Marine biodiversity loss, fishing, and climate change
Also in “ Scientific meeting”
Discussion meeting organised by Professor Richard Sanders, Professor Alex Poulton, Professor Stephanie Henson, Dr Emma Cavan, and Professor Allessandro Tagliabue.
The twin crises of biodiversity loss and rapid climate change are often considered as inextricably linked, a perspective largely developed based on terrestrial systems. In the ocean this linkage has been largely overlooked and this meeting will address this gap to recognise the role of ocean biodiversity loss in regulating climate and delivering food security.
Poster session
There will be a poster session on Monday 08 December. If you would like to present a poster, please submit your proposed title, abstract (up to 200 words), author list, and the name of the proposed presenter and institution to the Scientific Programmes team. Acceptances may be made on a rolling basis so we recommend submitting as soon as possible in case the session becomes full. Submissions made within one month of the meeting may not be included in the programme booklet.
Attending the event
This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields.
- Free to attend
- Both virtual and in-person attendance is available. Advance registration is essential.
- Lunch is available on both days of the meeting for an optional £25 per day. There are plenty of places to eat nearby if you would prefer to purchase food offsite. Participants are welcome to bring their own lunch to the meeting.
Enquiries: Scientific Programmes team.
Organisers
Schedule
| 14:15-14:45 |
Warming-driven shifts in North Atlantic plankton
The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey provides the longest and most spatially extensive plankton time-series in the North Atlantic, essential for detecting long-term biodiversity changes. Using CPR data from the Labrador Sea and North-West Atlantic, we show that since the 1980s, warming has driven increased diatom abundance at higher latitudes, where enhanced stratification and a weakened Labrador Current have reduced light limitation. Meanwhile, diatom abundance has declined in subtropical regions due to intensified nutrient limitation. Ecological niche models suggest this trend may soon reverse, with nutrient constraints increasingly outweighing light availability, leading to an overall decline in diatoms and a shift towards more elongated taxa and dinoflagellates, signalling a potential tipping point toward reduced productivity and carbon export in the Subpolar Gyre (SPG). These findings highlight how shifts in plankton communities could cascade through marine ecosystems, affecting food webs and carbon cycling, given varying carbon export efficiencies among species. Long-term datasets provided by the CPR alongside enhanced measurements, remain vital for tracking these dynamics, improving our ability to predict and respond to emerging biophysical shifts in the ocean. 
Dr Clare OstleThe Marine Biological Association, UK
Dr Clare OstleThe Marine Biological Association, UK Clare specialises in marine biogeochemistry, data integration, and analysis, particularly exploring the impact of plankton communities on the marine carbonate system. Her PhD at the University of East Anglia investigated the influence of plankton activity and abundance on carbon dioxide flux variability in the North Atlantic. Clare has worked with CPR data since her undergraduate studies at Swansea University, where she analysed copepod abundance and distribution in relation to temperature. She also has experience estimating net community production using oxygen optodes on volunteer ships and is interested in instrument development and sampling enhancements for the CPR. Clare has contributed to synthesis reports on topics including ecological indicators for European marine policy, ocean warming, acidification, and marine plastics. In 2020, she became the coordinator of the Pacific CPR survey, and in 2024, she was appointed Chair of the Global Alliance of CPR Surveys (GACS). |
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