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We focus on research that uncovers the link between water and the climate in this lineup. We join Dan Mayor who will introduce the secret lives of marine copepods and their impact on global climate regulation, followed by Daniel Osmond who uncovers how trout can live in even the most polluted river environments. Jamie Atkins will conclude with a talk covering numerical models that could be used to help improve seasonal forecasting. We will explore all of these topics and more - don't miss it!
The polar ‘lipid pump’ and what it means for global climate regulation
Dan Mayor
(Associate Professor)
Tiny marine crustaceans called copepods (literally ‘oar-feet’) are found throughout the global ocean, from pole to pole, and from the surface to the greatest depths. They are amongst the most numerous animals on our planet - but who's ever heard of a copepod or knows how they help regulate global climate? This talk will introduce marine copepods, explore their fascinating life histories (that involves one of, if not THE largest migration of animal biomass on earth), and explain how they help keep CO2 away from our atmosphere.
Heavy metal trout: life in polluted environments
Daniel Osmond
(PhD student)
The British Isles have been worked for millennia for the ores that have fed industrial history. The extraction of these metals has left a legacy of pollution; with 9% of rivers in England and Wales failing their chemical targets due to minewater pollution. River ecology is impacted by toxicity from dissolved heavy metals, yet brown trout (Salmo trutta) appear to thrive in these most inhospitable environments. This talk examines what clues the genetic code of surviving fish might tell us about how they persist and what impact this metal pollution might be having on their populations.
Seasonal forecasting of the European North West Shelf seas
Jamie Atkins
(PhD Student)
Weather forecasts and end-of-century projections exist and are generally skilful. However, more intermediate timescale forecasting – eg for coming months/seasons – is often less well done. Seasonal forecasts of conditions across the shallow shelf seas of North West Europe would present benefits for industries that work there. Currently though, it is difficult to get forecasts right with existing tools. I am using different numerical modelling systems to find more skill in our forecasts, building towards a system that could potentially help end-users gain insight on these timescales.
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