Ocean Climate Change and Marine Biota

Eastern boundary upwelling regions are among the most productive parts of the ocean. Many of the processes responsible for this productivity are present in the area over the Juan de Fuca plate. It also includes the transition between sub-tropical and sub-arctic ecosystems, an area that is sensitive to changes in ocean climate. This region plays an important role in the dynamics of several important fish stocks, including Pacific salmon. An array of upward-looking sensors and vertical profilers linked along the NEPTUNE network could provide a synoptic view of internal ocean conditions and their variations on decadal scales which would otherwise be impossible to gather. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) based at the NEPTUNE observatories could conduct regular surveys and would have the ability to respond to specific events. Through acoustic and optical sensors NEPTUNE could provide a real-time window on biological processes, from zooplankton abundance to tracking and assessment of commercial pelagic fish. Weather buoys and other weather observing systems could also be linked to shore via NEPTUNE.

Science Themes

• “Plate Tectonic Process and Earthquake Dynamics”

• “Seabed Fluid Dynamics and Gas Hydrates”

• “Ocean Climate Change and Marine Biota”

• “Deep Sea Biodiversity and Ecosystems”