Alumni Association
Dr. Sonia Batten (Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science)
27 October 2011
Joint Research Project
Project title: Development of Global Marine Ecosystem Observation System using Continuous Plankton Recorders
Japanese Lead Scientist: Dr. Sanae Chiba, Marine Ecosystem Research Team, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
UK Counterpart: Dr. Sonia Batten, Pacific Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Project Co-ordinator, Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science
Project Duration: 2009 to 2011
North Atlantic - North Pacific comparison of long-term ecosystem change based on the international initiative of marine ecosystem monitoring
This project came about through Japan's involvement in the North Pacific Marine Science Organisations' Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Advisory Panel and a desire by Japanese member scientists from JAMSTEC and the National Fisheries Research Institute of Japan to become more closely involved. Dr Sanae Chiba approached the Pacific CPR survey coordinator, Dr Sonia Batten, in 2008 and subsequently submitted the proposal to JSPS to enable collaboration. Dr Batten's parent organisation is the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS), based in the UK and the world authority on CPR sampling. The CPR provides large-scale data on plankton, which form the basis of the marine food chain and respond rapidly to changing ocean conditions. GBP 20,000 (JPY 2,500,000 at the present exchange rate) over 2 years (2009-2010) was awarded to Dr Chiba to enable Japanese scientists to visit the SAHFOS laboratory in the UK and see the technical procedures employed with CPR sampling and analysis, data processing techniques and to have discussions on regional comparisons of ecosystem change. This project established the link between SAHFOS and Japanese researchers. Since then Japan has become one of the founder members of the Global Alliance of CPR surveys, recently established by SAHFOS, to bring together scientists and CPR data around the world to address global plankton biodiversity issues. An additional source of funding has enabled Dr Chiba's group to participate in CPR sample analysis and together with the JSPS award a joint study on basin scale marine ecosystem variation in the north Pacific has been successfully initiated. Dr Chiba has made a further application for JSPS bilateral funding in 2011/2012 to continue and strengthen the collaboration.
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