Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland

Abstract Of all the interconnected threats facing the planet, the top two are the climate and the biodiversity crises. Neither problem will be solved if we ignore the ocean. To turn the tide in favour of humanity and a habitable planet, we need to recognize and better value the fundamental role that the ocean plays in the earth system, and prioritize the urgent action needed to heal and protect the ocean at the ‘Earthscape’ level – the planetary scale at which processes to support life operate. The countries gathering at COP26 have unparalleled political capacity and leadership to make this happen. COP26 could be the turning point, but there must be commitment to united action for the ocean, as well as planning to meet those commitments, based on science‐led solutions that address the interconnectivity of the ocean, climate, and biodiversity. Key ways in which the ocean both contributes to and acts as the major buffer for climate change are summarized, focusing on temperature, but not forgetting the role of storing carbon. It is noted with ‘high confidence’ that the ocean has stored 91% of the excess heat from global warming, with land, melting ice, and the atmosphere only taking up approximately 5, 3, and 1%, respectively. We also highlight the impact of the recent large release of heat from the ocean to the atmosphere during the 2015–2016 El Niño. We then present six science‐based policy actions that form a recovery stimulus package for people, climate, nature, and the planet. Our proposals highlight what is needed to view, value, and treat the planet, including the ocean, for the benefit and future of all life.

In responding to Laffoley et al. (2020) on ‘Evolving the narrative for protecting a rapidly changing ocean, post COVID-19’

The ocean is the linchpin supporting life on Earth, but it is in declining health due to an increasing footprint of human use and climate change. Despite notable successes in helping to protect the ocean, the scale of actions is simply not now meeting the overriding scale and nature of the ocean's problems that confront us.Moving into a post‐COVID‐19 world, new policy decisions will need to be made. Some, especially those developed prior to the pandemic, will require changes to their trajectories; others will emerge as a response to this global event. Reconnecting with nature, and specifically with the ocean, will take more than good intent and wishful thinking. Words, and how we express our connection to the ocean, clearly matter now more than ever before.The evolution of the ocean narrative, aimed at preserving and expanding options and opportunities for future generations and a healthier planet, is articulated around six themes: (1) all life is dependent on the ocean; (2) by harming the ocean, we harm ourselves; (3) by protecting the ocean, we protect ourselves; (4) humans, the ocean, biodiversity, and climate are inextricably linked; (5) ocean and climate action must be undertaken together; and (6) reversing ocean change needs action now.This narrative adopts a ‘One Health’ approach to protecting the ocean, addressing the whole Earth ocean system for better and more equitable social, cultural, economic, and environmental outcomes at its core. Speaking with one voice through a narrative that captures the latest science, concerns, and linkages to humanity is a precondition to action, by elevating humankind's understanding of our relationship with ‘planet Ocean’ and why it needs to become a central theme to everyone's lives. We have only one ocean, we must protect it, now. There is no ‘Ocean B’.

The nature and magnitude of measurement uncertainties (precision and accuracy) associated with two approaches for measuring absorption by turbid waters (b(532 nm) ranging from 0.20 m-1 to 22.89 m-1) are investigated here: (a) point source integrating cavity absorption meters (PSICAM), and (b) reflective tube absorption meters (AC-9 and AC-s - both WET Labs Inc., USA). Absolute measurement precision at 440 nm was quantified using standard deviations of triplicate measurements for the PSICAM and de-trended, bin averaged time series for the AC-9/s, giving comparable levels (< 0.006 m-1) for both instruments. Using data collected from a wide range of UK coastal waters, PSICAM accuracy was assessed by comparing both total non-water absorption and absorption by coloured dissolved organic material (CDOM) measured on discrete samples by two independent PSICAMs. AC-9/s performance was tested by comparing total non-water absorption measured in situ by an AC-9 and an AC-s mounted on the same frame. Results showed that the PSICAM outperforms AC-9/s instruments with regards to accuracy, with average spread in the PSICAM total absorption data of 0.006 m-1 (RMSE) compared to 0.028 m-1 for the AC-9/s devices. Despite application of a state of the art scattering correction method, the AC-9/s instruments still tend to overestimate absorption compared to PSICAM data by on average 0.014 m-1 RMSE (AC-s) and 0.043 m-1 RMSE (AC-9). This remaining discrepancy can be largely attributed to residual limitations in the correction of AC-9/s data for scattering effects and limitations in the quality of AC-9/s calibration measurements.

This thematic issue is the second in Marine Biology Research devoted to benthic fauna of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The earlier thematic issue published five years ago presented results of the M...

Abstract Core areas are thought to be critical parts of animal home ranges for sustaining the population, but few studies have tested this important assumption. We examined whether core areas of spider monkeys Ateles geoffroyi had better habitat quality than the rest of their home range (non‐core areas). Habitat quality parameters, including density and diversity of food trees, degree of forest maturity and density of sleeping trees in core and non‐core areas were analyzed using Moran eigenvector generalized linear model (GLM) filtering using spatial eigenvector mapping to control for spatial autocorrelation. The best fitting GLM revealed that spider monkeys' core areas had higher habitat quality than non‐core areas. This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the concept of core areas including the most critical resources for an animal population. In this respect, spider monkeys' core areas are a key to understand their movement ecology and habitat preferences.

Particle uptake and deposition by the 2 most abundant deep-sea demosponge species from the Nolwegian and Greenland Sea (Thenea abyssorum) and the deep fjords of western Norway (Thenea muncata) were studied In flume expenments Fluorescent part~cles of 1, 2, 3 6 10 a n d 16 p m diameter (miclospheres, Duke S c i e n t ~f ~c Corporat1ono) with a density of 1 0 5 g cm were used at 2 curlent velocities, 1 5 and 5 cm s ' Both species ingested small particles exclusively ( < 6 pm and < l 0 pm, respectively) w ~t h a preference for the smallest fiaction at both current speeds The results suggest that the size spectrum actually ingested depends on the s u p p l ~e d particle s u e s rather than on current velocity Culrent velocity fields aiound dead speclinens were recorded and turbulence intens ~t y calculated in older to determine the influence of the sponge actlng as a biogemc structure on the neai-bottom current leginle Disruption of flow conditions was detected as far as 14 cm downstream and several cm laterallv from the blogenic obstacles Bulk biodeposition rates calculated from sponge biomass and volume of Ingested particles iange between 7 and 10 mg d ' g ' ash-free dry weight K E Y WORDS Deep sea Sponge Suspension feeding Biodeposition Blogenic structure Flow regime