Measuring and predicting environmental change in the North Atlantic and adjacent coastal seas
SAMS has a core strength in quantifying and predicting variability of marine environments on timescales of days to centuries and on spatial scales from sea-lochs to ocean basins. These oceanic, shelf and coastal seas will experience considerable environmental change in the future and this will define options for the Blue Economy.
Predicted increases in the frequency of severe storms will damage infrastructure and impact our marine operations. Increased precipitation and associated nutrient run-off is linked to the development of harmful algal blooms and extreme deoxygenation events. Using state of the art robotic vehicles in conjunction with conventional ship, boat, diver and shore based field campaigns, we will develop a detailed predictive knowledge of changes in these natural ecosystems and their regional shifts in response to climate change. Outputs from these endeavours will inform and de-risk opportunities for blue growth.
