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.
For the Fladen Ground case study on carbon accumulation in the North Sea, age-depth modelling of seabed sediments is carried out and sediment cores are analysed for grain size and total organic carbon.
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 launched in April 2022, the Convex Seascape Survey has now spent three years building understanding of the properties and potential of sediment carbon. Check out the timeline below for the highlights to date.
Convex Seascape Survey scientists take samples in Canada's Saguenay Fjord to understand the role of individual seabed species, and combinations of species, on carbon sequestration and burial.
Fieldwork takes place in Plymouth, UK, to better understand the extent to which trawling affects sediment carbon stores.
Our new animation explains how scientists use environmental DNA and carbon dating techniques to trace how carbon storage in the seafloor has changed over time.
University of Exeter academics presented on cross-shelf carbon flows at the European Space Agency Living Planet Symposium in Austria.
At UNOC, Rachel Delhaise and Prof Callum Roberts joined a panel convened by the Economist, where they highlighted how open-source scientific data could inform ocean regeneration and underpin the growth of blue finance. Later in the week, the Convex Seascape Survey team also hosted an event to explore how finance and robust science can unlock ocean protection.
We had a strong presence at One Ocean Science Congress in Nice, France. The team gave two presentations on our work, displayed four posters in the Blue Zone, and joined the townhall session on Blue Carbon in the Global Ocean.
Members of the academic team investigating the impact of human activities on seabed carbon stores ran a session at the Working Group on Fish Technology and Fish Behaviour (WGFTFB) annual meeting in Italy. They hoped the session would reduce uncertainty regarding the global fishing gear footprint.
Artists in resident, Naomi Hart, displays some of her benthic invertebrates inspired work at the 'See, Here, Now - art in a time of urgency' exhibition at Grizedale Forest Gallery in the Lake District.
Members of the academic team presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Austria, with seascape carbon researchers convening a special session looking at the natural dynamics and human disturbances affecting blue carbon stores.
Our new key stage one teaching resource takes young learners on a journey through the ocean, exploring marine habitats, animals, and the connection between humans and the sea.
The project team headed to University of Exeter campuses in Devon and Cornwall to hear about upcoming papers, plan future communications strategy, and capture content.
During British Science Week we host two live lessons; helping younger students discover the role of great whales in the biological carbon pump, and unlocking the secrets of environment DNA with older learners.
Convex host a day of educational fun at their offices. Armed with our ocean knowledge and our best sticking and gluing skills, we explained the important link between great whales (and their poo!) and sediment carbon.
Professor Gideon Henderson, Defra Chief Scientific Advisor, visited our teams at Exeter University to learn more about the project.
A team from King Abdullah University of Technology headed to the Antarctic to understand the role of great whales in carbon storage.
Dr Torsa Sengupta, Postdoctoral Research Associate, led school workshops in West Bengal, India, using our educational resources.
We visited the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand, where we took sediment cores and used BRUVs, ROVs and grab samples to understand carbon accumulation and the effect of protection on carbon stores.
We joined 7-11 year olds from two schools in Enfield, London, for a fun day of climate learning. The students heard from real-life Convex Seascape Survey scientist Dr Zoe Roseby and learnt about four seabed hero species which bury carbon in the sediment; brittle stars, sea potatoes, catworms, and cockles.
Out key stage two Ocean Heroes resource wins the 'Best Free Primary Resource' category at the 2024 Teach Awards.
Our live lesson helped learners to understand how science and international cooperation work together to affect policy and address climate change.
We attended COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to lend our voice to the call for greater ocean protection.
Our showcase event at Fishmongers Hall in London shared our progress to date and onward plans with key project supporters..
The Convex Seascape Survey received the certificate of merit for 'most influential use of social and immersive media' at the 28th Annual Maritime Media Awards. The certificate acknowledged our virtual journey through the seascape carbon system, developed in partnership with Unseen Studios.
University of Exeter academics met for an intense multi-day writing workshop to write up results and progress new papers.
Artist in residence, Naomi Hart, displayed innovative paintings of benthic invertebrates at Exeter University and Falmouth Art Gallery..
The second part of our Jersey sampling campaign took place to understand the inputs into carbon sediment stores and the effects of protection on these habitats.
Launch of the second year of the education programme, with new resources going live on the EncoutnerEdu site.
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.
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.
Presentations to the Convex board and Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at sustainable ocean management 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 sustainabile ocean ecomonmy conference.
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.
Short film released on Youtube "The first ever study on Arran's seafloor carbon"
Live lesson broadcast on YouTube "COP28 Review Q&A".
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at international climate change conference.
Project presentation and evening event for members of the public.
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.
Resident artist Naomi Hart's Sea Mud Magic Art Trail in Exeter
Launch of augmented reality (AR) experience
Live lesson broadcast on YouTube "Whales, carbon and climate".
In Millport, laboratory mesocosm experiments are used to quantify bioturbation for different benthic species and study the associated effects on carbon capture and burial.
Two live lessons broadcast on YouTube "How do we know about climate change" and "How to teach the carbon cycle".
Two live lessons broadcast on YouTube "Women on the frontiers of climate science" and "Seabed Safari".
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at sustainable ocean economy conference.
Project presented to policymakers and ocean stakeholders at international climate change conference.
The education and digitial partners were onboarded and the online platforms were launched (website and social media).
Official project start and project team onboarded.
