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NEW PROJECTS Sharks inspiring Action and Research with Communities
We are delighted to be part of a new project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) - this exciting collaborative project will catalyse links between fishers, researchers, communities and government to safeguard elasmobranchs and support a green recovery in Wales. Key goals include: • Management of two Special Areas of Conservation improved by addressing critical data gaps using fisher-integrated research • Opportunities for involvement in marine conservation in Wales are diversified Image: Jake Davies • A new appreciation of the underwater environment in Wales is generated • The next generation are inspired to connect with marine conservation Keep an eye on social media for further updates. #ProjectSIARC is a collaborative project led by the Zoological Society of London and Natural Resource Wales with partners including the North Wales Wildlife Trust, the Shark Trust, and the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers.
Focusing on the import of Indian Ocean water into the South Atlantic in large eddies known as Agulhas Rings
The Indian Ocean water is an important source of heat for the Atlantic Ocean and is critical part of the global meridional overturning circulation. This new NSF-NERC funded project measures the exchange between these two ocean basins with a novel suite of moorings, autonomous and profiling instruments. Bangor scientists, led by Dr Yueng-Djern Lenn will be responsible for quantifying the vertical mixing of heat and salt taking place in the Cape Cauldron area off South Africa.
Investigating Coastal Seas as Carbon sinks
We are delighted to report that the School of Ocean Sciences is joining forces with a team of global experts in a new 5-year project to build a greater understanding of the properties and capabilities of the ocean and its continental shelves in the earth’s carbon cycle. Commenting, Dr Sophie Ward who leads Bangor’s contribution, said: “We urgently need to better understand seabed carbon stores on a global scale since the oceans play such an important role in the Earth’s carbon cycle. Until now, little has been known about the full capacity of coastal waters and continental shelves to store carbon. This research will be a real game-changer in understanding how the oceans can contribute to solving the climate crisis.”
Monitoring Earthquakes
Earlier in the year we setup a new seismometer in Ocean Sciences in collaboration with Geoscientists at Manchester University. Within a few days we had detected not one, but 2 earthquakes! One in Alaska and one in Cyprus!
