Oceanic Ecosystem Time-Series Programs: Ten Lessons Learned

104 another hot day in hawaii. shown are a few of the many instruments used to collect samples during monthly hawaii ocean time-series (hot) cruises to station aloha. this page. Conductivity-temperature-Depth (CtD) rosette sampler equipped with 24 sampling bottles and additional sensors for oxygen, chlorophyll a, and nitrate. NeXt page, from top to bottom. free-drifting sediment traps, recovery of bottom moored instrumentation, recovery of spar buoy, recovery of in situ incubation experiment, deployment of bottom moored mclane sediment trap. Photographs by Paul Lethaby iNtroDUCtioN Since its creation within UNESCO a half-century ago, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) has been at the vanguard of ocean observation, serving to promote international cooperation, coordinate ocean research, and facilitate capacity development. Beginning with the International Indian Ocean Expedition in the early 1960s, and through meaningful partnerships with (POGO), and related organizations, IOC has provided invaluable leadership needed to help justify and promote large-scale ocean observation programs. A recent inter-than 600 participants from 36 nations to present and discuss ongoing and planned global ocean observation activities. These field efforts represented a diverse spectrum of time-series programs, including the use of satellite remote sensing, moored buoys, autonomous gliders, repeat hydrographic surveys, volunteer ships of opportunity, profiling floats, cabled seafloor observatories , and ship-supported time-series programs, to name a few examples. Each observation program is designed to address a specific set of scientific goals, and each has its own set of challenges to sustain and optimize data return. This article focuses on ecosystem-based, time-series programs that presently rely on ships to make observations , collect samples, and conduct experiments. These ecosystem investigations are an important subset of the much larger portfolio of research-based, ocean time-series programs that derive, in large part, from sustained IOC leadership (Valdés et al., 2010). 106 example, the formation of the ocean basins, the transition from a reducing to an oxidizing environment, and the rise of multicellular life. Superimposed on these long-term changes are higher-frequency variations, including epochs, regime shifts, cycles, stochastic habitat variability, and, in recent times, human-induced climate change. Based on results from the few long-term ecosystem studies that do exist, there is ample evidence that the ocean varies on a number of time scales, including multidecadal cycles as well as secular change. Long-term records are required to sort out the various signals from the noise (Overland et al., 2006) and the relevant time scales of interest will vary depending upon …