Marine Science Frontiers for Europe PDF
Preview Marine Science Frontiers for Europe
Marine Science Frontiers for Europe Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH Gerold Wefer Frank Lamy Fauzi Mantoura Editors Marine Science Frontiers for Europe With 120 Figures, 20 in Colour, and 8 Tables , Springer Editors: Professor Dr. Gerold Wefer Dr. Frank Lamy Universităt Bremen Fachbereich Geowissenschaften Klagenfurter Strasse 28359 Bremen Germany Profesor Dr. Fauzi Mantoura IAEA, Marine Environment Laboratory 4, Quai Antoine ler, B.P. 800 MC 98000 Monaco Monaco Photo Credits for Cover: V. Diekamp, V. Frenzel, F.Garcia Pichel, G. Meinecke ISBN 978-3-642-62482-7 ISBN 978-3-642-55862-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-55862-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for Bibliograhic infonnation published by Die Deutsche Bibliothek Die Deutsche Bibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the Internet at <http://dnb.ddb.de>. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concemed, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcastin~, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Gennan Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the Gennan Copyright Law. http://www.springer.de © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003 Originally published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York in 2003 Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Product liability: The publishers cannot guarantee the accuracy of any infonnation about the application of operative techniques and medications contained in this book. In every individual case the user must check such infonnation by consulting the relevant literature. Typesetting: Camera-ready Cover design: E. Kirchner, Heidelberg Printed on acid-free paper 32/31411as 543210 Preface Europe is the continent with a high coast to surface ratio. About 50% of Europe's population lives per manently within 50 km of the coastal zone. European seas encompass a large range of settings and regimes, from estuaries, deltas to the coastal zone, through diverse shelf systems, and down the shelf edge into the deep ocean. The sustainable development ofliving and non-living marine resources, the protection of the marine environment and the provision of marine-based services are critical to eco nomic prosperity and to the quality of life of European citizens. In recent times, human activity has spread farther out into the oceans as the ocean margins gain increasing attention as potential centers for hydrocarbon exploration and industrial fisheries. As a result of expected population growth over the coming decades, the economic importance of European seas is likely to increase. This generates many conflicts between competing uses, like hydrocarbon exploitation, fisheries, transport, tourism, etc., which has detrimental consequences to the marine environment. Important tasks for future marine research will be the development of scientific foundations for a sustainable use of the living and non-living resources of the oceans, focusing on the threatened coastal regions and continental slopes. These foundations, however, must be based on thorough scientific un derstanding of the response of the natural marine systems to human activities, such as global climate change and the local or regional impacts from large-scale construction, resource extraction, etc. A great challenge for marine and climate research in the future is to understand and model the con nections between global climate development and its regional effects on ocean-margin systems, espe cially in shelf seas and coastal waters. The goal is to increase our ability to predict the evolution of shelf seas and their margins in response to natural or anthropogenic climate changes. This task is accompa nied by a need to understand the direct human impacts on the natural system. The lack of knowledge about basic processes significantly hampers the prediction of the immediate impact, and even more its mid-to long-term consequences. Examples ofthis include coastal construction such as the building of dikes, ports, and pipelines, river deepening and correction, and extraction ofm ineral resources, steadily altering the coastal environment by changing the current patterns, local sea level, and the erosion and deposition of sediments. A better understanding of these processes and relationships must form the foundation for the scien tific assessment offuture threats posed to the European Seas by human activities. Consequently, a quan titative risk assessment and development of strategies for precautionary activities, warning systems, and sustained ocean protection measures will be included among the important tasks for marine scientists in the coming decades, as will the assessment of the sedimentological and ecological consequences of the exploitation ofliving and non-living resources and the use oft he marine environment for waste disposal. Furthermore despite major scientific advances in recent years, the ocean still offers exciting perspec tives for frontier research on such fundamental issues as, for example, the origin and evolution of life. To discuss some of the above outlined questions we brought together experts from various disci plines of the marine sciences with a strong interest in these systems, to promote discussion between workers in different fields by focussing on a common topic of great interest to society. The meeting which took place in Bremen in Germany from February 18-21,2001 was arranged in the framework of a "Hanse Conference" within the interdisciplinary program oft he Hanse-Wissenschafts kolleg Delmenhorst, a foundation set up to promote interdisciplinary studies in collaboration between the universities of Bremen and Oldenburg. The aim of the Hanse Conferences in general is to provide opportunities for experts from different fields oft he sciences and humanities to come together and explore the large framework of topics of common interest. What unites the participants is their desire to look VI over the fence to neighbouring disciplines. Young colleagues who wish to build an interdisciplinary career are particularly welcome. In conducting the conference, we have attempted to avoid the disadvantages common to many large scientific meetings characterized by information-overload and lack of time for discussion. Instead, we have loosely followed the model of the "Dahlem Konferenzen". An advisory committee from different disciplines formulated the overall goal and the themes of four discussion groups. This committee was also responsible for producing an initial list of invited participants, a list subsequently expanded through the recommendations of invitees. We aimed for about 40 scientists, complemented by selected postdoctoral researchers. The conference was set for four days. Within each of the four theme sections, several participants were asked to provide background papers in their fields, as a basis for discussion. The aim is to have these papers sent as drafts to all participants before the conference, to stimulate the formulation of questions and critical comments. The focus of activity within the Hanse Conferences is discussion, and not presentation of talks. The participants come with the background knowledge acquired through the study of the overview papers prepared for the conference. On the first day of the conference each oft he four discussion groups agree on an agenda oftopics derived from the questions and comments that arise from the study of the back ground papers. The following two days are dedicated to debating these topics, within the four discussion groups. On the fourth day, each group reviews a summary prepared by its rapporteur, who presents the most important results of the discussions. Suggestions for modifications to the summary are incorpo rated into the final summary, which is presented at the end of the conference in a plenary session by each of the rapporteurs. At this meeting, comments are invited by all participants on any of the points raised. The final proceedings, which are published in this book cover important aspects of science frontiers in European marine research and are structured into the four thematic sections discussed during the conference. These include "Ocean-Climate Coupling, Variability and Change", "Coupled Biogeochemical Cycling and Controlling Factors", "Coastal and Shelf Processes, Science for Integrated Management", and "Ecosystem Functioning and Biodiversity". The final report from each group follows each of the thematic sections, which contain the revised background papers. All papers benefited from peer review. It is hoped that they will be useful in informing the ongoing discussions on preservation, exploration, exploitations, and risk assessment of the ocean wherever such debate may take place. We especially hope that high-school and college teachers find much material in these proceedings to enrich their courses in environmental sciences. In the educational realm, a marriage between physical understanding of the Earth's life support systems and an appreciation of history leading to responsibility will be necessary to provide the basis for political action which can deal with the challenge of the sustainable use of delicate marine ecosystems. The Hanse Conference on "Marine Science Frontiers for Europe" was planned as part of the devel opment of a Marine Scienc Plan for Europe, to be drafted by the Marine Board oft he European Science Foundation (ESF) (Integrated Marine Science in Europe, ESF Marine Board Position Paper 5, November 2002). The final group reports formulate recommendations for future ocean margin research within an European Research Area under a joint European Marine Science Plan. The papers benefited from detailed reviews by Avan Antia, Wolfgang Balzer, Wolfgang Berger, Keith Brander, Angelika Brandt, Peter Burbridge, Hein de Baar, Jan Willem de Leeuw, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Gerd Graf, Carlo Heip, Venugopalan Ittekkot, Michel Kaiser, Remi Laane, Han Lindeboom, Fauzi Mantoura, Jochem Marotzke, John Patching, David Prandle, Karsten Reise, Will de Ruijter, Ulrich Saint Paul, Jun She, Victor Smetacek, Doug Wallace, Paul Wassmann, Matthias Wolff. The Hanse Conference was supported by the Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst, the DFG Research Center for Ocean Margins (RCOM) as well as by the University of Bremen. Technical sup port was given by Barbara Donner, Adelheid Grimm-Geils, Christina Hayn, Ingeborg Mehser, Sarah Middendorf, and Lauraine Panaye. To each and all of those involved, our sincere thanks. Gerold Wefer, Bremen Frank Lamy, Bremen Fauzi Mantoura, Plymouth Bremen, December 2002 Contents Ocean-Climate Coupling, Variability and Change LatifM. Tropical Pacific Influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation 1-9 Felis T. and 1 Plitzold Climate Records from Corals 11-27 BranderK. Fisheries and Climate 29-38 Group Report Meincke 1, D. Quadfasel, W.H. Berger, K. Brander, RR Dickson, P.M. Haugan, M. Latif, 1 Marotzke, 1 Marshall, 1 Plitzold, G. Parilla, W. de Ruijter and F. Schott Variability of the Thermohaline Circulation (THC) 39-60 Coupled Biogeochemical Cycling and Controlling Factors WollastR Biogeochemical Processes in Estuaries 61-77 De Baar H.J.W. and 1 La Roche Trace Metals in the Oceans: Evolution. Biology and Global Change 79-105 Wallace D.W.R and R Wanninkhof Ocean-Atmosphere Exchange and Earth-System Biogeochemistry 107-129 Epping E. What Controls the Sequestration of Phytogenic Carbon in the Ocean? 131-146 Group Report AntiaA.N., P.H. Burkill, W. Balzer, H.1W. de Baar, RF.C. Mantoura, R. Sim6 and D. Wallace Coupled Biogeochemical Cycling and Controlling Factors 147-162 Coastal and ShelfP rocesses, Science for Integrating Management Prandle D., 1 She and 1 Legrand Operational Oceanography -the Stimulant for Marine Research in Europe 163-173 x Content Laane RW.P.M. "Sea of Substances" Pollution: Future Research Needs 175-188 Kaiser MJ., J.S. Collie, SJ. Hall and I.R Poiner Long-Tenn Habitat Changes and their Implications for Future Fisheries Management 189-201 Reise K. More Sand to the Shorelines of the Wadden Sea Harmonizing Coastal Defense with Habitat Dynamics 203-216 Burbridge P.R and J. Pethick Sustainability and Management: Coastal Systems 217-228 Group Report Lindeboom HJ., P.R Burbridge, J.W. de Leeuw, A. Innisch, V. Ittekkot, M. Kaiser, R. Laane, J. Legrand, D. Prandle, K. Reise and J. She 229-242 Ecosystem Functioning and Biodiversity GrafG Ecosystem Functioning and Biodiversity: Bioengineering 243-250 Heip C. What Structures Marine Biodiversity and why does it vary? 251-264 Hemdl GJ. and M.G Weinbauer Marine Microbial Food Web Structure and Function 265-277 Wassmann P., K. OlIi, C. Wexe1s Riser and C. Svensen Ecosystem Function, Biodiversity and Vertical Flux Regulation in the Twilight Zone 279-287 Group Report Heip C., A. Brandt, J.-P. Gattuso, A. Antia, W.H. Berger, J. Boissonnas, P. Burkill L. d'Ozouville, G Graf, GJ. Hemdl, J. Patching, K. Reise, G Riou, R Simo, V. Smetacek and P. Wassmann Ecosystem Functioning and Biodiversity 289-302 Tropical Pacific Influences on the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation M. Latif Max-Planck-Institutfor Meteorologie, Bundesstr. 55, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany corresponding author (e-mail}:[email protected] Abstract: Most global climate models simulate a weakening of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) in response to enhanced greenhouse warming. Both surface warming and freshening in high latitudes, the so-called sinking region, contribute to the weakening of the THe. Some models simulate even a complete breakdown of the THe at sufficiently strong forcing. Here results from a state-of-the-art global climate model are presented that does not simulate a weakening of the THe in response to greenhouse warming. Large-scale air-sea interactions in the tropics, similar to those operating during present-day El Nifios, lead to anomalously high salinities in the tropical Atlantic. These are advected into the sinking region, thereby increasing the surface density and compensating the effects of the local warming and freshening. The results of the model study are corroborated by the analysis of observations. Introduction The Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC) is an al. 1997; Oberhuber et al. 1998; Timmermann et al. important component of the global climate system 1999; Roeckner et al. 1999; Christoph et al. 1998; (Broecker 1991). It transports about 1 PW of heat Ulbrich and Christoph 1999). It is shown that poleward in the North Atlantic, thereby warming the tropical feedbacks associated with an increased western Europe. The THC is forced partly by con El Nino frequency can stabilise the THC (Latif et vection at high latitudes, which causes dense sur al. 2000). face waters to sink to deeper ocean layers, form ing the so-called North Atlantic Deep Water Model (NADW). Strong and rapid changes in the inten sity of the NADW formation have been reported The model (ECHAM4/0PYC) is flux-corrected from paleoclimatic records (Broecker et al. 1985), (using annual mean corrections) with respect to heat and it is well established that such changes exert a and freshwater. The application of flux correction strong impact on the climate over large land areas reflects serious errors in the individual model com (e.g. Manabe and Stouffer 1995 and 1999; Schiller ponents. The effects of flux correction on the re et al. 1997). Several papers have suggested that the sponse characteristics of a model are largely un thermohaline circulation may weaken in response known, but it has been shown that flux correction to greenhouse warming (e.g. Mikolajewicz et al. may cause misleading results (e.g. Neelin and 1990; Manabe et al. 1991; Stocker and Wright Dijkstra 1995). It should be noted, however, that 1991; Cubasch et al. 1992; Manabe and Stouffer many studies addressing the stability of the THC 1994; Rahmstorf 1999; Wood et al. 1999). Here, have been conducted with flux-corrected models we investigate the sensitivity of the THC to green (e.g. Manabe and Stouffer 1994). house warming using a global climate model that Our model employs a horizontal resolution over has been applied in various climate variability and most of the globe of2.8"x2.8°. A special feature of response studies (Roeckner et al. 1996; Bacher et the model is the higher meridional resolution of 0.5° From WEFER G, LAMY F, MANTOURA F (eds), 2003, Marine Science Frontiers for Europe. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp 1-9
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