Society, Ecosystems and Change: SEAChange
SEAChange is a successor to the Sea and Coast II Programme.
1. Introduction
Science in the marine and coastal environment in South Africa is at a critical stage, with greater demands than ever for scientific advice within a globally changing scientific environment in which the ecosystem effects of human endeavours have become a strong focus. Economic and social imperatives are increasingly coming to the fore indicating the need for scientific knowledge to balance societal needs with sustainability.
The South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) has been intensely involved in marine research and management for over thirty years and has a proud record of addressing the country's needs including the development of two phases of the national Sea and Coast Programme, which has maintained South Africa at the global forefront of marine science.
These earlier phases have been objectively evaluated by independent international review panels and have been considered outstanding in terms of the quality of research and the training they have provided. An exceptional number of postgraduate students has been produced, many of whom are now playing a leading role nationally and internationally. The programme has also been outstanding in its record of transformation and has a strong legacy of leadership in marine science.
It must however, be recognized that marine science in South Africa is in crisis. Several departments have been closed and many vacant posts remained unfilled. Access to ships' time and research equipment has declined, hampering research. There is a continuing loss of skills and the number of publications on marine science has dropped.
In addition to this, it has been recognized that in line with national and international trends there is a need for more integrated research and the broadening of the research focus in the marine and coastal environment to include the social sciences, economics, law and humanities.
Against this backdrop of opportunities, challenges and crisis, SANCOR is now in the process of developing a third phase of the Sea and Coast Programme, which will be called SEAChange (Society, Ecosystems and Change), reflecting a) the important place of humans in the dynamic marine ecosystem, b) the need to shift to an ecosystem-based approach to management and c) the fact that both natural environments and societal processes are changing at an unprecedented rate.
Excellence in science will underpin the programme, which has been designed to assist South Africa to position itself strategically within Africa and the rest of the world and to fulfill its own needs as an emerging nation. The geographic location of South Africa further elevates it to a unique position to be at the forefront of research on early-warning systems and biodiversity protection. Recognizing that science in the marine and coastal environment is a domain that cuts across multiple disciplines, the programme was constructed in a democratic manner by the broader marine science community, including researchers, managers, social scientists, economists, educationists and legal experts. The knowledge generated will meet the national mandate of science and technology for economic growth.
This new programme takes cognizance of the new challenges, including the need for multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary training, transformation and dissemination of information, the loss of skilled scientists, the changing face of the employment market and global climate change. South Africa is falling behind in its ability to meet these challenges and hence to plan for or react to them.
This threatens not only the safety and security of individuals but the nation's optimal use of the sea. SEAChange will play a pivotal role in strengthening scientific capacity, and the programme emphasizes the need to build on a basis of cutting-edge innovative research in the marine and coastal environment that is relevant to society.
2. Guiding Principles
The SEAChange Programme has been designed with the following set of guiding principles in mind:
- Emphasis on high quality research.
- An appropriate balance between fundamental science and applied science.
- Greater cohesion and a more directed strategy than the Sea and Coast II Programme, with a limited number of umbrella themes.
- Inclusiveness, allowing opportunity for as wide a range of marine research as possible.
- A 'big-science' approach. Space is available for individual projects, but there is also provision for large, cohesive projects.
- Creative thought, both in terms of developing a fresh and innovative programme and in the execution of the science.
- Provision for both natural and human sciences.
- Strategic positioning with regard to other national, regional and international programmes.
- Emphasis on training of postgraduate students from the level of honours to postdoctoral studies.
- Encouragement of research across biogeographic provinces of South Africa and collaborative research between South Africa and other countries.
3. Vision
To provide cutting-edge research to generate the necessary knowledge that will support management in achieving a healthy and productive marine and coastal environment for the benefit of all current and future South Africans.
4. Alignment with National Needs
SEAChange is aligned with and complementary to the objectives of relevant government agencies and NGOs. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South African National Parks (SANParks) and provincial conservation authorities all have common goals of promoting science for the benefit of human societies.
The World Wild Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are both developing marine programmes, strengthening the connection between conservation and human utilization, while the International Ocean Institute, Southern Africa (IOI-SA) promotes a people-centered approach to ocean science, management and governance. In addition there are several regional programmes encouraging research and management across national African boundaries including the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme (BCLME), Benguela Environment Fisheries Interaction & Training Programme (BENEFIT), the Agulhas Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme (ASCLME), African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project (SWIOFP) and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
All the above emphasize the need for studies of entire ecosystems, including human populations. Consideration also needs to be given to the potential impacts on ecosystem health of operations such as power stations, mining, coastal development and water extraction that affects estuaries. The NRF mandate specifically includes the training of students and the broadening of the knowledge fields. DEAT has a primary focus on the sustainable utilization of natural marine resources. The Department of Minerals and Energy controls mining and has a joint interest in managing mineral extraction and marine ecosystem health, and the interplay between mining and fishing industries.
The SEAChange Programme is also aligned with the research goals of national policies. The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the Convention on Biological Diversity and the National Water Act (1998) all stress the need to maintain healthy ecosystems for long term societal benefits. The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) provides the umbrella for all of these policies. The diagram below summarizes the objectives of national agencies and policies, which are congruent with the SEAChange programme as outlined in its objectives below (Section 6).
5. Alignment with International Programmes
Many international programmes have either developed or recently changed emphasis to focus on climate change and variability, social needs, and ecosystems. Examples include International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) together with its regional alliances, DIVERSITAS, International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP), World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC) and Global Change, Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Society in Africa (GCBESA). The SEAChange Programme has the same underlying philosophies as these international programmes. Therefore, the research generated under this programme will provide support to these international initiatives and will raise the status of South Africa's contribution to them.
6. Objectives of SEAChange
- Knowledge generation - the programme will place emphasis on the generation of new cutting-edge knowledge, including rigorous experimental approaches and new interpretations derived from synthesis and analysis of existing information, and will encourage networking and collaboration.
- Human resource and capacity building - an integral part of the programme must be the training of staff and students, with the aims of (1) producing highly skilled scientists, technicians, managers, communicators, educators and entrepreneurs and (2) redressing the imbalance in equity in terms of race and gender.
- Multidisciplinarity/interdisciplinarity - the programme will allow for narrowly focused projects but will promote a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach across the entire programme. In particular the incorporation of research on social science, law, economics, indigenous knowledge and compliance will be encouraged in order to better understand the links between natural and human systems and to better serve the needs of society.
- Knowledge transfer - the programme must (1) publish results in the scientific literature and (2) publicize the results to management, industry, educators, policy developers, general public and others who may benefit from them.
- New technologies - the programme will support research towards the development of new technologies based on living marine resources (bio-prospecting, genetics, mariculture, operational oceanography, etc.).
It is recognized that not all individual projects will be able to meet all of the objectives but the programme as a whole must fulfill these objectives so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It is obligatory for the grant holders of each project to publish in the scientific literature. Popularisation of the research should also occur through publication in the popular literature or other outreach activities.
7. Research Scope of SEAChange
For the purposes of this programme, the definition of an ecosystem is deliberately wide, ranging from very large-scale entities (LME-scale) to very small (habitat-level, such as rocky shore, sandy beach, continental shelf, etc).
The structure provided in this document is intended to describe the thinking behind the programme, rather than 'packaging' the research. Projects will not necessarily be expected to fit within only one programme theme, but may span two or more themes. The theme or themes which a project proposal will address will be dependent on the question(s) being asked and the scientific emphasis of the project.
The structure of the programme is based on examples that provide guidance, and is not comprehensive in terms of research scope or directions. It does not preclude consideration of research directions that are not specifically mentioned.
Four themes have been proposed for the SEAChange Programme, three of which embrace ecosystems as the central focus. The first theme, Ecosystems and Change, is concerned with changes in marine ecosystems over space and time, including long range forecasting, and the physical and biological explanations for changes such as extreme marine events, harmful algal blooms, low-oxygen events and Benguela Niños. The second theme, Ecosystems and Society, emphasizes the interactions between natural ecosystems (and parts thereof) and human societies. The third theme, Ecosystem Functioning, concentrates on explaining the fundamental structure and functioning of ecosystems and the factors that influence the dynamics of these systems. The final theme is Marine Biotechnology, supporting research towards the development of new products and processes involving marine organisms.
THEME: ECOSYSTEMS & CHANGE
Temporal and spatial changes in marine ecosystems, including climate change and variability, biogeographic studies, etc. |
Documenting change |
Drivers of change |
Effects of change |
There is a recognized need to develop capacity to document change. The following are examples of the types of research which would document change:
Biology and effects of invasions Ecosystem health Changes in ecosystem states Ecosystem variability Changes in species distribution, range extensions Indicators of change, including top predators Past changes - long-term geological Harmful Algal Blooms Uncertainty and risk Baseline studies Low Oxygen events Physical processes - Sea level, shoreline change, etc. Observation science, including amalgamation, assimilation and analysis of long-term data, and new methodologies for the analysis of long-term data Changes in UV radiation and its effects on organisms and ecosystems
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Three major drivers of change are recognized. These include natural change, climate change, and change as a result of direct human intervention (such as resource extraction, invasions, pollution, coastal engineering, etc.). The following are envisaged as examples of such research:
Seeking correlates and causes of biological and physical change Relationships between physical and biological change Uncertainty and risk Linkages between marine and terrestrial systems Linkages with hydrology and change, and hydrogeographical links Human dimensions of ocean and coastal change (as driver and as change management, context, recipient) Changes in UV radiation and its effects on organisms and ecosystems Marine-coastal interface, including the estuarine interface
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Some examples of research related to the effects of change include:
Ecosystem resistance, stability, resilience, and thresholds to these Change management (also forms a component within the Ecosystems & Society theme) Implications for, and feedbacks to, international agreements Ecosystem health Changes in ecosystem states Ecosystem effects of fishing Predictive capability and modeling (physical processes, biological processes, linkages with human systems, etc.) Harmful Algal Blooms Linkages between marine and terrestrial systems Marine-coastal interface, including the estuarine interface Linkages with hydrology and change, and hydrogeographical links Ocean-atmosphere-land interactions and linkages Human dimensions of ocean and coastal change (as driver, context, recipient) Ecotoxicology & marine pollution studies Changes in UV radiation and its effects on organisms and ecosystems Prediction around compounded effects of drivers of change, eg. of climate change on invasions
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ECOSYSTEMS & SOCIETY
Interactions between ecosystems (and their components) and societal processes, including human activities and development in the coastal environment, such as tourism and marine aquaculture, governance and compliance etc.
This programme theme should consider interactions between ecosystems and society in both directions, i.e. societal influences on marine and coastal environments, and influences of these environments and happenings therein on society. Research within this theme must have a direct link with the ocean or coastal environment. |
Documenting the interactions |
Understanding the interactions |
Managing the interactions |
People dynamics affecting ecosystems/ Impact of people on ecosystems land-based sources of marine pollution, especially stormwater impacts of improved technology Coastal developments - monopolization of the coastline, inappropriate engineering, pollution Infrastructure development (increased shipping, inappropriate engineering, etc.) Marine natural hazards, extreme natural events Tourism interactions with the ecosystem and society - positive and negative
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Impact of lack of natural resources, lack of access, etc. on society Values placed on ecosystems and resources, in economic and other terms Disentangling direct anthropogenic change from larger-scale change Poverty, coastal livelihoods, population health Common-property resources
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Impact of environmental policies and political decisions on ecosystems and on society Role of education and awareness programmes in promoting responsible interactions with the environment Co-management systems, community involvement in management Allocation of rights Tenure regimes Disentangling direct anthropogenic change from larger-scale change Compliance - fisheries and other Risk management (including from pollution, marine natural hazards, etc.), contingency planning Sustainability research Common-property resources Transfer of knowledge generated
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ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING
Ecosystem structure and functioning, and factors influencing ecosystem dynamics, including biodiversity, conservation, ecology, etc. |
Definition and delimitation |
Ecosystem processes |
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Definition and delimitation of the physical environment
Recruitment patterns and processs Defining bioregions, ocean provinces, regional and geographic definition Seabed mapping Near-shore oceanography (physical and biological oceanography) Chemical oceanography Mapping biotopes (eg. reefs, seamounts, etc.)
Composition of the biota
Biodiversity Taxonomy & systematics Species delimitation and genetic boundaries Assemblage structure Ecological interactions Offshore and deep-sea biota (from 30m depth) Taxonomic gaps (particularly small, deep-sea, microbial) Taxonomy of larval stages Fish taxonomy (in light of fish taxonomists retiring and leaving the system) Microbial ecology
Organization of the ecosystem
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Physical
Waves Wind Tides Currents Rivers Temperature Turbidity Upwelling Near-shore oceanography (physical and biological oceanography) Land-sea interactions, eg. freshwater requirements of marine environments, etc.
Geological
Sedimentary composition Sediment transport Rock type Geological history
Chemical
Biological
Dispersal and recruitment Migration and movement patterns Seasonal cycles Productivity Eco-physiology Larval-adult linkages/ relationships Species interactions (predation, competition, etc.) Evolutionary responses and studies Processes driving biogeographic and genetic patterns Eco-physiology Evolutionary responses and studies
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MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
Research towards the development of innovative processes and products involving marine organisms. Some examples of research within six subject areas are provided. |
Marine Aquaculture |
Genomics, Proteomics and Metabolomics |
Marine Bioactive Compounds and Bioproducts |
Genomics Genetics Diseases Transgenics Nutrition and sustainable feeds Microbiological interactions and applications Improved performance & sustainability in marine aquaculture New organisms Developmental biology & processes Bioremediation
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Developmental biology (larval development, etc.) Molecular biology and biotechnology Cell culturing Biomarkers & biosensors (stress responses, etc.)
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Marine Bio-energy |
Oceans and Human Health |
Social and Policy Issues in Marine Biotechnology |
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Bioremediation Harmful algal blooms Endocrine disrupters (e.g. hormone inputs, etc.) Food safety (contamination, etc.) Heavy metal contamination Human nutrition - new products and improvements, promoting consumption of sustainable marine products, etc.
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Ethics Introduction of alien species GMOs and related societal issues Access rights and issues and benefit sharing arrangements Environmental rights Bio-piracy
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8. Programme Management
The SEAChange Programme management structure has been developed to address criticisms leveled at the Sea and Coast II programme in terms of poor co-ordination amongst projects. It has been designed to achieve co-ordination without overloading individuals with committee work.
- Programme Management Committee
A Programme Management Committee (PMC) will be elected by the SANCOR Forum to oversee the entire programme. It was agreed that the PMC would not be the SANCOR Steering Committee although it might include members of that committee. The PMC would have five functions, (1) co-ordination that will ensure programme cohesion (2) allocating the proposals to the relevant themes and (3) help select reviewers for the peer review process, (4) develop terms of reference for the programme assessment and evaluation and (5) ensure that information regularly gets to appropriate audiences through the most effective channels. The PMC will be composed of a minimum of six and a maximum of eight individuals. These will include:
- One representative elected by each of the four Working Groups
- One representative elected from the SANCOR Steering Committee
- The Chair of the SANCOR Forum (this is an elected position)
- A maximum of two additional members co-opted by the PMC in order to ensure due representation (see below).
Guidelines for the composition of the PMC are that it must be multidisciplinary, and inter-regional, and allow for both continuity and turnover. In particular, the PMC must include at least one member representing the social sciences, humanities and law.
The PMC will elect a Chair from within this group. The PMC activities will be covered by SANCOR running expenses.
b. NRF Advisory Review Panel
The NRF Advisory Review Panel will decide on the fundability of proposals. As a prerequisite proposals must be of sufficient scientific merit and this is assessed by independent peer review and panel discussions. Proposals are further considered by the panel in terms of their contribution to human resource capacity development, equity and redress, and the strategic objectives of the programme. The Advisory Review Panel will be appointed by the NRF but will include representative members of the PMC.
c. Working Groups
Each theme will have a working group that will meet annually to discuss research directions, facilitate co-ordination of research proposals submitted to the programme, provide a forum for the sharing of ideas, encourage collaboration both within and across disciplines, and examine the scientific accomplishments of the suite of projects within that theme. Four workshops (one per theme) will be funded by the NRF to initiate the process. An elected representative from each Working Group will be elected annually to serve on the PMC. Membership of the Working Groups will not be restricted to NRF grant-holders, but will be open to the wider scientific community undertaking research in the marine and coastal environment. However, grant-holders' participating in the Working Groups may be funded through their grants, and allowance should be made for this when applying for funding through the SEAChange programme.
d. Overlap of programmes
When SEAChange is initiated in 2007 some current recipients of grants will still be receiving funding under the Sea and Coast II Programme. Researchers in this situation may elect to (1) continue their funding within the Sea and Coast II Programme for the duration of the cycle it was awarded, (2) transfer their projects to the new SEAChange programme or (3) terminate their current project and submit a fresh proposal under the SEAChange programme.
9. Programme Assessment and Evaluation
Annual grant holder reports will be submitted to the NRF as a condition of continued funding, and communicated to DEAT annually as part of the Joint Venture Agreement. A mid-term review will take place to assess the achievements of each theme and the programme as a whole to determine if progress is on track and whether any gaps have been identified. At the end of the programme a final review by SANCOR based on annual reports will be used to summarize the programme and to provide feedback to the participants. Every project must publish its research results in the scientific literature and convey these findings to a wider public audience through popular media (magazine articles, videos, radio or television) or other public outreach activities. The South African Marine Science Symposium (SAMSS) will be used as a vehicle to report to the wider community on what is happening in the programme and in individual projects. The mid-term and the end-of-term reviews will take place at SAMSS in 2008 and 2011 respectively. The mid-term review should be undertaken by the PMC but the end-of-term review must involve independent reviewers who examine the programme holistically and are supplied with firm terms of reference to evaluate the programme. These terms of reference will be drafted by the PMC.
10. Conclusion
The SEAChange Programme will co-ordinate science in the marine and coastal environment in a manner that allows a balance between fundamental and applied science. The programme has been constructed around four themes, each of which has been identified on the basis of national needs and the potential to build on existing strengths, move marine science forward in new directions, and broaden the knowledge fields in the domain of the marine and coastal environment. Development of the programme has involved a fully consultative and democratic process, and represents the combined vision of the South African marine science community and the investors. The programme is deliberately broad to allow participation of a wide range of disciplines while being focused specifically on society, ecosystems and change.
Manager
Jonathan Diederiks
Director: Global Change Unit
Knowledge Fields Development
National Research Foundation
Tel: +27 (0) 12 481 4104
