Earth system, oceans and marine
ecosystems under global change
Potential members
• Colleen Moloney (MA-RE) – Convener
• Juliet Hermes (SAEON) – Co-convener
• Bjorn Backeberg (NTC) – Writer
• Tarron Lamont (DEA)
• Grant Pitcher (DAFF)
• Ursula Scharler (UKZN)
• Pedro Monteiro (CSIR)
• Roy van Ballegooyen (CSIR)
• Francis Marsac (ICEMASA)
• John Field (UCT)
• Mike Lucas (UCT)
• Tommy Bornman (SAEON)
• Francois Engelbrecht (CSIR, Pretoria)
• Lorenzo P… (NNMU)
• Thando Ndarana (SAWS)
Objective:
Advance the understanding of
the links between fine scale and
the large scale for the region
Link the local, regional and
global scales within and across
ecosystems
Guiding principles
Important principles
• What is the geographic advantage that makes us prominent?
• What is the scale sensitivity?
• How sensitive are the models to scale?
• How sensitive are models to the processes included?
• How are the systems coupled? Two dimensions: (1) Across physical scales, (2) Across the
ecosystem, (3) ocean-land-atmospheric coupling.
• End-to-end modeling: Make the link between the earth system and the ecosystem.
• Integrate modeling and observations: guiding observations by model based hypotheses.
• Need a number of long-term observations platforms across all scales, and need for
experiments that cut across all three themes.
• Deliver services on a national and local level – operational services
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Existing infrastructure
Fragmented: ships, observational facilities,
DST task team to ensure that the infrastructure is made available
Global Change Grand Challenge
1. Understanding the ocean as part of a coupled
regional system
2. Sustainable coastal development:
vulnerability and risks
3. Response of marine ecosystems and
ecosystem services to global change
4. Operational capabilities: Marine Science for
Society