Your underwater journey is just getting started… you’ll find out why the ocean is so important in the fight against climate change.
The Convex Seascape Survey is an ambitious research programme providing critical data and insight on what the world needs in order to fully incorporate the ocean into policy efforts to slow climate change. It builds on two successful, high-profile science programmes that have found incontrovertible evidence that climate change is already causing major disruption: The Catlin Arctic Survey highlighted the alarming thinning of Arctic sea ice, and The Catlin Seaview Survey showed serious, widespread degradation and decline of the world’s coral reefs in the face of global warming.
Our cross-sector partnership has been fundamental to realising the interdisciplinary depth, global reach and resources needed to carry out this important work. Our international team brings expertise from many different fields (marine ecology, oceanography, geology, history, satellite telemetry, environmental science, cartography, chemical and molecular analysis, and Earth system modelling) enabling the project to cross boundaries between disciplines and gain unique insights. We see this as a vital approach, given the interconnected nature of the seascape.
Read on to learn more about the Convex Seascape Survey, or visit our virtual experience here.
In Millport, laboratory mesocosm experiments are used to quantify bioturbation for different benthic species and study the associated effects on carbon capture and burial. In the South Arran Marine Protected Area a sampling campaign compares marine life recovery and carbon storage with areas outside which are subject to bottom fishing.
In the Western Irish Sea mud belt, aboard research vessel Celtic Explorer, sediment coring and sub-bottom profiling was conducted. Samples undergo grain size and carbon content analysis and will be used to test and validate predications from the hydrodynamic model which predicts past and present extent of continental shelf muds.
A sampling campaign in a cable protection zone and outside in areas subject to trawling and dredging. Methods include Baited-remote underwater video, Remotely operated vehicles, sediment grabs and cores collected via scuba. Additionally, more than 60 vibrocores and multicores were retrieved, for carbon content and environmental DNA analysis to measure the relation proportion of carbon inputs to the seabed.
The team will be joining a research cruise to Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality in Canada, where scientists will be studying the important role that small invertebrates play in seabed carbon storage. They’ll be sampling the benthic zone for these creatures before moving them into laboratory mesocosm experiments to monitor the way they mix sediment through a process called bioturbation.
Research is underway in a wide range of places, so we can extrapolate observations and measurements from particular sites to regional and global scales.
Across major ocean biomes, from the tropics to the poles, our regions of interest include: Patagonia, Indonesia, South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Jersey, Scotland, and the Antarctic.
Officially initiated in April 2022, the five-year Convex Seascape Survey has grown at pace and built momentum in delivery of both science and communications.
Official project start and project team onboarded.
The education and digitial partners were onboarded and the online platforms were launched (website and social media).
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at international climate change conference.
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at sustainable ocean economy conference.
Two live lessons broadcast on YouTube "Women on the frontiers of climate science" and "Seabed Safari".
Two live lessons broadcast on YouTube "How do we know about climate change" and "How to teach the carbon cycle".
In Millport, laboratory mesocosm experiments are used to quantify bioturbation for different benthic species and study the associated effects on carbon capture and burial.
Live lesson broadcast on YouTube "Whales, carbon and climate".
Launch of augmented reality (AR) filter
Resident artist Naomi Hart's Sea Mud Magic Art Trail in Exeter
In the South Arran Marine Protected Area a sampling campaign compares marine life recovery and carbon storage with areas outside which are subject to bottom fishing.
Project presentation and evening event for members of the public.
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at international climate change conference.
Live lesson broadcast on YouTube "COP28 Review Q&A".
Short film released on Youtube "The first ever study on Arran's seafloor carbon"
Artist in residence Naomi Hart led projected linked art workshops with refugees throughout Exeter and co-produced an artowrk named Seabed - a bedspread about the bed of the sea.
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at sustainabile ocean ecomonmy conference.
Two live lessons broadcast on YouTube "Time to heal the sea" and "Time to rewild the ocean".
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at sustainable ocean management conference.
An experiment measuring the impact of trawling on buried seabed carbon to quantify how much is resuspended as a result of disturbance.
Public outreach event at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI), raising awareness of the project.
A sampling campaign in a cable protection zone and outside in areas subject to trawling and dredging. Additionally, more than 60 vibrocores and multicores were retrieved, for carbon content and environmental DNA analysis to measure the relation proportion of carbon inputs to the seabed.
Launch of project inspired artwork '7.83 Hertz' by world renowned light artist Chris Levine for World Ocean Day. The piece uses cutting edge laser technologies to shine a light on the importance of seascape carbon.
Launch of the second year of the education programme, with new resources going live on the EncoutnerEdu site.
