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Mapping Weak Signals

Inspired by: FP7 » Emergence of Mediterranean Sea acidification studies

version: 1 / created: 2011-01-08
id: #1382 / version id: #1382
mode: VIEW

Originally submitted by: Rafael Popper
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Last changed by: Rafael Popper
WI-WE status:
submitted unpublished archived

Source of inspiration

European Commission Framework Programme for RTD (FP7)

Theme/activity of inspiration

Theme 6 - Environment (including Climate Change)

Sub-theme/area of inspiration

Pressures on environment and climate

Optional reference/s to FP7 project/s

Use the following format: Project Acronym (Project Reference No.). Use commas if more than one project is associated to this Wild Card, for example: ALFA-BIRD (213266), SAFAR (213374), LAPCAT-II (211485)
MEDSEA: MEDiterranean Sea Acidification in a changing climate (265103) Touratier, F. and Goyet, C. (2011), Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, Volume 58, Issue 1, pp.1-15.

Signal's headline

(max. 9 words)
Emergence of Mediterranean Sea acidification studies

Signal's description

(approx. 150 words)
Please describe the Weak Signal (approx. 150 words)
Given that the pH of seawater may affect a very large number of chemical and biological processes, the Mediterranean Sea acidification figures stress the necessity to develop new programs of research to understand and then predict the evolution of the carbonate system properties in the Mediterranean Sea. Increases of atmospheric CO2 and associated decreases in seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration this century and beyond are likely to have wide impacts on marine ecosystems including those of the Mediterranean Sea. Consequences of this process, ocean acidification, threaten the health of the Mediterranean, adding to other anthropogenic pressures, including those from climate change. Yet in comparison to other areas of the world ocean, there has been no concerted effort to study Mediterranean acidification, which is fundamental to the social and economic conditions of more than 400 million people living along its coastlines and another 175 million who visit the region each year.

Keywords

carbon, chemistry, anthropogenic, acidification, mediterranean, sea

Mini-description

(max. 250 characters)
Estimations of the Mediterranean Sea acidification show that, since the industrial era until the 2000s, all waters (even the deepest) have been acidified by values (ranging from −0.14 to −0.05 pH unit) higher than elsewhere in the open ocean.

Signal's first apperance

2005-now

Importance

please specify
please select
Level 2: important for a particular world region Mediterranean
Level 3: important for the European Union

Filters preventing the signal's monitoring

scientific filters (knowledge/technology access)

Signal's relevance for European Grand Challenges

where? please justify:
particularly relevant Europe world
Diseases, health and well-being
Food security and diet
Sustainability and climate change
Water security/vulnerability

Signal's relevance for thematic research areas

please justify:
particularly relevant
Health
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology
Environment (including Climate Change)
Social Sciences and Humanities
Regional development

Pan-European strategies influencing the signal

please justify:
particularly relevant
Facilitating and promoting knowledge sharing and transfer
Fostering and facilitating coherent international cooperation in science and technology

Research-friendly strategies potentially improving understanding of the signal

For further information about 'research-friendly strategies' click here
please justify:
particularly relevant
Overcoming sub-criticality and systemic failures
To be subcritical means that the effort in a particular field or subfield lacks resources, equipment or a sufficient number of researchers to achieve a desired goal
Creating a closer link between researchers & policy-makers
(e.g. supporting both thematic and cross-cutting policies, highlighting the strategic purpose of the European Research Area, etc.