REPORT BY VERE SHANNON ON THE 25^th GENERAL MEETING OF

SCOR, WASHINGTON, DC: 10-13 OCTOBER 2000

It was evident from the report of the President (John Field) that SCOR has been very active over the past year, in for example:

The report of the Nominations Committee (which was chaired by the Past President, Nick McCave) was presented and the proposals accepted by acclamation. The new Executive Committee is as follows:

Robert (Bob) Duce (USA): President

Julie Hall (New Zealand): Secretary

Wolfgang Fennel (Germany): Vice President

Roberto Purini (Italy): Vice President

Shizuo Tsunogai (Japan): Vice President

John Field (South Africa): Past President

Plus ex officio the Executive Director and the Presidents of IAPSO, IAMAS, IABO and IUGS (or their nominees). Further members may be co-opted – I gather that Cintia Piccolo (Argentina) was co-opted subsequent to the meeting for a further term (she will develop the "Bellagio" initiative on regional graduate schools of oceanography in developing countries) and also that Laurent Labeyrie (France) was co-opted to represent Marine Geoscience and Paleo-Oceanography on the Executive.

* WG101: Influence of Sea State on Atmospheric Drag Coefficient. Report is to be published by Cambridge University Press (now in press).

* WG102: Comparative Salinity and Density of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Basins (Report reviewed and accepted for publication in Deep Sea Research).

* WG103: The Role of Wave Breaking on Upper Ocean Dynamics (started in 1993). There has been a further delay and the manuscript is not ready yet, but will be by 2001.

* WG105: The Impacts of World Fishing Harvest on the Stability and Diversity of Marine Ecosystems. Final report was presented. The SCOR/IOC Symposium of the topic was held in Montpelier (France) in 1999 and papers were published in a special issue of the ICES Journal of Marine Science. There was interest in the work from all around the world. Follow up activities: Conclusions re monitoring ecosystems was presented to GOOS, and the general framework was accepted. South Africa expressed its appreciation for the excellent work done by the WG. Having fulfilled its function, WG105 was disbanded.

* WG106: Relative Sea Level and Muddy Coasts of the World. The work is nearly complete, but the publication of the report was delayed by a year due to the illness of the WG Chair– publication now scheduled for 2001

* WG107: Improved Global Bathymetry. Although the work is virtually complete, the final report on this important topic is still awaited. (I stressed to SCOR that WGs must meet deadlines in future, and in the case of WG107 the tasks must be finalised prior to SCOR 2001).

* WG108: Double Diffusion. This WG plans one further meeting (in April 2001) and a final report is expected in 2002.

* WG109: Biogeochemistry of Iron in Sea Water. This WG was established following a SCOR Symposium on the topic in 1998. A peer-reviewed book documenting the spectacular advances made by this WG is to be published in the IUPAC book series (John Wiley). The book will include results of the Southern Ocean iron fertilization experiment. A suite of papers on the topic has just been published in Nature (cf. Julie Hall). The final activity of WG109 will be the production of a handbook on iron analysis.

* WG110: Intercomparison and Validation of Ocean-Atmosphere Flux Fields. Established in 1997 by SCOR in partnership with WCRP this WG has done some excellent work. Its report will be edited by Peter Taylor (Co-Chair), following the final meeting to be held in May 2001. Sergey Gulev and Peter Taylor are to be congratulated for doing such a fine job, which is of particular relevance to IAPSO.

* WG111: Coupling Winds, Waves and Currents in Coastal Models. The WG has spent its time planning the Workshop scheduled to be held in 2001. The output from WG111 will be in the form of a definitive book.

* WG112: Magnitude of Submarine Groundwater Discharge and its Influence on Coastal Oceanographic Processes. This WG has close links with LOICZ and IOC. Good progress has been made by members of this very enthusiastic and active group. The WG has a very good website, which will be a good model for other SCOR WGs. It is likely that the work on this topic will continue beyond the life of a SCOR WG, cf. possible IAPSO/IAHS Commission.

* WG113: Evolution of the Asian Monsoon in Marine Records: Comparison between Indian and East-Asian Subsystems. The WG, which operates in partnership with IMAGES, will meet in Sapporo in September 2001.

* WG114: Transport and Reaction in Permeable Marine Sediments. Enthusiastic Co-Chairs, well-focussed group with an excellent Website, the WG has submitted an article outlining its progress to EOS. A second meeting is scheduled to take place in January 2001.

* WG115: Standards for the Survey and Analysis of Plankton. As this WG has only recently found a Chairman and is still to finalise membership, there is no progress of substance to report.

* WG116: Sediment Traps and Th-234 Methods for Carbon Export Flux Determination. This WG is just getting going, so there is nothing to report.

* WG117: Synthesis of Decadal to Millennial Climate Records of the Past 80K Years. (Co-sponsored by IMAGES). No details about membership, but the WG did hold a Workshop, from which a report will be published in EOS.

* WG118: New Technologies for Observing Marine Life. No report, but there has been progress since the appointment of David Farmer as Chair. There will be a meeting soon in Canada. The WG is well funded by the Sloan Foundation ($100000 over 3 years) and will meet again in 2001.

Five new WGs had been proposed to SCOR, and these were considered at the meeting. The South African National Committee for SCOR had assessed the merits of the proposed WGs and had submitted its consensus opinion to the Executive Director prior to the meeting. Similarly the IAPSO Executive had reviewed the new proposals prior to the meeting and the IAPSO representative (Vere Shannon) had synthesised these into consensus comments. During the discussion I wore two hats (SA & IAPSO) and presented both sets of consensus views to the best of my ability. (This was not always easy when at times the opinions diverged!). The SANC-SCOR comments were circulated in SA prior to the meeting and will not be repeated here, except where they differ from the IAPSO view. The IAPSO consensus views were only presented orally, so these are provided below for the sake of completeness, together with the SCOR meeting decision.

Quantitative Metrics for Marine Ecosystems from Environmental, Ecological and Fisheries Perspectives

The proposed WG was introduced by John Field (the SCOR Executive reporter for this proposal). He gave a superb overview of the problems and issues, and for the benefit of non-biologists, a lecture on basic principles of marine ecology! The latter proved most helpful for the subsequent discussion. (IAPSO members would have found this very useful).

This was a tricky one for me as the IAPSO and SA views differ. I pointed out my dilemma, noting that it was a South African proposal (and has the unanimous support of SANC-SCOR) drafted by a Frenchman, and that to make matters more complicated the L.J. Shannon listed as a potential member by Dr Cury was my daughter!

There was substantial discussion on this proposal. In general it was evident that there was strong support for the concept from a number of national committees. It was noted that the proposer (Dr Cury) is one of the most respected marine ecologists in the World, and that there were many individuals who would like to be involved in the work of this proposed WG. No overlap with GLOBEC was anticipated (complementary rather), but close links with GLOBEC were seen as important. The ecolabeling component was not liked as it was not viewed as relevant for a SCOR WG. Concern was expressed about the use of the term "metrics" in the title. A major criticism was that the proposal as written was too "top down" i.e. fisheries biased, and needed to be more "bottom up" i.e. fewer fisheries biologists and more biological oceanographers should be involved and the terrestrial ecological input strengthened. Brazil indicated its willingness to be represented on the WG.

SCOR Decision: The proposed new WG was accepted by SCOR, subject to revision (cf. discussion).

Marine Phytoplanakton and Global Climate Regulation: the Phaeocystis Species Cluster as a Model

IAPSO Comments: Consensus in IAPSO Exec. is to support this proposal. (IAPSO was more positive about this one than the other four proposals tabled).

Variability of Ocean-Atmosphere Fluxes

IAPSO Comments:

SCOR Decision: A revised proposal should be submitted after conclusion of WG110 (for consideration in 2001) for start-up in 2002.

Following on the symposium on this topic held in Lisbon in 1998 (Year of the Ocean) which was supported by SCOR (and IOC, WCRP plus 5 space agencies) and convened by Dave Halpern, a book containing 19 peer-reviewed contributions is being published by Elsevier.

Hugh Ducklow (JGOFS Chair) presented an overview of JGOFS – selected highlights and synthesis. Key elements were:

The Science Plan is under review. As it stands the SP is too long and requires severe editing (shortening) prior to publication.

Presentation was given by Manuel Barange, which showed that GLOBEC had made excellent progress during the past year.

Highlights:

I expressed SA’s appreciation of the progress made by GLOBEC which is clearly a strong and dynamic programme.

SOLAS :Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study

SOLAS is a new programme being developed jointly by SCOR-IGBP-WCRP. It has as its goal "To achieve quantitative understanding of the key biogeographical-physical interactions and feedbacks between the ocean and atmosphere, and of how this coupled system affects and is affected by climate and environmental change". SOLAS which is co-chaired by Bob Duce and Peter Liss, held an open-science meeting in Germany in February 2000. The meeting was well attended (250 scientists from 22 countries) and 12 countries now are developing national activities (SOUTH AFRICA-SANCOR – NOTE THIS PLEASE!). Subsequent to the meeting a draft science plan has been developed.

Bob Duce outlined the SP, following which Peter Burkill (SCOR Executive reporter for SOLAS) highlighted the comments on the SP received from reviewers appointed by SCOR. (I had been one of the reviewers for my sins). Overall the comments were very favourable and constructive. Following discussion the SOLAS SP was approved in draft by SCOR, and will be modified to take into account the reviewers’ comments prior to being submitted to IGBP and WCRP for their formal approval.

FOBGC :Future Directions in Ocean Biogeochemistry

A presentation on this IGBP-SCOR activity was made by Patrick Buat-Menard. The way forward was seen as follows:

The reports of ATOC, IMAGES, Inter Ridge, iAnZone, at IOCCG were presented and discussed. Continuation of all of these as SCOR APS was approved.

I highlighted the essential elements contained in the official IAPSO report for 1999/2000 submitted to SCOR (Doc.6.4), while Cintia Piccolo spoke about the joint IAPSO-IABO Assembly which is planned to take place in Argentina in October 2001 (2001 – An Ocean Odyssey : Mar del Plata, 21-28 October 2001). This symposium, for which SCOR is a co-sponsor, has been very well planned and the sessions are likely to be of considerable interest to a broad cross-section of physical, chemical and biological oceanographers. I informed the meeting that the President of IAPSO had been doing a sterling job in raising the scope, content and profile of IAPSO science, evidence of which can be seen in the 2001 Symposium Programme. Also good progress had been made towards the establishment of a prestigious IAPSO medal, which would become THE premier international award for excellence in physical/chemical oceanography.

I also pointed out that IAPSO would be participating in, and having symposia at, the IUGG General Assembly in Sapporo (Japan) in 2003, for which SCOR co-sponsorship would be requested next year. (PAOLA/FRED, NOTE).

An ad hoc WG to review this had been appointed, and the Chair, Nick McCave, reported back on its findings. The analysis had shown that there was a fair balance between disciplines in the SCOR WGs, Programmes, and Affiliated Programmes, although there were no activities in organic chemistry per se (cf. marine pollution). I made the point that although the balance in the WGs is OK, the Programmes (GEOHAB, JGOFS, GLOBEC) are strongly biological, and that I would like to see a higher profile from SCOR in key international physical oceanographic programmes, e.g. WCRP/CLIVAR, GOOS etc. Also in the more biological programmes, the physical scientists (who could make significant inputs) are under-represented, and the programmes are poorer as a result.

Some progress had been made since a workshop, funded by the Rockerfeller Foundation, and the Bellagio International Study Centre in 1998. At the SCOR GM, a small group was appointed and met during the week of 10-13 October 2000. Its Chair, Ian Jones, reported back on the last day of the meeting. (South Africa unfortunately could not be represented on the small ad hocgroup, but as SA had played a major role previously in the "Bellagio" initiative, this was not seen as a problem).

Relating to the Regional Graduate Schools of Oceanography (RGSO) matters highlighted by Ian Jones were as follows:

The task group proposals were:

John Field has more details on the above of relevance to South Africa, and I suggest that SANC for SCOR should, in partnership with NRF, shall continue to be involved in this important SCOR initiative. (We have much to offer by way of experience, e.g. BENEFIT, and potentially much to gain also).

Administration Matters : Date of Next Meeting

The usual suite of business items was addressed at the SCOR GM, and details can be gleaned from the official report on the meeting which will be published by SCOR later this year. Of immediate relevance is the DATE AND VENUE FOR THE NEXT SCOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.

VENUE: Mar del Plata, Argentina

DATE: 29-30 October 2001, viz immediately following the IAPSO-IABO 2001 Assembly.

I wish to acknowledge the excellent team work and advice provided by the members of the South African National Committee for SCOR and the members of the Executive Committee of IAPSO, which enabled me to contribute in a meaningful way to the SCOR GM. My participation in the meeting was made possible by funding provided by the National Research Foundation of South African and by IAPSO.

Vere Shannon

Cape Town, October 2000 (Report revised December 2000).