Published December 5, 2019
0 views Journal article Open Access Open Access

Multidisciplinary Observing in the World Ocean's Oxygen Minimum Zone Regions: From Climate to Fish-The VOICE Initiative

Creators

  • 1. Laboratoire d'études en Géophysique et océanographie spatiales
  • 2. Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences
  • 3. Polish Academy of Sciences
  • 4. National University of San Marcos
  • 5. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
  • 6. Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
  • 7. Instituto Nacional de Investigação Pesqueira e Marinha, Angola
  • 8. Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso
  • 9. Agostinho Neto University
  • 10. Scripps Institution of Oceanography
  • 11. University of California, San Diego
  • 12. University of Liège
  • 13. Cayetano Heredia University
  • 14. Autonomous University of Baja California
  • 15. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, France
  • 16. University of Montpellier
  • 17. Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Mexico
  • 18. Laboratory of Atmospheric and Ocean Physics, University Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal
  • 19. Instituto Geofísico del Perú, Peru
  • 20. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
  • 21. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers France, France
  • 22. Instituto Oceanografico de la Armada del Ecuador, Base Naval Sur, Instituto Oceanografico, Ecuador
  • 23. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
  • 24. University of Cape Town
  • 25. University of Concepción
  • 26. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
  • 27. National Institute of Oceanography, India
  • 28. Subdivision Environment, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Namibia
  • 29. Instituto Nacional de Desenvolvimento das Pescas (INDP), Cape Verde
  • 30. Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Description

Author(s): Garcon, V; Karstensen, J; Palacz, A; Telszewski, M; Aparco Lara, T; Breitburg, D; Chavez, F; Coelho, P; Cornejo-D'Ottone, M; Santos, C; Fiedler, B; Gallo, ND; Gregoire, M; Gutierrez, D; Hernandez-Ayon, M; Isensee, K; Koslow, T; Levin, L; Marsac, F; Maske, H; Mbaye, BC; Montes, I; Naqvi, W; Pearlman, J; Pinto, E; Pitcher, G; Pizarro, O; Rose, K; Shenoy, D; Van der Plas, A; Vito, MR; Weng, K | Abstract: Multidisciplinary ocean observing activities provide critical ocean information to satisfy ever-changing socioeconomic needs and require coordinated implementation. The upper oxycline (transition between high and low oxygen waters) is fundamentally important for the ecosystem structure and can be a useful proxy for multiple observing objectives connected to eastern boundary systems (EBSs) that neighbor oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The variability of the oxycline and its impact on the ecosystem (VOICE) initiative demonstrates how societal benefits drive the need for integration and optimization of biological, biogeochemical, and physical components of regional ocean observing related to EBS. In liaison with the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, VOICE creates a roadmap toward observation-model syntheses for a comprehensive understanding of selected oxycline-dependent objectives. Local to global effects, such as habitat compression or deoxygenation trends, prompt for comprehensive observing of the oxycline on various space and time scales, and for an increased awareness of its impact on ecosystem services. Building on the Framework for Ocean Observing (FOO), we present a first readiness level assessment for ocean observing of the oxycline in EBS. This was to determine current ocean observing design and future needs in EBS regions (e.g., the California Current System, the Equatorial Eastern Pacific off Ecuador, the Peru–Chile Current system, the Northern Benguela off Namibia, etc.) building on the FOO strategy. We choose regional champions to assess the ocean observing design elements proposed in the FOO, namely, requirement processes, coordination of observational elements, and data management and information products and the related best practices. The readiness level for the FOO elements was derived for each EBS through a similar and very general ad hoc questionnaire. Despite some weaknesses in the questionnaire design and its completion, an assessment was achievable. We found that fisheries and ecosystem management are a societal requirement for all regions, but maturity levels of observational elements and data management and information products differ substantially. Identification of relevant stakeholders, developing strategies for readiness level improvements, and building and sustaining infrastructure capacity to implement these strategies are fundamental milestones for the VOICE initiative over the next 2–5 years and beyond.
Enabled by The Lens

Open Access

Licence Attribution (CC BY)
Publisher Website Access full text