Friday Email
MASTS Scotland
The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland is a consortium of organisations engaged in Marine Science
New MASTS Open Forum Session on anthropogenic pressures and chalky waters- 25th Feb @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
The MASTS Biogeochemistry Forum is excited to host this free online Open Forum Session with two talks on blue carbon and coccolithophore blooms.
"Determination of Blue Carbon accumulation rates in sediments impacted by anthropogenic pressure" with Hugo Woodward-Rowe , ( 英国埃塞克斯大学 )
Continental shelf sediments are vast areas, some regions of which accumulate and store organic carbon. However, these regions are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic pressures, particularly from infrastructure related to energy extraction. Estimating carbon accumulation potential of sediments can be confounded by this anthropogenic activity, particularly around oil and gas extraction activities. This study describes carbon stocks, sediment type and carbon accumulation rates (CARs) in sediment surrounding the North West Hutton decommissioned platform in the northern North Sea. [Continue reading on event page]
"CHALKY waters of the Icelandic Basin" with Sarah Cryer ( 英国赫瑞瓦特大学 )
The ability of the ocean to sequester CO2 is determined by its carbonate chemistry, which can be altered by calcifying organisms. One such group are the coccolithophores, which are phytoplankton that surround themselves with microscopic calcite scales known as coccoliths. These coccoliths are often shed by the cell and when high rates of shedding occur, the ocean turns milky, which can be visible from space. To understand the physiology of coccolithophore blooms and its impact on ocean alkalinity, a bloom was sampled in the Icelandic Basin in 2024. This allowed us to analyse changes in coccolithophore growth rates, turnover of particulate inorganic carbon, species composition and nutrient depletion across the bloom. Using this data we hope to investigate the impact of coccolithophores on total alkalinity and the fate of this alkalinity.
Photo taken from the Ocean and Coastal Futures (OCF) event page for their upcoming conference.
Contents
MASTS Newsroom
FYI
Publications
Other Recommended Reading
Opportunities
Events
Vacancies
MASTS Newsroom
1. Study finds rocky seashore species in Scotland affected by climate change
An increase in the temperature of Scotland’s seas over the last decade has been found to be changing the types of animals and plants found on rocky shores in Scotland to those that favour warmer waters, according to a NatureScot study published today. Read more.
2. Aberdeen researchers drive ￡5.7million cross-UK 'whole system' approach to Just Transition
An University of Aberdeen -led research programme that puts people and communities at the centre of the move to Net Zero is one of two national projects benefitting from a share of nearly ￡10m investment by UKRI. The JUST-Systems project aims to develop practical pathways and accelerate action that builds on community aspirations for sustainable, liveable and resilient places. Read more.
FYI
1. Innovation Fund 2024/25 Launched
Sea-Changers are excited to announce our 2024/25 Innovation Fund is now open for applications and will remain open until 28th of February 2025. The fund’s focus is on supporting new and experimental solutions to marine conservation challenges. The Innovation Fund is supported by ARC Marine? (website here) and the William Grant Foundation (website here) with a further donation from a family trust. The absolute maximum grant size will be ￡10,000.
2 . Special Issue call for papers in Environmental Earth Sciences
Springer Nature has announced a call for papers for the Environmental Earth Sciences journal. The topic is "Estuarine Health: understanding system dynamics to build ecosystem resilience using a ‘One Health’ approach". The call goes on to explain that it aims to better understand the health and resilience of estuaries are affected by anthropogenic activities and environmental stressors in order to enable policymakers to develop targeted strategies to mitigate risks and promote sustainable management practices. Taking a one health approach, they welcome contributions, reviewing individual estuarine cases, present fundamental research on underpinning environmental system dynamics and ecological function to propose or discuss future needs and the emergence of complex issues such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under the ever-increasing threats from climate change.
3. Native Oyster Network Conference
A quick reminder to?please fill in this Google Form?to register your interest in attending the Native Oyster Network Conference, 1st?– 3rd?April 2025, in Galway City, Ireland, so that we can get an initial idea of numbers attending in person and online. You can also express your thoughts on conference themes within this form if you have not already done so. We ask you to complete this form before the end of January.
4. Masters project still available
If you are a masters student still looking for a research project to undertake, then why not consider assisting EMEC with their project “Mapping investment pathways for renewable energy integration. An island community case study”. Find out more here and here.
5. Fish Ecological Consultancy help wanted
A large power plant construction project is looking for a fish ecologist to help advise them on an alternative compensation package they are putting together for the UK government. If you think you could help, please contact Carly Vince [email protected]
Publications
Other Recommended Reading
Opportunities
Doctoral Focal Award in Engineering Biology
NERC: Natural Environment Research Council is collaborating with BBSRC , Medical Research Council and EPSRC to launch a joint Doctoral Focal Award funding opportunity in engineering biology. This funding opportunity aims to train the next generation of leaders across the emerging field of engineering biology. Training programmes supported by this funding opportunity will aim to focus on harnessing the transformative potential of discovery-driven research and its application to address a diverse range of major global grand challenges which align to the National Engineering Biology Programme: Overview of the proposed National Engineering Biology Programme.?
You can also register to join a webinar on 30 January 2025. The webinar will cover both this joint funding opportunity and BBSRC’s separate opportunity for Doctoral Focal Award funding in AI and Data in Bioscience.?
?For full details please see the funding opportunity.?
Feature Event
Virtual tickets still available for the 2025 Ocean and Coastal Futures (OCF) conference on 29th & 30th Jan. There are just five years until 2030. Is the UK and the world on track to reach these ambitions? How can we achieve the transition to a low-carbon, nature-positive and sustainable world in a fair and just way?
Events
2. "Porcupine Marine Natural History Society Annual Meeting" 29th to 31st March at the University of St Andrews . To present please contact [email protected] with a title and abstract.
3. 9th European Marine Board IVZW Forum on "'Addressing coastal and water resilience on the land-sea interface". 2nd April at Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels) and Online.
4. National Oceanography Centre of Marine Science National Capability Beneficiaries (NOCA) - 14th Annual Meeting: 15th –?16th?May 2025. For further information and to register
Call for abstracts
1. The 16th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference 7th – 11th September 2025 in Madeira, Portugal
Vacancies
View all vacancies below: