Ford, Jamie D. Shutler, Javier Blanco-Sacristán, Sophie Corrigan, Thomas G. Bell, Mingxi Yang, Vassilis Kitidis, Philip D. Nightingale, Ian Brown, Werenfrid Wimmer, David K. Woolf, Tânia Casal, Craig Donlon, Gavin H. Tilstone, and Ian Ashton

Journal: Nature Geoscience

The ocean annually absorbs about a quarter of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Global estimates of air–sea CO₂ fluxes are typically based on bulk measurements of CO₂ in air and seawater and neglect the effects of vertical temperature gradients near the ocean surface. Theoretical and laboratory observations indicate that these gradients alter air–sea CO₂ fluxes, because the air–sea CO₂ concentration difference is highly temperature sensitive. However, in situ field evidence supporting their effect is so far lacking. Here we present independent direct air–sea CO₂ fluxes alongside indirect bulk fluxes collected along repeat transects in the Atlantic Ocean (50° N to 50° S) in 2018 and 2019. We find that accounting for vertical temperature gradients reduces the difference between direct and indirect fluxes from 0.19 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ to 0.08 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ (N = 148). This implies an increase in the Atlantic CO₂ sink of ~0.03 PgC yr⁻¹ (~7% of the Atlantic Ocean sink). These field results validate theoretical, modelling and observational-based efforts, all of which predicted that accounting for near-surface temperature gradients would increase estimates of global ocean CO₂ uptake. Accounting for this increased ocean uptake will probably require some revision to how global carbon budgets are quantified.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 1: Schematic indicating the modulation of air–sea CO₂ fluxes by vertical temperature gradients.

IMBeR Endorsed Projects Updates from May 2023 to August 2024

AIGD-PFT: the first AI-driven global daily gap-free 4 km

phytoplankton functional type data product from 1998 to 2023

Authors: Yuan Zhang, Fang Shen, Renhu Li, Mengyu Li, Zhaoxin Li, Songyu Chen, and Xuerong Sun

Journal: Earth System Science Data

Long time series of spatiotemporally continuous phytoplankton functional type (PFT) data are essential for understanding marine ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles as well as for effective marine management. In this study, we integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology with multisource marine big data to develop a spatial–temporal–ecological ensemble model based on deep learning (STEE-DL). This model generated the first AI-driven global daily gap-free 4 km PFT chlorophyll a concentration product from 1998 to 2023 (AIGD-PFT). The AIGD-PFT significantly enhances the accuracy and spatiotemporal coverage of quantifying eight major PFTs: diatoms, dinoflagellates, haptophytes, pelagophytes, cryptophytes, green algae, prokaryotes, and Prochlorococcus. The model input encompasses (1) physical oceanographic, biogeochemical, and spatiotemporal information and (2) ocean colour data (OC-CCI v6.0) that have been gap-filled using a discrete cosine transform–penalized least squares (DCT-PLS) approach. The STEE-DL model utilizes an ensemble strategy with 100 residual neural network (ResNet) models, applying Monte Carlo and bootstrapping methods to estimate the optimal PFT chlorophyll a concentration and assess the model uncertainty through ensemble means and standard deviations. The model's performance was validated using multiple cross-validation strategies – random, spatial-block, and temporal-block methods – combined with in situ data, demonstrating STEE-DL's robustness and generalization capability. The daily updates and seamless nature of the AIGD-PFT data product capture the complex dynamics of coastal regions effectively. Finally, through a comparative analysis using a triple-collocation analysis (TCA) approach, the competitive advantages of the AIGD-PFT data product over existing products were validated. The complete product dataset (1998–2023) can be freely downloaded from https://doi.org/10.11888/RemoteSen.tpdc.301164 (Zhang and Shen, 2024a).

Click to read the full paper

Fig.2: Schematic flow of the methodological approach in this study.

The IMBeR Ocean Color-based Plant species identification and Carbon flux in the Indo-Pacific oceans (OCPC) Study Group has launched a special issue in the Journal of Sea Research titled "Changes in the Marine Biosphere of the Northwest Pacific and the Central Indo-Pacific Observed via Earth Observation Data." This special issue focuses on how the central Indo-Pacific influences changes, such as poleward genetic tropicalization, in the Northwest Pacific coastal ocean due to northward ocean currents driven by global warming. It also highlights the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to analyze these changes. Through a year-long training workshop, the group expanded the use of ocean color EO data in regional studies, aiming to stimulate future research.



The issue features one editorial and seven research articles covering diverse topics: examining oceanographic conditions affecting Mobulidae catches in the Southeast Indian Ocean, understanding fishing-ocean interactions in the Aru Sea, La Niña's impact on marine productivity, the optical properties of phytoplankton, internal solitary wave patterns, upwelling variability in southern Indonesia, and predicting high water temperatures around the Korean Peninsula using deep learning models.

Changes in the marine biosphere of the Northwest Pacific and

the Central Indo-Pacific observed via Earth Observation data

(EO data used for NWP and CIP biosphere)

Authors: Young-Je Park, Fang Shen, GiHoon Hong, Fang Zuo, Kai Qin, Sophie Hebden

Journals: Journal of Sea Research

The Northwest Pacific and the Central Indo-Pacific regional economies have exhibited rapidly developing marine sectors in recent decades. The advancements in ocean color remote sensing, from the first proof-of-concept instrument for measuring ocean color demonstrated by the NASA's CZCS scanning radiometer in 1978, followed by improved algorithms and validation standards developed during the SeaWiFS mission launched in 1997, have paved the way for routine global observations using ocean sensors like MODIS, VIIRS, MERIS, and OLI. These satellite data have significantly contributed to understanding ocean ecosystems and productivity on a global scale. However, when applied to regional seas such as those in the Northwest Pacific and Indo-Pacific, these data can show significant biases due to the complexity of the optical properties of water and aerosols in these regions. Therefore, continuing efforts are required to verify and refine algorithms for regional applications.

This special issue will enhance our understanding of regional oceanography and marine resources by leveraging ocean color data and other remote sensing products. We hope it will stimulate further hemispheric-scale research from regional scientists representing a full range of indigenous knowledge in the coming years.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 3: The numbers of EA and SEA scientific publications carrying “country name, satellite, ocean, and marine” terms in the title, abstract and indexing were from searching the Web of Science database as of October 2024. EA and SEA refer to the East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea) and the Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore), respectively.

Variability of biophysical parameters during

La Niña condition in the Eastern Region of the Indian Ocean

Authors: Alexander M.A. Khan, Muhammad H. Ilmi, Choerunnisa Febriani, Trisna D.A. Sidik, Fadilla N. Azizah, Defania S. Ramadhanti, and Noir P. Purba

Journal: Journal of Sea Research

The La Niña event not only affected global ocean dynamics but also marine productivity. Due to its importance to the life of organisms and ecosystems, the biophysical aspects should be analyzed. One of the important regions in the eastern region of the Indian Ocean is located in the upwelling system and central marine biodiversity. The study aims to investigate several parameters, including SSTs, dissolved oxygen levels, nitrate distribution, and Chlor-a concentration, which are combined with ocean currents. These parameters are then analyzed in the period 2020 to 2022, which is La Niña condition. Based on the results, significant changes occur in SST during the first transitional season of 2022, where the increase reaches 1–4 °C. There was an increase in La Niña during this period. For marine productivity parameters, the recorded DO is in the range of 197 to 218 mmol/m³, nitrate with a value range of 0 to 0,02 mmol/m³, nanoplankton with a value range of 0 to 0.03 mg/m³, and Chlor-a with a value range of 0 to 4 mg/m³. We also found that changes in ENSO events affect the productivity of the Eastern Region of the Indian Ocean, especially in the Chlor-a parameter, where the occurrence of La Niña extreme is the most important parameter.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 4: Geographic location the eastern region of Indian Ocean with several main currents flowing from the Indonesian seas to the central Indian Ocean (yellow lines). SJCC: South Java Coastal Currents; SEC: South Equatorial Currents; ITF: Indonesian Throughflow; HC: Holloway Currents; LC: Leuuwin Currents. Bathymetry is provided by Gebco. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)

Fig. 6: GAM-derived effect of the four oceanographic variables on the fishing catch, from the model constructed with: (a) SST, (b) SSH, (c) Chlor-a, (d) Ocean currents.

Surface manifestation characteristics of

internal solitary waves observed by GCOM-C/SGLI imagery

Authors: Chonnaniyah, Eko Siswanto, Abd. Rahman As-syakur, and Takahiro Osawa

Journal: Journal of Sea Research

Internal waves are easily recognized features of remote sensing images. They occur below the sea surface and can be observed using optical and radar sensors due to their interactions with surface waves. Nonlinear internal waves, known as Internal Solitary Waves (ISW), maintain their coherence and visibility through nonlinear hydrodynamics and appear as long quasilinear stripes in images. Optical sensors can capture changes in sea surface roughness modulated by ISW when their location is close to specular reflection from the sun. Optical imagery with wide area coverage and high temporal resolution has the potential to track and analyze ISW dynamics. However, a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms underlying ISW manifestation patterns in optical images is necessary. The GCOM-C/SGLI satellite, equipped with a visible-near infrared radiometer and an infrared scanner, provides a detailed view of ISW manifestations using various scanning techniques. By analyzing SGLI products that detect ISW patterns, this study investigated how these waves manifest on the sea surface. The comparison between Level-1B data and Level-2 Ocean products observed by the SGLI sensor reveals that ISW patterns significantly affect ocean color parameters and thermal channel data. The consistent ISW manifestation pattern detected in TOA radiance and ocean color products suggests that ISWs impact sea surface roughness. Additionally, the detection of ISW patterns in SST data is a notable finding, highlighting the potential influence of ISWs on air-sea interactions and the atmospheric boundary layer. Understanding these impacts is crucial for remote sensing applications, particularly for long-term internal wave monitoring and ensuring that smaller-scale internal wave signals do not interfere with large-scale satellite estimations of ocean color.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 7: Flowchart of the comprehensive method used in this study. The grayed-out files were SGLI channels and the products analyzed in this study were adapted from Ogata et al. (2017). The blue box represents the TOA radiance for the spectral characteristics, and the green boxes represent the ocean color products. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)

Optical distinguishability of phytoplankton species and

its implications for hyperspectral remote sensing discrimination potential

Authors: Yuan Zhang, Fang Shen, Haiyang Zhao, Xuerong Sun, Qing Zhu, and Mengyu Li

Journal: Journal of Sea Research

Different phytoplankton types play distinct roles in marine ecosystems, biogeochemical processes, and responses to climate change. Traditionally, phytoplankton classification has heavily relied on chemical analysis methods based on phytoplankton pigments, such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. This approach limits the classification resolution to the phylum level of phytoplankton, making it difficult to refine classification to the genus or species level. With the observation of the hyperspectral ocean satellite PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission) louched by NASA in February 2024, there is potential to achieve finer classification of phytoplankton based on differences in spectral characteristics. This study cultivates various phytoplankton species in the laboratory to observe their light absorption properties (e.g., specific absorption coefficients spectra under unit concentration), investigating the spectral differences between different phyla and among species within the Dinoflagellates and Diatoms. Based on the observed absorption and scattering properties of each phytoplankton species, we simulated the remote sensing reflectance of different species under various ocean color components, examining the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing discrimination of phytoplankton types, and analyzing the impact of Chlorophyll a (Chla), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and non-algal particles (NAP) concentrations on the remote sensing discrimination. The results show significant differences in absorption spectra between different groups of phytoplankton (i.e., Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Xanthophytes, Coccolithophores, Chlorophytes, Cyanobacteria, Cryptophytes). Among species within the Dinoflagellate group, there are also significant spectral differences, while species within the Diatom group exhibit relatively small variations in their spectral shapes. As Chla concentration increases, the potential for remote sensing discrimination of phytoplankton species also increases; conversely, lower Chla concentrations pose greater challenges for remote sensing disscrimiantion. Other ocean color components, such as increased CDOM or NAP concentrations, interfere with the spectral characteristics of phytoplankton in the blue-green spectral domain. Using hierarchical clustering for phytoplankton classification, the results indicate that Cyanobacteria and Chlorophytes can be well distinguished from other group at lower NAP concentrations, while Diatoms, Cryptophytes, and Xanthophytes are not easily distinguishable from each other. Differentiating between species within the same group using remote sensing data presents significant challenges. This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the optical characteristics of different phytoplankton types, laying a foundation for their remote sensing classification and deepening the understanding of the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for detailed phytoplankton classification.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 8: The results of HCA based on three scenarios.

Dynamic of upwelling variability in southern Indonesia region

revealed from satellite data: Role of ENSO and IOD

Authors: Herlambang Aulia Rachman, Martiwi Diah Setiawati, Zainul Hidayah, Achmad Fachruddin Syah, Muhammad Rizki Nandika, Jonson Lumban-Gaol, Abd. Rahman As-syakur, and Fadli Syamsudin

Journal: Journal of Sea Research

The Southern Indonesian (SI) region is known for its high-intensity coastal upwelling caused by monsoonal wind. Interannual phenomena such as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) also influence upwelling activity in this region. This study analyzed the relationship between upwelling intensity (UI_sst) and those variables and their impact on oceanographic features such as Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration. We used satellite imagery data, including SST from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and chlorophyll-a from MODIS, to analyze the aforementioned issue. To identify the impact of wind patterns on coastal upwelling, we analyzed using zonal wind stress from ERA-5 Data. Quantification of UI_sst is defined as the SST gradient between the coastal and open ocean waters. Linear and partial correlation analysis between UI_sst with the Ocean Niño Index (ONI) and Dipole Mode Index (DMI) were conducted to see the influence of ENSO and IOD phenomena. Anomaly analysis was also conducted on SST, chlorophyll-a concentration, zonal windstress and UI_sst to see how large the values were during the years of the ENSO and IOD events. Upwelling in the SI region typically occurs during southeast monsoon (SEM) periods, starting earlier in the East side (Nusa Tenggara Islands) and moving towards the West side (South Coast of Java). The correlation analysis (both linear and partial) indicates that the IOD has a stronger influence on UI_sst in the SI region compared to ENSO, especially during June to October (SEM periods). This finding is confirmed by anomaly analysis, which reveals significant changes in SST, chlorophyll-a concentration, zonal windstress, and UI_sst during ENSO and IOD events. The magnitude of the anomalies is generally stronger during IOD events than those observed under ENSO conditions.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 9: The study area at the Southern Indonesia (SI) Seas. The bold and dashed line indicates the coastal-ocean line transect used to calculate the upwelling index.

Abnormal high water temperature prediction in nearshore waters around the Korean Peninsula using ECMWF ERA5 data and a deep learning model

Authors: Hyun Yang, Suk Yoon, Hyeong-Tak Lee, Kwang Seok Kim, Hee-Jeong Han, and Young-Je Park

Journal: Journal of Sea Research

The abnormally high-water temperature (AHWT) phenomena have caused the mass stranding of farmed fish in the Korean coastal waters, leading to a substantial monetary loss in recent decades. It is most important to predict the HWT occurrence and take responsive measures before the HWT arrival to prevent such loss, we proposed a methodology to predict HWT occurrences using a deep-learning technology. Firstly, we trained a long short-term memory (LSTM) deep-learning model using the sea surface temperature data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 product to estimate future water temperature in advance. Secondly, we used the estimated water temperature data to predict HWT occurrences from 1 day to 7 days later. We computed root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) metrics, and F1-scores to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed LSTM model. In the cases of 1-day and 7-day water temperature predictions, RMSE and MAPE values between the estimated data and the sea-truth data were 0.293 degrees Celsius with 1.313 % and 0.854 degrees Celsius with 4.175 %, respectively. The F1-scores of the classification algorithm of 1- and 7-day HWT predictions were 0.96 and 0.74, respectively. This study contributes to developing measures to reduce the monetary loss of HWT damage on fish farms.

Click to read the full paper



Fig. 10: Structure of the proposed LSTM model.

Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in interdisciplinary marine science

Authors: Laura Kaikkonen, Rebecca J. Shellock, Samiya Ahmed Selim, Renis Auma Ojwala, Beatriz S. Dias, Shenghui Li, Charles I. Addey, Ignacio Gianelli, Katherine M. Maltby, Sara Garcia-Morales, Juliano Palacios-Abrantes, Shan Jiang, Marta Albo-Puigserver, Virginia A. García Alonso, Chelsey A. Baker, Colleen B. Bove, Stephanie Brodie, Lol Iana Dahlet, Jewel Das, Aislinn Dunne, Sebastian C. A. Ferse, Ellen Johannesen, Julia Jung, Eugenia Merayo Garcia, Denis B. Karcher, Sarah Mahadeo, Lucia Millan, Kasali Oladepo Lawal, Ayodele Oloko, Kelly Ortega-Cisneros, Stephanie Otoabasi-Akpan, Durlave Roy, Samina Sharmin Rouf, Szymon Smoliński, Natasa Vaidianu, Chris Whidden, and Mia Strand

Journal: npj Ocean Sustainability

Interdisciplinary marine research is pivotal for addressing ocean sustainability challenges but may exclude diverse socio-economic, cultural, or identity groups. Drawing on perspectives of marine Early Career Researchers, we highlight the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in advancing interdisciplinary marine science and present ten recommendations to enhance DEI. As our ocean faces increasing threats, fostering DEI within this domain is not merely an aspirational goal but an ethical imperative.

Click to read the full paper

Fig. 11: Ten recommendations for fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in interdisciplinary marine science.

Events, Webinars and Conferences

Information shared by our contacts:



• Call for papers – DSR II special issue “Understanding Oceanographic and Ecosystem Characteristics of the Persian Gulf: A Poorly Understood system.” Submit by 22 December 2024.

• EU Ocean Data Webinar Series, the third webinar "Ocean-Driven Solutions for a Sustainable Economy and Resilient Communities," 15 January 2025, Online. Registration is open.

• Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences 2025 (XMAS 2025), 14-17 January 2025, Xiamen, China. Registration is still open.

• The Ecological Dissertations in Aquatic Sciences (Eco-DAS) Symposium for early career aquatic scientists returns to Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 3-7 April 2025. Application Deadline: 15 December 2024.

• 2nd Baltic Earth Workshop on "Multiple Drivers in Earth system changes in the Baltic Sea region”, 4-5 December 2024, Helsinki, Finland. If you have already registered, please mark your calendar and don’t miss the event.

• Free Webinar: Lump sum budgeting – How to prepare the mandatory detailed budget table? 9 December 2024, Live Online. Registration will be open until 9 December 2024.

• AGU Annual Meeting 2024, 9-13 December 2024, Washington, D.C., USA. Registration is open.

• Atmospheric Chemistry in Cold Environments Faraday Discussion, 17-19 Feburary 2025, London, UK. Submit poster abstract by 9 December 2024.

• EGU General Assembly 2025, 27 April – 2 May 2025, Vienna, Austria & Online. Submit abstracts by 15 January 2025.

• Applying the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management in ABNJ, 11-13 March 2025, Rome, Italy. Registration is now open.

• PAGES' 7th Open Science Meeting, 21–24 May 2025, Shanghai, China & Online. Early registration by 1 March 2025.

• One Ocean Science Congress 2025, 4-6 June 2025, Nice, France. Registration will open on 31 January 2025.

• Marine Protected Areas in Marine Spatial Planning Conference, 9-12 July 2025, Bodø, Norway. Submit abstracts by 3 February 2025.

Trainings

Information shared by our contacts:



• GOOD-OARS Summer School 2025, 4-11 November 2025, Penang, Malaysia
• The GOOD-OARS Summer School is organized under the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) programmes of the UN Ocean Decade. This program aims to equip the next generation of ocean oxygen and acidification scientists with foundational knowledge in these fields. Participants will benefit from lectures and hands-on training delivered by world experts in an engaging and collaborative environment.
• Apply by 10 January 2025.
• Read more...

• Training Course: Introduction to Management Strategy Evaluation, 24–28 February 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• This course aims to provide a general introduction to MSE by covering a range of topics with associated case studies and practical sessions. Participants will acquire the knowledge, skills, and quantitative tools to undertake MSE on their own fisheries resources.
• Apply by 10 January 2025​.
• Read more...

Jobs and Opportunities

Information shared by our contacts:



• 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.

• Tenure-Track Position in Climate Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania. Applicants will continue until the position is filled.

• PhD Opportunity: Southern Ocean Dynamics. Apply by 1 January 2025.
• Irina Marinov’s group in the Earth and Environmental Science Department at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking a PhD student for a project focused on the Southern Ocean. The research spans ocean biogeochemistry, plankton ecology, physical oceanography, and climate dynamics, with potential collaboration on glacier/iceberg dynamics (Leigh Stearns) and climate dynamics (Michael Mann). Apply by sending your CV, statement of interest, transcripts, and writing samples to imarinov@upenn.edu.

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

• MISSION ATLANTIC - Mobility Programme: Call for IEA Contributors.
• The MISSION ATLANTIC Mobility Programme offers support to individuals with the capacity to contribute to Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) research and implementation. Apply by 20 December 2024.

• Call for nominations for experts - The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Apply by 10 January 2025.

• “La Caixa” Foundation INPhINIT call for incoming Doctoral Fellowships – Supporting young research talents pursuing doctoral studies in Spain or Portugal. Apply by 23 January 2025.

• New EMFAF call for proposals for smart specialisation and regenerative ocean farming. Submit by 18 February 2025.

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