Affiliated programs:
Acronym: IMBER
URL: Program Web Site
URL: Data
Start date: 2001
End date:
Geolocation: global

Description:

IMBER is an IGBP-SCOR project focusing on ocean biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. The IMBER vision is to provide a comprehensive understanding of, and accurate predictive capacity for, ocean responses to accelerating global change and the consequent effects on the Earth System and human society.

IMBER research will seek to identify the mechanisms by which marine life influences marine biogeochemical cycles, and how these, in turn, influence marine ecosystems. Central to the IMBER goal is the development of a predictive understanding of how marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems respond to complex forcings, such as large-scale climatic variations, changing physical dynamics, carbon cycle chemistry and nutrient fluxes, and the impacts of marine harvesting. Changes in marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems due to global change will also have consequences for the broader Earth System. An even greater challenge will be drawing together the natural and social science communities to study some of the key impacts and feedbacks between the marine and human systems.

To address the IMBER goal, four scientific themes, each including several issues, have been identified for the IMBER project.

• Theme 1. Interactions between Biogeochemical Cycles and Marine Food Webs
• Theme 2. Sensitivity to Global Change: How will key marine biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems and their interactions, respond to global change?
• Theme 3. Feedabck to the Earth System: What are the roles of the ocean biogeochemistry and ecosystems in regulating climate?
• Theme 4. Responses of Society: What are the relationships between marine biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems, and the human system?

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More information about program: Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research
Funding
People associated with Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research
Projects associated with Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research