MARINE SCIENCE FOR TOMORROW’S WORLD

Annual Review 2010

Relevant marine sciencefor real ocean challenges

Registered office:Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect PlaceThe Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DHUnited Kingdom

T: +44 (0)1752 633100 F: +44 (0)1752 633101E: forinfo@pml.ac.uk www.pml.ac.uk

Registered Charity number 1091222

PML is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, company number 4178503

© Copyright Plymouth Marine Laboratory 2011

Design and production www.huttriver.co.uk

· Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute

· Aquapharm Biosciences Ltd

· Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

· British Energy

· British Geological Survey

· British Oceanographic Data Centre

· Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

· Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

· Chesham Speciality Ingredients Ltd

· Countryside Council for Wales

· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

· Det Norske Veritas

· Economic and Social Research Council

· Energy Technologies Institute

· Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

· E.ON Engineering Ltd

· Environment Agency

· Environmental Research Institute

· Health Protection Agency

· Heriot-Watt University

· HR Wallingford Ltd

· Imperial College

· Joint Nature Conservation Committee

· Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership

· Medical Research Council

· Ministry of Defence

· National Assembly for Wales

· National Marine Aquarium

· National Oceanography Centre

· Natural England

· Natural Environment Research Council

· Queens University

· Quintessa Ltd

· Rolls Royce plc

· Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

· Satellite Oceanographic Consultants Ltd

· Scottish Association for Marine Science

· Scottish Environment Protection Agency

· Scottish Government

· Scottish Natural Heritage

· Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science

· The Crown Estate

· The European Marine Energy Centre Ltd

· The Government of the Isle of Man

· The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

· The Met Offi ce

· The State of Guernsey

· The State of Jersey

· The Wellcome Trust

· Tidal Generation Ltd

· UK Climate Impacts Programme

· University of Aberdeen

· University of Bristol

· University of Cambridge

· University of Durham

· University of East Anglia

· University of Edinburgh

· University of Essex

· University of Exeter

· University of Leeds

· University of Manchester

· University of Nottingham

· University of Oxford

· University of Plymouth

· University of Reading

· University of Southampton

· University of St Andrews

· University of Strathclyde

· University of Swansea

· University of Wales

Formal national partnerships include the following:

• One of the major marine research programmes, in which PML is currently involved, is the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded Oceans 2025. This strategic programme involves 7 organizations across the UK addressing some of the key challenges resulting from a changing marine environment.

• The National Centre for Ocean Forecasting (NCOF) is a collaborative arrangement between the Met Offi ce, the NERC Environmental Systems Science Centre, PML, the National Oceanography Centre (Liverpool and Southampton). Through these members it provides a UK centre of excellence for operational oceanography.

• Through its trading subsidiary, PML Applications Ltd, PML is involved in the Centre of Excellence Biocatalysis, Biotrans-formations and Biocatalytic Manufacture (CoEBio3), which comprises a number of industrial ‘giants’, including AstraZeneca, BASF, DSM and Merck. This is a way of engaging industry in PML’s biotechnology activities.

National research project collaborations involve universities and other organizations across the UK, while regional and local partnerships include the following:

• A Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Exeter to progress collaboration in the fi eld of marine molecular biology.

• The Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership (PMSP), whose other members are the University of Plymouth, the Marine Biological Association (MBA), the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS), the National Marine Aquarium and the Diving Diseases Research Centre. The PMSP represents the largest cluster of marine sciences, education, engineering and technology in Britain and one of the largest in Europe.

(The map and accompanying list does not include all PML’s active partnerships)

PML across the UK

· Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH

· Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH

· Freie Universitaet

· GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH

· Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum

· Korean Institute of Science & Technology

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Meereswissenschaften (IFM-GEOMAR)

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Ostseeforschung Warnemuende

· Max Planck Institute, University of Bremen

· Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg

· RWE Power AG

· University of Hamburg Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science

· University of Leipzig

Ghana

· University of Ghana

Greece

· Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis, Thermi-Thessaloniki

· Hellenic Centre for Marine Research

· Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications

· Public Power Corporation

Hungary

· University of Szeged

Hong Kong

· City University

· Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Iceland

· Hafrannsóknastofnunin - Marine Research Institute

Ireland

· Marine Institute

· National University of Ireland

· Techworks Marine Ltd

· University College Cork

· University College Dublin

Israel

· Bar Ilan University

· Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Ltd

· Tel Aviv University

Italy

· Alma Mater Studiorum

· CLU SRL

· Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

· Enel Ingegneria e Innovazione S.p.A

· Ente per le NuoveTecnologie l’Energia e l’Ambiente

· European Commission Joint Research Centre

· Fondazione IMC Centro Marino Internazionale Onlus

· Istituto Nazionale di Geofi sica e Vulcanologia

· Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografi a e Geofi sica Sperimentale

· Planetek Italia S.r.l.

· Universita del Piemonte Orientale

· Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza

· Universita di Bologna

· Universita Politecnica delle Marche

Japan

· Hokkaido University

· Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Korea· Korea Ocean Research and

Development Institute

Lithuania

· Klaipeda University Corpi

Malaysia

· WorldFish Centre

Malta

· Universita ta Malta

Morocco

· Institut National de Recherche Halieutique

New Zealand

· National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research

Niger

· African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development

· Regional Centre for Training and Operational Applications in Agrometeorology and Hydrology

Norway

· Bergen University College

· Bodo University College

· Det Norske Meteorologiske Institutt

· Gassco AS

· Havforskningsinstituttet

· Hogskolen I Bergen

· Hogskolen Stord/Haugesund University College

· International Research Institute

· Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center

· Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning

· Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research

· SINTEF Petroleumsforskning AS

· Statoil ASA

· Uni (BCCS) Research AS

· UNIFOB AS

· University of Bergen

· University of Tromso

· Zero Emission Resource Organisation

People’s Republic of China

· Chinese Academy of Sciences

· Graduate School at Shenzhen

· Guangxi Mangrove Research Centre

· Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences

· National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre

· South China Sea Institute of Oceanology

· Tsinghua University

· Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research

Poland

· Morski Instytut Rybacki w Gdyni

· Uniwersytet Gdanski

· University of Warsaw

Portugal

· Centre of Marine & Environmental Research

· Centre of Oceanography of the University Lisbon

· Institute of Marine Research

· Instituto Superior Tecnico

Romania

· Institutul National de Cercetare - Dezvoltare Marina “Grigore Antipa”

Russia

· State Oceanographic Institute

South Africa

· Council for Scientifi c and Industrial Research

· University of Cape Town

Spain

· Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientifi cas, Barcelona

· Fundacion Azti/Azti Fundazioa

· Instituto Espanol de Oceanografi a

· Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial

· Puertos del Estado

· Starlab

· Universidad de Vigo

· Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

· Xunta de Galicia - Conselleria de Medio Ambiente e Desenvolvemento Sostible

Sweden

· Sveriges Meteorologiska och Hydrologiska Institut

· University of Gothenburg

· Vattenfall Research and Development AB

Switzerland

· Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule

· University of Bern

· University of Zurich

Tanzania

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· University of Dar-es-Salaam

The Netherlands

· Cosine Research BV

· International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation

· Marine Informatie Service - MARIS BV

· Rijks Instituut voor Kust en Zee

· Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

· Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

· Stichting Nationaal Lucht – en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium

· University of Technology

· University of Utrecht

· Vereniging voor Christelijk Hoger Onderwijs Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Patientenzorg

· Wageningen University,

· Water Insight

Tunisia

· Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie

Turkey

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· Middle East Technical University

Ukraine

· Marine Hydrophysical Institute - Ukrainian National Academy of Science

USA

· Aquaculture Innovation Center

· Blue Hill Hydraulics· John Hopkins University

· Montana State University

· Pacifi c Shellfi sh Inc

· Permaquid Oyster Co

· The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanforth Junior University

· University of Connecticut

(The map and accompanying list does not include all PML’s active partnerships)

PML has the vision...to enhance the impact of its activities as a world-leading marine research organization

the mission...to develop and apply world-leading integrated scientifi c understanding of interactions between the marine environment and society in order to sustain coastal and upper ocean ecosystems and their services under conditions of global change

and the strategy...to undertake cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research in anticipation of societal needs and to promote stewardship of marine ecosystems.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s charitable OBJECTS, VISION and MISSION, demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research within a global perspective, whilst acknowledging social responsibilities; ideals encapsulated in its Strategic Objective.

PML is a company limited by guarantee (company no. 4178503) with charitable status (charity no. 1091222). The charitable aims of PML are laid out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association which also defi ne the OBJECTS of the Charity:

To carry out research in environmental science and technology including marine and estuarine environmental science and technology and disseminate results of such research and data and ideas generated in the course of or in connection with such research for the benefi t of the public and to advance public education in the principles and practice of such science and technology.

The PML story began in September 1970 when the Institute of Marine Environmental Research (IMER) was formed by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The next seven years saw the building of a team of scientists that eventually came together in a new building, opened in 1977 and still PML’s home today. PML was created as a wholly owned NERC Centre in 1988. In April 2002 PML became an independent company, limited by guarantee, with charitable status, and a Collaborative Centre of NERC; a model that gave great fl exibility to respond to regional, national and international funding, so enhancing PML’s partnership and development opportunities.

Today PML maintains its close relationship with NERC as a Collaborative Centre and a National Capability Delivery Partner, yet also has built strong working collaborations with other Research Councils, industry, governmental agencies and other funders, in the UK, throughout Europe and globally.

www.pml.ac.uk

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PML Annual Review 2010 Vision, mission and strategy

Contents

Relevant marine science

for real ocean challenges

2 Performance

3 Governance

4 Letters from PML’s Chairman

and Chief Executive

5 A working strategy

6-7 Asking the right questions

8-9 The science plan

10-13 Climate change

14-17 Biodiversity

18-21 Goods and services

22-25 New opportunities

26-27 Applying the science

28-29 Communicating the science

30-31 Science for policy makers

32 Sharing our global experience

Performance

PML performing well

Turnover for the PML Group continues to grow, with income levels approaching £11m, a healthy foundation for moving forwards.

Against a background of uncertainty regarding potential future reductions to National Capability and Research programme funding from NERC, Commissioned Research income levels have grown signifi cantly for the second year running. New signed contracts exceeded £5m, a £1m increase on the previous year.

Signifi cant new contracts include:

i) Under the European Union 7th Framework Programme

• Vectors of change in ocean and seas marine life, impacts on economic sectors (PML acts as co-ordinator).

• GreenSeas - development of a global plankton database and model system for eco-climate early warning.

• ECO2 - sub-seabed CO2 storage: impacts on marine ecosystems.

• Euro-Basin - European Union basin-scale analysis, synthesis and integration.

• Aquamar - marine water quality information services

ii) Carbon capture and storage research is a growing area for PML. In addition to ECO2 above, a new contract was awarded by NERC into the Impacts of Carbon Storage. The area of carbon capture also featured in a signifi cant proposal with Norwegian partners worth in excess of €1m; success in this proposal has yet to be confi rmed.

iii) The ReDAPT project funded by The Energy Technologies Institute, where PML is advising on marine bio-fouling in the development of a tidal turbine. Part of this work is sub-contracted to PML Applications Ltd.

iv) European Space Agency funding under its Climate Change Initiative entitled “Ocean Colour cci”. This is another success for the PML Remote Sensing Group to add to its extensive list of current research projects.

v) Several NERC funded contracts involving ocean acidifi cation have been awarded, continuing PML’s leadership in this area.

An exciting new building project is at its early stages and is due to be completed in summer 2011. This involves the development of a new education/lecture centre to help deliver PML’s outreach and knowledge exchange activities.

Recognising that people are the core of the organization, PML continued to invest in its scientifi c staff. Strategic appointments in the fi elds of biogases and socio-economics were made; whilst other recruitment was undertaken to help deliver the extensive list of new research contracts. Such recruitment gives an indication of PML’s confi dence in the future.

PML Applications Ltd, the commercial arm and wholly owned subsidiary of PML, continues to play an important role, with turnover remaining at the £1m level.

Its expertise in bio-fouling has resulted in two sizeable contracts with both the public and private sector. The funding of the i-GPeninsula contract for promoting knowledge transfer will be completed in March 2011, but exciting opportunities in marine biotechnology applications are well advanced. PML Applications continues its role as co-ordinator of MeDON, an EU funded Interreg contract for setting up a marine e-data observatory network.

Taking responsibility

As one of the UK’s leading environmental organizations PML takes its responsibility towards sustainable practices seriously and has an active Sustainability Group which meets regularly to encourage everyone at PML to take a responsible attitude to the environmental implications of running a well-staffed, modern laboratory. A number of initiatives have taken place over the last twelve months aimed at making PML and its employees more environmentally effi cient. Transport to and from PML and during working operations is constantly monitored. Annually PML’s carbon footprint is calculated to identify areas where savings can be made. Electricity consumption is continually reviewed and areas or activities of high usage can be identifi ed and where possible reduced.

Governance

PML is governed in accordance with charity law by a Board of Trustees, who are also Directors under company law. Current Board membership is as follows:-

Chairman:

Mr Terence Lewis FRCS - Former Medical Director of the Plymouth NHS Trust

Trustees:

Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent KCB, CBE - Former Commander-in-Chief Fleet of the Royal Navy

Mr Andrew Dixon OBE - (Honorary Treasurer), Former international banker for HSBC & Chairman of the British Arab Commercial Bank (until December 2010)

Mrs Karen Morgan OBE - Pro Chancellor of University of West of England & Chairman of Trustees for the Converging World charity

Prof. Ralph Rayner - International Oceanographer, Vice President of The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST)

Dr Claude Roy - Director, Laboratoire de Physique des Océans (LPO), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Brest, France

Prof. Bess Ward - Chair of the Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, USA

PML’s commitment to excellence extends into its governance arrangements by:

• adopting best practice for charities, e.g. the Charity Commission guidance, and from the corporate sector as appropriate

• ensuring a wide skill base on its Board

• independent review of its science

Sub-committees of the Board have been established to help PML in delivering its objectives. Principal sub-committees are detailed below.

1) Science Advisory Council

• Remit: To provide strategic direction for PML’s activities and to undertake periodic review of PML’s research programme.

• Membership: Members are from universities, science organizations and bodies as well as policy makers from government departments. Each year a review panel is selected from the overall membership.

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PML Annual Review Vision, mission and strategy

www.pml.ac.uk

In addition to three of the Trustees, Prof. Rayner, Dr Roy and Prof. Ward, the members of the Review Panel for 2010 were:

Prof. Robert Bowen - University of Massachusetts, Environmental Earth & Ocean Sciences Dept

Prof. Mike Depledge - Peninsula Medical School

Dr Paul DiGiacomo - Chief for Satellite Oceanography and Climatology Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Science Center

Prof. Mike Elliott - Director, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Sciences, University of Hull

Prof. John Field - University of Cape Town

Dr Veronique Garçon - LEGOS Observatoire de Midi-Pyrénées

Prof. Dan Laffoley - Principal Specialist Marine Professor, Natural England; also Vice Chair for the World Commission on Protected Areas (Marine), International Union for Conservation of Nature

Dr Jason Snape - AstraZeneca, Brixham

2) Development Council

• Remit: To act as ambassadors for PML and help to promote its activities; to help in developing new networks.

• Membership: In addition to the Chairman of PML, Sir James Burnell-Nugent and Mr Dixon, the members of the Development Council are:

Prof. Anne Glover - Chief Scientifi c Advisor for Scotland; member of the Natural Environmental Research Council

Peter Horsburgh - Founding partner of the Environmental Technologies Fund

Bettye Martin Musham - Trustee, Duke University, USA

Mehran Massih - Environmental partner in large, global American legal company Shearman Sterling

Wanda Kim - Managing Director and Chair of Environmental Advisory Group, UBS

3) Audit & Finance Committee

• Remit: To ensure that PML has in place effective systems and methods of fi nancial control and risk management and that it complies with all aspects of law, relevant regulations and good practice.

• Membership: From amongst the Trustees; chaired by the Honorary Treasurer.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory goes into 2011 in good shape thanks to its record success in 2010 in winning commissioned research – a testament to delivering excellent science on time and budget. Our Science Advisory Council has supported the direction, focus and relevance of our science and our strategy and the integrated approach that we have to doing our work. Science funding, nationally has been cut much less than might have been and PML is well placed to thrive in the next five, difficult years.

Looking ahead, PML Applications will be restructured in the next few months under the chairmanship of David Peat, to better equip it to fulfil the vital role for PML that the Board envisages in years to come.

This year will see a concerted drive to raise funds for capital expenditure from the charitable sector, which will involve everyone within PML to help get

our message across. The first phase – lecture theatre/education centre is funded and underway and should open in May.

PML has done brilliantly in 2010 and this year could and should be even better. Certainly the Board supports moderate growth, rather than the cuts faced by many research organizations. On behalf of the Board I would like to thank all staff for achieving such an excellent year.

Terence Lewis FRCS

Chairman

January 2011

Relevant for today, ready for tomorrow reflects a renewed self-awareness of the scientific resilience of the PML Group. This year has been a time of change, both for PML and the wider UK marine community. PML adopted a new strategy, entitled Science for Society, focusing on the tenets of quality, competitiveness and responsibility. Implementation required restructuring, notably but not exclusively, of the science delivery mechanism. While safeguarding our historic culture of interdisciplinary co-operation within the laboratory, scientific personnel and research were captured in five science areas.

Of note, a reformulated Communications Group contributes to the knowledge exchange and public dissemination of new findings, an increasingly important component of many research projects. Reconfiguring in this way brings better attention to these key areas, all of which enjoy worldwide recognition, produces some efficiencies in operations, facilities and staff development and encourages growth. The Science Team has developed an inspirational and aspirational five year plan that is exciting and robust. Ongoing internal collaboration is assured through the four Challenges that have been posed, given that they are “big questions” requiring a collective response. These major issues are explored further in this Annual Review

Setting our aspirations in the national and international arenas, we have taken note of significant external developments. Our new strategy

aims at helping the implementation of the UK marine science strategy, launched early in the year, and the refreshed NERC long-term science strategy. Our scientific teams have been exceptionally successful with grant proposals this year. Numerous awards for ocean acidification (OA) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) studies have confirmed our international leadership in these fields. Major awards from the EU Framework 7 Programme for both research and co-ordination of projects have recognised our excellence in ecosystem modelling, Earth observations and socio-economics.

PML takes seriously its responsibilities as a world leader in some aspects of marine science and policy. Accordingly, staff members participate in a wide range of national and international consultative bodies and committees.

Undoubtedly we face challenges ahead. The financial situation remains uncertain. Nevertheless, PML focuses on its areas of scientific excellence and remains well positioned to continue playing a significant role in UK and European marine research.

Professor Stephen de Mora

Chief Executive

January 2011

Letters from PML’s Chairman and Chief Executive

A working strategy

With such a determined foundation it should be no surprise that over the last year PML has continued to achieve significant success in:

• Linking scientific understanding to socio-economic consequences

• Interpreting satellite imagery to quantify biological activity in the upper ocean

• Understanding ocean acidification

• Developing new tools for measuring biodiversity

• Formulating models to understand better and predict behaviour of marine ecosystems

• Communicating to stakeholders and the public supported by an outstanding international publication record.

PML has fully embraced its strategy, ‘Science for Society’, introduced at the

beginning of 2010, which is designed to guide its progress and relevance

over the next five years. This strategic plan is aimed at delivering PML’s

objects and vision through three main components: the strategic aims of

quality, competitiveness and responsibility; enabling strategies; and the

strategic science areas, which are discussed in more detail elsewhere in this

Annual Review. Quality is the watchword for all PML does and PML has a

clear aspiration to be world-class in everything it undertakes.

PML is dedicated to undertaking research in environmental science and

technology of outstanding quality and relevance for society. It aims to

be competitive through conducting research in a focused, efficient and

cost-effective manner in acknowledgement of the contributions received

from the public, private and charitable sources of funding. PML behaves

responsibly towards staff and society, and disseminates the results of its

research, data and ideas as widely as possible in order to advance public

well-being and education.

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PML Annual Review Vision, mission and strategy

www.pml.ac.uk

Sea and Society

Sea from Space

Cycling in the Sunlit Ocean

Marine Life Support System

Today’s Models, Tomorrow’s Futures

PML science is based on the understanding that the oceans are vital to human existence and have a critical role in controlling climate and infl uencing weather; maintaining essential global chemical cycling; ensuring global food supply, and providing a source of renewable energy. Yet there is also the recognition that they are threatened by global changes, including demographic trends, climate effects and habitat degradation.

PML science, and the services that support it, have been developed to address relevant aspects of these issues through delivering focused, world-leading, integrated scientifi c understanding of the interactions between the marine environment and society in order to sustain coastal and upper ocean ecosystems and their services, under global change.

PML’s approach to environmental science became formalised, earlier this year, with the production of a science and implementation plan ‘Marine Matters’. This document prioritises short (1-3 years) and medium (3-5 years) research objectives, in the context of PML’s overall strategy – ‘Science for Society’. Inevitably and practically ‘Marine Matters’ is infl uenced by key science policy documents including: The UK Marine Science Strategy; The NERC Strategy ‘New generation science for planet Earth’; The BBSRC Strategic Plan ‘The Age of Bioscience’, and ‘The European Strategy for Marine and Maritime Research’. So ‘Marine Matters’ and hence the science that PML has chosen to pursue over the coming years is timely and relevant. At the core of the plan are four key societal challenges, each of which forms an overarching question, that informs and sharpens science delivery for PML.

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

THE SCIENCE PLAN

Climate Change How will ocean biogeochemical cycles respond to future climate change?

BiodiversityWhat is the relationship between marine biodiversity and marine ecosystem function, in both sediments and in the water column, and how does human activity affect it?

Ecosystem goods and servicesCan we sustain and increase the goods and services provided by marine ecosystems while ensuring that we do not compromise uses and activities for future generations?

New opportunitiesWhat is the scope for developing new opportunities for food, energy and resource delivery from the marine environment?

PML was one of the fi rst laboratories to recognise that researching the complex marine environment requires a multi-faceted approach and co-operative working. With more than 30 years of experience of marine research PML has built a reputation based on a level of ‘uniqueness’ by embracing an interdisciplinary attitude to answering the ‘big questions’. Researchers from multiple science areas work together and across disciplines in an integrated way to create and apply knowledge. This approach recognises that the challenges are interlinked and interrelated, requiring the engagement of complementary science areas to provide knowledge and evidence based scientifi c advice. During this year PML has been re-structured to make the most of its scientists and laboratory facilities along fi ve thematic research areas. These thematic areas refl ect the strengths of PML, the needs of stakeholders and collaborators and the knowledge and skills necessary to address the four key challenges through more detailed ‘research questions’, that have determined PML research over the last year and into the future.

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PML Annual Review Asking the right questions

THE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

www.pml.ac.uk

• Can we develop specific applications for remote sensing in response to particular management needs?

• What are the factors that control backscatter and absorption in coastal and oceanic waters?

• How can we increase exploitation of remote sensing data to parameterise and evaluate ecosystem models?

Cycling in the Sunlit Ocean

Biogeochemical cycling – to quantify key processes in the biogeochemical cycling of life sustaining elements in the upper oceans and coastal seas in order to predict feedbacks between oceans and atmosphere.

• How important is the solubility of gases in air-sea transfer and what is the role of surface active compounds in retarding air-sea gas transfer and what controls their cycling?

• What is the direction and magnitude of the air-sea flux of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCS); what is the microbial turnover of these compounds and which bacteria are responsible?

• What are the physiological roles of dimethylsulfonioproprionate (DMSP) in phytoplankton and how do they influence the production of dimethyl sulphide (DMS)?

• What is the role of nutrients, the nitrogen cycle and oxygen in the air-sea fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and coastal and upwelled waters?

• What are the impacts of ocean acidification and increasing temperature/stratification on air/sea gas transfer?

• Can we provide basin-scale estimates of production via modelling and remote sensing?

• How much carbon is removed from microbial food webs as a result of viral infection of phytoplankton, and does infection lead to reduced primary production, and how important is this in the cycling of nutrients and trace gases?

Sea and Society

Environment, human health, biodiversity and socio-economics – concentrating on the consequences and benefits of the interactions between society and the marine environment. In particular this science area combines the natural and social sciences to address the questions:

• How will global change and other anthropogenic activities affect the provision of ecosystem services, and the economic opportunities and health benefits provided by marine ecosystems?

• How should we plan for multiple use of the marine environment to optimise the balance of social, economic and environmental benefits?

• What are the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and health and the delivery of ecosystem services?

• What economic and non-economic methods should be applied to value the benefits of ecosystem services?

• What are the key environmental factors that affect the lifecycle and toxicity of emerging contaminants, including nanoparticles?

• Can molecular approaches provide rapid assessments and predictions of marine invertebrate health?

• How can we discover and culture, most effectively, novel microbial strains suitable for biofuel production and useful metabolites?

Sea from Space

Earth observation, science and applications –developing the science and applications of remote sensing techniques to observe, understand and support predictions of coastal and marine processes to focus on the questions:

• How can we improve exploitation of remote sensing to better quantify biogeochemical processes in the ocean?

• To what extent can we make use of remote sensing information to improve our understanding of the structure, functioning and spatio-temporal dynamics of the global ocean?

Managing our seas for a sustainable future, in the

face of growing human pressures, relies upon

credible and reliable science.

THE SCIENCE PLAN

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Marine Life Support System

Biodiversity, marine ecology and molecular science – to measure and describe biodiversity across a range of biological scales and determine the relationships between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem function and services, via the following key questions:

• How can we quantify, describe, interpret and visualise marine biodiversity?

• How do we quantify the diversity that exists across different levels of biological organization; from organisms to populations to ecosystems?

• What is the extent of, and what are the processes driving, spatial and temporal variability in biodiversity, including its response to environmental change pressures?

• How does biodiversity change affect the fluxes of energy and matter in marine ecosystems and what role does it play in providing ecosystem resilience and stability?

• How is biodiversity related to the provision of ecosystem function at different levels of biological organization and complexity?

PML Annual Review The science plan

Today’s Models, Tomorrow’s Futures

Ecosystem models and observing systems – to improve our understanding of the impacts of climate and anthropogenic forcing on the structure, function and dynamics of the marine ecosystem through models, observations and simulations.

• What is the current state of the ecosystem in the Western English Channel, and how has the ecosystem changed in recent years? What is the most effective sampling strategy for the Western Channel Observatory?

• How has the climate influenced biogeography of the northwest European shelf change over the last 45 years and how does climate interact with other anthropogenic drivers to determine marine systems?

• How might variability of top down control impact phytoplankton community compositions and hence the biogeochemical cycling and the biological carbon pump? Is that pump on the NW European shelf a source or a sink of carbon to the Atlantic Ocean?

• How do coastal hydrodynamics influence residence and turnover times of suspended sediment, bed sediment properties, and associated biological populations?

• Given the huge variation in morphology, sediment characteristics and freshwater run-off exhibited by estuaries of the southwest of England, what are the underlying mechanisms that determine their salinity intrusion, stratification, turbidity and suspended sediment characteristics?

• How much impact do plankton stress responses have on biogeochemical cycling?

• What are the impacts and benefits of climate change mitigation strategies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), marine renewable energy and iron fertilisation, on marine ecosystems?

• How well can we make short- and medium- term forecasts of marine ecosystem state and what are the sources of uncertainty in such projections?

The use of satellite technologies, advanced computer modelling and working in partnership across the world, are exemplifi ed in the PML led EAMNet programme.

www.pml.ac.uk

CLIMATE CHANGE THE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

How will ocean biogeochemical cycles respond to future climate change?

The ocean

absorbs one third

of the CO2 we produce

annually; ocean pH has

moved down the scale

towards acidity by

30% in the last

300 years

There may be some ‘winners’

from ocean acidifi cation, but there are likely to be

more ’losers’ with ultimate impacts on ecosystems and even human food

resources

Ocean acidification - climate change’s twin

Increasing emissions of anthropogenic CO2, mainly from the use of fossil fuels and other industrial activities, into the atmosphere are threatening severe problems, including climate change and its less well known ‘twin’ of ocean acidification. PML, with its diverse science base brought together in an interdisciplinary approach, has proven well placed to take a lead in researching the phenomenon which alters ocean chemistry to the extent that the pH of seawater has moved down the scale towards acidity.

As a relatively recently discovered condition there are still many questions that need to be asked, but indications are that ocean acidification can affect various marine organisms in different ways, in different habitats and at different rates. Some adult organisms appear to be little affected, whilst their larvae and early life stages might be impacted. Those that build shells or skeletons from calcium carbonate appear most at risk, but the story is far from clear.

What is apparent is that there is the potential for significant environmental changes from ocean acidification and that these, in turn, might affect human society directly through impacts on food resources and coastal defences. PML continues to play a major role in understanding the mechanism and potential effects through a broad range of research topics included in a number of national and international collaborative programmes.

Capturing carbon

Policy makers and other stakeholders often request hard and fast predictions of impacts and their associated timescales, especially when they inform a particular policy area or decision. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process by which CO2 is ‘captured’ during the combustion process in power stations and, rather than being emitted to the atmosphere, is contained and stored deep underground in geological strata.

CCS has been operated successfully on small to medium scales for more than a decade. The challenge now is to upscale to cope with it on a much larger basis. In the UK most of the available, suitable strata are under the North Sea in depleted oil reservoirs or saline aquifers.

Geologically these structures are very sound, but decision makers require certainty about what might happen if there is a leak of CO2 into the marine environment. Ocean acidification is a major concern and such an unintentional release is likely to result in similar effects.

In this NERC funded project, led by PML and working with collaborators in many of the UK’s leading marine research institutions, the intention is to mimic a leak, but in a controlled way which will allow for detailed observations and measurements. Quantifying such a leak is complex, requiring knowledge of behaviour of bubbles, droplets and plumes at fine scale and large scale tidal mixing, chemistry and biological processes – a truly interdisciplinary challenge.

The ideal outcome will be the ability to gain information about how a range of leak scenarios will differ in magnitude, spread and persistence of impact. Results from the experiment will be used to develop computer models to deliver prototype predictive capacity for a wide range of leak scenarios. In turn these can be used to help formulate risk assessment plans and mitigation strategies for use in the unlikely event that a real leak will occur.

Initial work has begun and the site chosen, close to the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences, in Oban, Scotland; one of the project partners. The various research strands will continue through 2011.

Provision of predictive capacity, risk assessment and mitigation strategies in the event of an accidental leakage of stored CO2 into the marine environment.

For policy makers

PML Annual Review Climate change

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PML’s ocean acidifi cation research includes laboratory based and in situ experimental work and observation on how key marine organisms are likely to react to a range of future ocean chemistry conditions.

UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme (UKOARP)

The UK’s first research programme to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification was launched during 2010. The UKOARP brings together 101 scientists from 21 of the UK’s top scientific institutions. PML is at the forefront of this activity as leader of two of the research projects, is involved in others and hosts and manages the Knowledge Transfer Co-ordination Office for the entire programme – a reflection of PML’s interest and experience in this important, emerging science area.

Impacts on benthic ecosystems

One UKOARP project being led by PML will be looking at how ocean acidification, and ocean warming, might impact the health and activity of key benthic organisms and affect the habitats in which they live, in three key UK coastal locations. As such areas are very rich in biodiversity, any significant change could have major impacts. This is important considering that 40% of the world’s population lives close to the coast, with many of them depending on coastal waters for food and livelihoods. This project is working towards quantifying the impact of ocean acidification on key benthic organisms, including microbial life; assessing the potential for organisms to adapt to combined ocean acidification and warming seas, and predicting how it might impact populations and thus functioning of valuable coastal habitats.

In preparation for large-scale experimental work PML’s mesocosm facility has undergone major refurbishment and modification in order to mimic tidal, climatic and projected CO2 scenarios, and will provide a near natural sea water facility with environmental parameters linked closely to the natural ocean on our doorstep.

Provide new scientific knowledge for developing adaptive and mitigation strategies through the construction of models linking climate change and ocean acidification with the natural world.

Impacts on ecosystems and marine chemical cycles

The second PML led project in the UKOARP is designed to produce novel scientific model based knowledge concerning the magnitude and timescales of risks of both climate change and ocean acidification for regional seas. Two regions are the focus of the project: the shelf seas surrounding the UK and north-western Europe, of particular resource relevance, and the Arctic which has been highlighted by previous research as likely to be at early significant risk, with ramifications for the Earth system as a whole. Aims of the project include: improving certainty of predictions in carbonate chemistry, other key factors and ecological niche distribution; improving quantification and understanding of the exchange of carbon between shelf and oceanic environments, and quantifying the range of ecosystem consequences arising from ocean acidification and other drivers.

Results will be delivered directly to policy makers (such as Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Defra, and Department of Energy and Climate Change - DECC) to underpin development of mitigation and adaptation strategies; these will include quantified estimates of impacts with uncertainty estimates relevant to UK and international policy.

Warming ocean, acid seas in tandem

The global ocean and Earth’s atmosphere are warming and this change in climate is affecting distributions and local populations of some species. Additionally the increased emissions of carbon to the atmosphere have resulted in an increase in the amount of CO2 being taken up by the oceans, resulting in ocean acidification. Whilst a number of studies suggest that there are likely to be at least sub-lethal impacts on many marine organisms, there has been little work on the impacts upon population dynamics. Forcing of a barnacle population, using

CLIMATE CHANGE THE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

For policy makers

For policy makers

empirical data, was designed to investigate the relative influence of sea surface temperature and ocean acidification. Using hindcast models and observational data, indicative of declining pH over the last 50 years, there appeared to be no observable impact on population abundance relative to changes caused by fluctuations in temperature.

At temperatures lower than the critical temperature of 13.1oC pH becomes more significant, whereas above that critical point temperature has the overriding effect. But the combined effect of acidification and warming, the model predicts, would result in a population dying out 10 years earlier than if only global warming influenced the population in isolation.

Counter-intuitive results

Calcifying organisms have been heralded as amongst the first casualties of an acidifying ocean, but PML researchers and colleagues at the University of Plymouth, and from Japan and the Netherlands, have found that some coccolithophores, which have become the ‘poster-child’ of ocean acidification, actually thicken their exoskeletons, according to a theoretical model.

This appears to contradict accepted wisdom on the impacts of CO2; the coccolithophores appear to be evolving thicker shells to counter the effects. However, the models did not take account of other energetic costs that might be the ‘down side’ of putting additional resources into building the exoskeletal liths.

Perhaps this finding goes some way to explaining the multi-specific fossil record of these organisms over the last 200 years, where coccolith size has increased in parallel to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration?

The impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on marine organisms are varied in time, habitat and developmental stage. Acting in concert with climate change, OA is likely to present significant threats to the ocean environment.

Gases, atmosphere and ocean acidification

The interaction between ocean and atmosphere is complex and little understood. Certainly it is recognised that there is an intimate association between planktonic organisms and the production of gases, such as dimethyl sulphide and halocarbons, which are thought to contribute to cloud formation, and plankton are responsible for much of the oxygen we breathe and so are of immense importance. Any threat to plankton, a key driver of Earth systems, should be a cause for concern. Scientists from PML headed for the waters of Svalbard, as part of a much larger European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) project, to perform cutting edge experiments designed to investigate the effects of ocean acidification on the vulnerable plankton communities of the Arctic.

Similar work was also carried out as part of the Catlin Arctic Survey, where a PML scientist braved the rigorous conditions of the Arctic winter to gather in situ samples for later analysis.

At a more fundamental level, work carried out as part of the Western Channel Observatory, and funded under Oceans 2025, has shown that under the influence of OA the ammonia/ammonium equilibrium in seawater shifts towards ammonium. This results in a decreased concentration of dissolved ammonia, so increasing the air-sea concentration gradient. Potentially this means a drawdown of atmospheric nitrogen (as ammonia), thus increasing the amount of nutrients in seawater. The measured effect is small, but likely to be cumulative with time, and of potential importance during the summer months when primary producers subsist mainly on ammonia/ammonium as a source of inorganic nitrogen.

PML Annual Review Climate change

For policy makers PML’s mesocosm can be calibrated to replicate a variety of future climate scenarios. Simultaneous monitoring of different organisms, from differing habitats, provides a more complete picture.

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BIODIVERSITY THE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

What is the relationship between marine biodiversity and marine ecosystem function, in both sediments and in the water column, and how does human activity affect it?

96% of Earth’s living

biosphere is in the oceans; 80% of

known organisms live in the sea

Scientists agree that there

are at least 1 million, and maybe as many as 10 million, marine organisms

yet to be discovered and described

Only 1%-2%

of marine biodiversity has been described

to date

Unique and co-operative

In a changing world the ability to compare present day biodiversity with that of the past, in order to have any chance of predicting future trends, is reliant upon long-term data sets. Such time-series collected in a consistent manner, yet adapting through time to changing needs, advancing technologies and enhanced methodologies, are becoming increasingly important in a world subjected to changes through exploitation, pollution and habitat loss, for example.

An essential component of PML’s research into biodiversity is through the Western Channel Observatory (WCO), one of the longest time series in the world. It is not simply the length of the time series that is impressive, but also the breadth of observations, describing the ecosystem as a whole that is arguably unique. When linked with PML’s world-class expertise in ecosystem modelling and remote sensing , the in situ observations synergistically gain value: no longer can a single measurement be viewed in isolation.

Using these different tools PML can gain a far greater understanding of the ecosystem on its doorstep. When PML’s integrated approach is coupled with observations from other organizations, multi-purpose, multi-use data sets can be produced. The WCO is, for example, collaborating in a wider Western Shelf Observatory with 11 other UK and Irish institutions. Another co-operation is embodied in Marinexus, an EU funded project, which combines the resources of the Plymouth based WCO and the Roscoff Observatory.

This project aims to carry out integration between the two observatories, to provide information about marine ecosystems in the English Channel and how they cope with the effects of human activities.

An additional driver for the integration of observatories comes through EC Directives that require, by 2020, that our seas achieve ‘good environmental status’. This will be measured against various descriptors, such as noise, eutrophication status and biodiversity. Observatories working alone will not be able to set baselines for determining qualitatively good status. However, working with other European observatories in a coherent network, should go some way to reaching this goal. PML has already taken the opportunity to be part of such a wider framework, helping to set the agenda and the baseline.

Data from the past is fundamental to understanding our future; long-term data sets provide confidence in predictions.

Such a long-term data set has been kept at the L4 monitoring site. Using this data in a variety of ways PML scientists have been able to reach conclusions about how the immediate environment fits together and functions. Such information can be used on a national basis to make assumptions about similar environments elsewhere.

The data collected have shown that maximum abundance of the copepod Calanus heligolandicus was correlated with years of low abundance of the arrow worm Sagitta setosa and the hydrozoan Muggiaea atlantica between February and June. Such a significant correlation does not necessarily mean a prey-predator relationship, but analysis of the gut contents of S.setosa showed that indeed this was the case with S.setosa preying upon C.heligolandicus; in fact estimates indicate that predation might be as much as 19%, making S.setosa an important predator.

Another subject for L4 sampling are the eggs of sardines, which are spawned in summer and again in autumn. A historical trend towards increasing autumn spawning, according to the data set, continues. The mean spawning temperatures have been monitored alongside the collection of samples and show 12.6oC and 14.5oC for summer and autumn respectively, with a negative correlation between temperature and egg production in summer and a positive correlation in autumn. Also a negative correlation between egg production and the North Atlantic Oscillation index suggests a link between egg numbers and plankton production. This might prove significant for fisheries.

PML Annual Review Biodiversity

Regular plankton surveys provide information on, for example, the success of fi sh spawning, which may impact fi sheries and food chains.

PML studies biodiversity at a variety of levels, from ecosystem, to population, to individual species; from macro to micro.

For policy makers

Variation between individuals can provide important clues to how marine life might respond to the changes now facing the oceans.

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E.hux – an alga for all disciplines

PML has increasingly moved to the fore in the study of the complex relationships between microbes and their viruses. In another example of interdisciplinary science within PML the study of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, exercises scientists across the PML disciplines. As a cosmopolitan species that forms massive blooms, detectable by remote sensing, it is of importance to climate and the carbon cycle, hence also of interest to biogeochemists, modellers, and ecologists. It is the lytic viral infection of this alga that terminates the blooms, releases the liths that are detectable by satellite sensors and influences global climate.

It is viral infection that leads to the demise of the alga and in order to understand the host-virus infection an expressed sequence tag (EST) was used. Two-colour oligonucleotide microarrays revealed that when a total of 4480 ESTs were assembled into 1871 clusters, 223 were of viral origin. The microarray expression further revealed that 231 out of 565 oligonucleotides of E.huxleyi changed their expression level at least once during infection; the virus affected photosynthesis, transcription and translation, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, metabolism and signal transduction.

Ocean’s largest virus found

The microbial world is hidden from most but is often described as the power house of the ocean, the very base of the food chain and a crucial part of global chemical cycles. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences PML scientists joined with colleagues from the University of British Columbia in announcing the discovery of the world’s largest marine virus. CroV, as the virus is dubbed, is only the second to be considered a ‘giant’ virus.

Like other viruses, CroV highjacks a host cell and uses the cellular machinery to replicate itself. Despite its large size CroV is only a threat to its host, a common single-celled creature called Cafeteria roenbergensis, which is a mere twenty times the size of the virus – rather like a human being infected by something the size of a baseball. PML’s world-leading expertise in designing a ‘microarray’ to transcribe the genes and unravel the genome of the giant virus was

essential to an understanding of the complex genetic code it carried. Revealing such complexity (CroV has 730,000 base pairs) leads to questions about whether it is still valid to regard viruses as non-living. This discovery blurs the boundary between viruses and cellular life and changes perceptions about evolution, but moves a step closer to throwing light on the complexity of microbial life.

Satellites across the sea

PML scientists work across many disciplines and at many levels from the microbial to the global. Measuring and monitoring biodiversity and those factors that may affect its composition and numbers often requires a broader, global view. PML has a justified reputation for its world-class Earth observation, a reputation that has resulted in the award of a number of funded projects to the Earth observation group at PML.

The Europe-Africa Marine Network (EAMNet) project, which commenced in 2010, is co-ordinated by PML and involves partners from five European and four African countries. The network aims to build upon existing marine satellite observation and training programmes and will provide scientists on both continents with access to large data sets. The ultimate aim of the network is to engage with end users in marine and coastal management agencies.

A key part of the programme will be the expansion of the Earth observation infrastructure around Africa, which will give scientists access to satellite data on the African seas and oceans. This will involve installing five receiving systems, which will form part of a global network of satellite based data systems and provide a web portal for data over Africa.

Blooming jellyfish

Closer to home scientists from PML have been involved in a collaborative study to gain further understanding of jellyfish populations in waters off the west coast of Scotland. The project for The Crown Estate focused on measuring jellyfish numbers, analysing methods for detecting blooms of jellyfish and looking at their potential impact on the fish farming industry. This has become quite an issue in recent years following reports of increased impact of jellyfish blooms on aquaculture along the coast

BIODIVERSITYTHE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

The role of benthic organisms within

their habitats is little understood. PML research

is revealing just how important these creatures are in terms of ecosystem

engineering and chemical and

nutrient cycling.

The odd close encounter with mega fauna is

a reminder of the complexity of the marine environment, from large

iconic animals to microbes and the viruses that

infect them.

of Scotland. As blooms develop around fish farming sites, they can cause a variety of problems, causing increased stress to the fish at best, and injury and mass mortality at worst. Remote observation and its interpretation, supplied by PML, is crucial to spotting blooms before they become a problem. Firstly, an aerial survey was conducted to evaluate whether the method could be applied to the coastal waters off the west of Scotland to identify jellyfish blooms. Secondly, remote monitoring was investigated to see if jellyfish blooms lead to sufficient water colouration to enable detection by satellite. Time constraints prevented a full appraisal of the methods, but results showed that remote sensing data has considerable potential in the early detection of large concentrations of jellyfish.

Quest for data

Benthic (seabed) life is beyond the gaze of the most sophisticated satellite sensor yet plays an increasingly recognised part in any marine ecosystem. Almost every week throughout the year RV Plymouth Quest carries groups of scientists on collecting and sampling trips. Using a diverse range of equipment from simple dredges and trawls to corers and plankton samplers, sensitive instrumentation and basic human observation, a huge amount of material for further study and experiment or data for later analysis is gathered.

Such in situ data reveals the ‘ground truth’ for the sites where it is collected, supports other methods such as remote sensing and autonomous buoy records, and supplies the basic materials for much modelling.

Data and samples have been collected at a number of sampling sites in the western approaches and Plymouth Sound, in some cases for more than one hundred years, providing a unique and ongoing ‘history’.

Amongst the most important components of any benthic community are nematodes, which can occur in vast numbers. Identifying any organism is the first step in establishing its place in any ecology but nematodes are notoriously difficult, so PML scientists have applied DNA bar coding to provide an insight into nematode community composition. This was carried out by amplifying 18SrRNA sequences, using a new set of primers, from environmental DNA collected from sediments from New Jersey, USA, and then comparing the results with published 18SrRNA sequences to test whether the unknown nematode sequences could be identified to genus level.

Only 13 out of the 40 clones that were screened and sequenced could be identified to published sequences. However, as most of the published sequence data, aiding identification, was from European sources there is an implication that in order to investigate and understand the diversity of nematode community composition better, the current database needs to include nematode sequences from a much wider geographical spread.

PML Annual Review Biodiversity

RV Plymouth Quest is a central tool in PML’s coastal investigations. The vessel undertakes regular visits to offshore, long-term sampling and monitoring stations as part of National Capability.

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Emiliania huxleyi is the subject of integrated research at PML. This phytoplanktonic organism is studied using tools from electron microscopes to satellites.

GOODS AND SERVICESTHE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Can we sustain and increase the goods and services provided by marine ecosystems while ensuring that we do not compromise uses and activities for future generations?

Marine photosynthesis

produces annually 36 billion tons of oxygen,

70% of the oxygen in the atmosphere, every

second breath we take

More than one billion

people rely upon fi sh and other seafood as their main source, and another

four billion as a signifi cant proportion, of their

protein intake

More than money can buy

As planet Earth becomes a smaller place in the face of growing human populations and the demands they make upon the environment, policy makers increasingly look to ‘valuing’ the goods and services provided, selfishly for our own lifestyles and survival and, more generally, to maintain sustainable ecosystems for the maintenance of the entire planet.

Traditionally goods and services have included those things that have easily measurable economic values, such as fisheries, transport, mineral resources, and more recently renewable energies, including wave, tide and current generated power. As marine scientists probe the ocean even more and unravel its innermost workings, it is becoming increasingly clear that there are some goods and services that are difficult or impossible to measure - goods and services that we have often overlooked or neglected, yet form the foundations for almost all that the oceans provide.

It has been estimated that every other breath that each of us takes is a result of plankton photosynthesising at the sea surface. Other gases play major roles in climate and weather and themselves cycle back into biological systems, how they work, what they do, and how we might be affecting them is key to our own survival and the well-being of the entire planet. In such a delicate balance, even small changes may impact our food supplies, livelihoods, the security of our coastlines and our health. Even the simple pleasure we get from a visit to the seaside for recreation has a value, but one that is beyond our wit to put a price upon.

Anathema to many, ‘putting a price on the oceans’ provides a practical measure to which most people can relate and understand. PML scientists and socio-economists work across disciplines to try to increase knowledge, starting from the basics of how the global systems function, how they relate to each other and how they can be altered, sometimes for the worse, by human activities. Armed with this knowledge attempts can be made to value relatively the life-giving environment that is the ocean.

Valuation is not simply about economic benefit however and, in any management regime, has to be considered against ecological and social benefits. The PML team is ideally placed to help get the balance right and is currently engaged in a number of projects investigating some of the ‘hidden services of the ocean to the more obvious impacts of management.

A measurement first

Measurements of oceanic oxygenated volatile organic compound (OVOC) concentrations, including ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetone, were measured as part of the latest Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) research mission, by using Membrane-Inlet proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (MI-PTR/MS). Results indicated that, whilst sea state saturation calculations show that the direction of the methanol and acetone flux is both into and out of the ocean, over the entire voyage track, the ocean appears, however, to be a constant source for acetaldehyde.

This novel data set provides the first evidence of an oceanic methanol source. In a second experiment aboard the AMT a further technique, Purge and Trap – Gas Chromatography/Flame Ionisation Detector (P&T-GC/FID) - measured for the first time ever, in-situ concentrations of ethanol and isomers of propanol. This data suggests that the ocean could represent an important source of these compounds to the atmosphere, so advancing understanding of gas exchange at the ocean/atmosphere interface.

Often overlooked, the oceans drive the climate, the chemical cycles and sustain all life on Earth, yet we still know little about them, how they are impacted by our actions, and whether they can remain sustainable.

Fisheries, important the world over with some 4 billion people relying on them as a key protein source, are not the only service the oceans provide.

Sophisticated sampling monitoring and measuring equipment allows PML scientists to probe the oceans as never before and unravel the intricate relationships between organisms and the chemical cycles that sustain them.

PML Annual Review Goods and services

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question of how much oxygen is consumed in, and how much carbon dioxide is produced in the ocean. During the AMT cruise PML scientists, for the first time, applied all of the techniques simultaneously, enabling a direct comparison of results.

In situ In situ data collection is vital for a complete understanding of our life-giving seas.

For policy makers

Chemical impacts

The impacts of chemicals in the oceans, resulting from human activities, is a growing problem, particularly as more novel substances are developed, the world population increases and economies develop with concomitant demands for ‘first world lifestyles’. Traditionally most environmental monitoring has focused on what could be described as conventional priority pollutants. However, there is a growing realisation that the occurrence of ‘emerging’ trace organic chemical pollutants, although not new in themselves, pose a potentially hazardous threat.

These chemicals escape into the environment via the sewage treatment plants that were never designed to filter them out. Synthetic musks are one such group of chemicals. They are components of personal care products and household cleaners and their usage has increased with the growth of concern for personal care and health. PML scientists have been looking at their distribution and persistence in waters of two estuaries in Plymouth, UK, which emerge into the sea in Plymouth Sound.

Although these musks are inevitably at higher concentrations near where they are discharged and become more diluted away from the source, they do show a remarkable persistence, even at high tides when they would be expected to be ‘flushed’. There is some evidence of larval inhibition and other effects, although these synthetic musks appear not to be having dramatic impacts yet. Acute toxicological effects are unlikely at current concentrations reported from other studies, but their ubiquitous presence and propensity to bioaccumulate means they cannot be disregarded.

Synthetic musks are not the only pharmaceutical pollutants found to be present in sewage effluents.

Alcoholic bugs

Further work on the AMT combined with science outputs from the Western Channel Observatory, PML’s long term monitoring programme, have produced some exciting results suggesting that microbes like a drop of alcohol! Measurements show that microbes are using methanol, for example, up to a rate of 105nM per day, and calculations indicate that they may be turning over the entire surface ocean methanol pool in about a day, again demonstrating both the importance of gases at the sea surface and the part played by previously overlooked microbes.

However things are not so simple, as other PML research has found that the majority of methanol, contrary to expectation, does not come from the atmosphere. This would suggest that there must be a major, yet unidentified, in situ oceanic methanol source in the oceans, perhaps from sunlight initiated decomposition of organic matter. If this proves to be the case it helps to explain hot spots of net heterotrophy in the North Atlantic.

On another leg of the AMT cruise, in the tropical Atlantic, photochemical experiments were carried out to measure production of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonium (NH

4) and

consumption of oxygen (O2) during light induced breakdown of organic matter. The resulting experimental data has been used in a one dimensional model, and combined with physical mixing rates for CO, to derive the CO budget and the daily emission of CO to the atmosphere. The next step is to modify the model as the basis for calculating emissions of other photochemically cycled gases.

Getting the measure

Sometimes measurements taken using different techniques appear to contradict each other. Measuring the metabolic balance of the temperate, sub-tropical and tropical Atlantic Ocean is a case in point, where various techniques including: daily production/consumption of oxygen; membrane inlet mass spectrometry; oxygen isotope analysis; respiratory electron transport system activity and incubations using oxygen micro-electrodes, which measure respiration at hourly timescales.

All of these work at different scales, from hours to weeks, but are applied to answering the fundamental

GOODS AND SERVICESTHE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Annual cruises on a transect into the South

Atlantic are building knowledge of the

complexity of ocean chemistry. PML leads

the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT), part of

National Capability.

Larger ocean going research vessels provide the ideal platforms for in

situ measurements and observations, over wide

areas and long transects.

short-term environmental impacts on fishmeal production by considering an annual production rate on individual, small pelagic fish stocks over a ten year period. Longer term environmental impacts on the same stocks use primary production predictions as proxies for species’ carrying capacities. Importantly the fisheries modelled in this method represent 70% of total fish meal production – so encapsulating the expected dynamics of the real global production and consumption system.

A very real ‘valuation’ exercise is currently underway with PML working in collaboration with other local partners. Two hundred and six square kilometres of Lyme Bay was closed to fishing and other activities in 2008. This was to protect the reef substrate and its associated biodiversity from the impacts of trawling and dredging with heavy demersal gears. This has become an example of how the ecosysytem approach has been incorporated into the decision making process alongside the more traditional economic valuations.

The research has now revealed that the desired ‘win win’ solution must be a long term-goal, based on a thorough evaluation of environmental, social and economic values of marine biodiversity. As the Marine Management Organisation strives to bring a balanced approach to managing coastal seas this research has thrown up some interesting observations. The marine leisure industry which includes diving, angling and wildlife watching, for example, has great local economic value and depends on the natural marine resources for its existence. However, it has limited benefits for protecting the entire resource upon which it is based.

Valuation is fraught with conflicts, as PML analysis of the benefits of coral reefs in Kenya illustrated. This study showed that visitors were willing to pay for the privilege of visiting the reefs, but there was a local perception that only relatively affluent Kenyans and foreign visitors could afford such a visit. Advice to the authorities included ensuring that extra revenue gained from the visitors, who were quite prepared to pay a premium, should be used for reef conservation.

Valuation of the ocean and what it provides is not a simple financial calculation. Environmental and social aspects should have equal consideration.

Many of these are commonly used, yet we know little about how much is being emitted to the environment, how they behave and whether they have long-term ecological and human health impacts. Part of the problem is that existing analytical methods are not always suitable for detecting and measuring some of these trace pollutants at low concentrations. PML scientists have now combined various methods into a step-by-step analytical method that not only targets popular pharmaceuticals, personal care products and endocrine disrupting compounds, but also quantifies faecal steroids which have been used effectively to track sewage effluent, providing clues to its dispersion and persistence.

There is a whole new suite of artificial chemicals gaining access to the sea – we are only just beginning to understand the potential consequences.

For policy makers

A model approach

A combination of SeaWiFS satellite data and AMT pigment data has been scrutinised by PML via a three-component model that was developed to calculate the fractional contributions of three phytoplankton size-classes (micro-, nano-, and picoplankton) to chlorophyll-a concentration in the Atlantic Ocean. This work, which brings together two of PML’s key strengths, is likely to have applications for validating multi-plankton biogeochemical models and improving primary production estimates.

Cross-disciplinary science is the key to understanding the detail of ocean productivity.

For policy makers

Balancing the value

Perhaps more tangible to many stakeholders is research directly connected to economic outputs, such as fisheries. Predicting how fisheries might react to environmental pressures is fundamental in their management, which in turn translates into valuable food and other fish products, such as fish meal, for billions of people worldwide. Bioeconomic models have been developed by PML which explore

PML is participating in the Lyme Bay Study investigating the biological and socio-economic impacts of the creation of Marine Protected Areas.

PML Annual Review Goods and services

For policy makers

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What is the scope for developing new opportunities for food, energy and resource delivery from the marine environment?

NEW OPPORTUNITIES THE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Microbes may comprise as

much as 90% of ocean biomass; each ‘species’

has its own unique suite of compounds, many of these have the

potential to benefi t humankind

50% of oil and natural gas are

recovered from beneath the seafl oor. Now the race is

on to fi nd sustainable biofuels – marine algae may be the

key to clean, effi cient future hydrocarbon

production

New opportunities

PML naturally has a wealth of expertise in marine microbiology. This know-how has been extended to ‘bio-prospecting’ of marine micro organisms for novel activity with potential industrial, pharmaceutical and therapeutical applications. This includes enzyme screening for biocatalysts using novel screening methods, many of which have been developed in house. Additionally, metabolite extracts from marine bacteria are being screened against human disease targets. PML has unique access to a plethora of marine bacterial strains through its own growing culture collection. Strains in the collection have been isolated and purified to axenic cultures from a diverse range of marine environments.

Microalgae – the fuel of the future?

As the race to find alternatives to fuels derived from mineral oils continues, researchers turn to the natural world for the solutions. Microalgae can be cultivated and manipulated to produce high yields of oil that can be used as feedstock for further refining into transport oil. The potential biomass yield of microalgae is vast compared to conventional agricultural biofuel feedstocks and it has few of their negative impacts; it does not require arable land or freshwater and does not compete with commodity food crops, for example.

Therefore the production of microalgal biofuels at scale would represent a significant technological breakthrough. However, many challenges remain to make low cost algal biofuels a commercial reality. PML is working on a Carbon Trust project to screen environmental samples for novel microalgae, which grow well and naturally produce high levels of lipid for biodiesel production and which can be grown in open ponds without resorting to any genetic modification.

Valuing the oceans is difficult and contentious, but one estimate suggested they were worth $21 trillion annually. If carefully exploited, the oceans can remain ecologically sustainable and bring huge economic and other benefits.

For policy makers

Engineering algae

A major partner in a £4 million BBSRC funded project, PML has been working with colleagues in industry to discover promising algal species and then modify them as possible producers of lipids – the building blocks of fuels. Cyanobacteria and microalgae are amongst the most promising candidates, presenting a vast untapped resource of new chemicals and enzymes often with characteristics which are considerably different to anything discovered in the terrestrial environment.

PML scientists are working on one particular alga – Nanchloropsis – an organism recognised as having fuel producing potential because it already produces a lot of lipids. Marine algae, cultivated close to or in the sea, are a better proposition than freshwater species because they do not compete for scarce land or water resources.

The lipids are normally produced by the microalgae, especially as they approach the end of their lives. In order to make the algae an attractive business opportunity, they need to be modified to produce more lipids as they grow so that they can be continually harvested. When competing with mineral oils profitability is a key constraint, and a fraction of a penny can make the difference to economic viability.

Getting the correct balance between saturated and unsaturated lipids is essential – if the fatty acids are too saturated they can clog, if too unsaturated they may oxidise. The EU standard for biofuels is based on the performance of rape seed oil, and PML’s £1 million share of the BBSRC research project is supporting work on manipulating the alga to produce oil that meets the standard.

PML Annual Review New opportunities

Marine algae may hold the key to producing sustainable biofuels and valuable pharmaceuticals.

From microbe to macroalgae the potential of marine products is still in its infancy. PML is at the forefront of the search for tomorrow’s useful compounds.

Animals that live in harsh environments have developed unique ways of surviving, often their solutions to a problem can be applied in human medicine and engineering.

www.pml.ac.uk

22–––23

YASMIN concluded

Mineral oils are not solely used for the production of fuels for transport and energy; they are an important raw material for the production of a bewildering range of chemicals. Using microalgae as a sustainable source for the production of such chemicals is of growing global interest as more traditional, and harmful, sources become unavailable or unsuitable.

Optimising Yield of Antioxidants and Sunscreens in Microalgae for sustainable biosynthesis of INgredients (YASMIN) for health and beauty products was a key stage in the burgeoning area of UK algal biotechnology research, with the likelihood of contributing to a potentially lucrative UK low carbon economy.

YASMIN was a collaborative project between PML, PML Applications, The Boots Company plc, University of Plymouth, Carlton Power and Chesham Speciality Ingredients Ltd; it was funded under the Renewable Materials LINK Programme through BBSRC. YASMIN’s aim was to exploit the natural activities of microalgae to convert light from the sun into chemicals at higher rates than crop-based plants.

With tens of thousands of species and adaptation to a wide range of environments, each species often contains unique chemicals. YASMIN concentrated on two suites of bioactive compounds that play a key role in protecting cells against natural stress factors such as high light and ultra-violet radiation. The human application is in healthcare products which have both economic and health benefits.

Aspects of algal physiology were undertaken at PML, while PML Applications developed novel photobioreactors to optimise cultivation of the selected strains. As a result of the successful conclusion of this project earlier in the year, PML and Boots continue to collaborate, and have instigated further projects, while research findings in partnership with the University of Plymouth have opened up new industrial biotechnology opportunities within the drug discovery, pharmaceutical, aquaculture and bioremediation sectors. The PML strain contains novel compounds with potential applications as bulk low value compounds as well as high value bioactives.

Groundbreaking DNA sequencing technology

The Tamar Estuary to the west of Plymouth is the focus of a unique study of bacteria using next generation DNA sequencing. PML, in collaboration with Roche, is examining how the diversity of marine bacteria and its impact on marine ecosystems varies. The results of the study will have far reaching implications including applications within industry, and a better understanding of how marine ecosystems will behave under conditions of global change.

Only a minute fraction of the bacterial species in our oceans has been characterised to date and even less is known about the biochemical processes in which they are involved. Recent bacterial diversity work undertaken at PML has shown that bacteria at a long-term monitoring site undergo regular seasonal cycles. It is believed that these cycles may not, however, be driven by simple relationships with the variables normally associated with microbial community development, such as temperature or nutrients.

Traditional methods of assessing bacterial community composition in seawater grossly underestimate its diversity. The new DNA sequencing technology kindly provided by Roche is allowing PML to identify more species and improve understanding on how diversity in seawater changes with time and location, potentially enabling enhanced predictions on the consequences of climate change and other man-made activities.

Ultimately, this technology may have far reaching impacts, particularly in the diagnostics industry, an area that is of interest to PML’s partner in this academic project - Roche. For example, it becomes possible to distinguish between similar bacteria which pose significant health risks and those that are entirely safe. Distinguishing these is a real problem in the assessment of water quality, and it might mean, for example, the difference between closing a bathing beach and keeping it open, so making a considered judgement that does not lead to illness on the one hand or loss of income on the other.

NEW OPPORTUNITIESTHE SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Large-scale photobioreactor array

for growing algae on an industrial scale, using

carbon dioxide outputs from industrial processes,

developed by PML in partnership with the

Boots Company plc and other partners.

In partnership with Roche, PML is sequencing DNA

of potentially harmful bacteria. The results may

help in environmental management.

PML Annual Review New opportunities

ReDAPT tidal generator

With the problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels becoming an increasing worry the race is on to find environmentally acceptable, economically efficient alternatives for energy production. The UK is surrounded by some of the most energetic seas on Earth so marine based solutions are an obvious area to be investigated.

Electricity generating devices that are employed beneath the surface of the sea to exploit tidal and current energy have many advantages. They are less damaging to the environment, they are out of sight, non-polluting, and as they are offshore, do not have the problems associated with estuarine systems where silting and habitat disturbances can be significant challenges. However, because of their location beneath the surface, maintenance can be costly so it becomes important to keep such maintenance to a minimum. One particular problem is with fouling organisms, which become attached to the installations, clogging moving parts and adding to drag effects and therefore structural integrity and stability.

Anti-fouling coatings can be applied but they also require regular refreshment and are perceived to have environmental impacts. PML is working in partnership with Rolls-Royce, TGL, EMEC, E.ON, EDF, Garrad Hassan and the University of Edinburgh on an Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) project (ReDAPT – Reliable Data Acquisition Platform for Tidal) to develop an innovative tidal generator on a commercial scale, that will provide a baseline of data that will directly feed into the rollout of tidal turbines around the UK. The ETI is a public-private partnership between global industry and the UK Government tasked with developing and demonstrating engineering and technology that will provide secure, sustainable and affordable energy and help the UK meet its legally binding carbon reduction targets.

PML is involved in analysis of the biofouling organisms and their prevention and control through the detailed study of existing anti-fouling coatings, and investigation of the locations, reproductive cycles, larval transport and attachment mechanisms of the organisms responsible for fouling. It is anticipated that the results of this research should inform choices of materials and coatings for use at tidal and wave energy sites worldwide.

ReDAPT will install an innovative tidal generator with comprehensive data collection system at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.

www.pml.ac.uk

24–––25

Goose barnacles and other encrusting organisms can add signifi cantly to the running cost of ocean based renewable energy generators. PML is working to understand how biofouling organisms locate and settle upon marine structures.

APPLYING THE SCIENCE

Applying the science

Over the past fi ve years PML has played host to a project which aims to realise the commercial value of the marine science undertaken by PML. The i-GPeninsula project, funded by the BIS Public Sector Research Exploitation (PSRE) Fund, has been delivered in two phases. The fi rst phase concentrated on capacity building by putting systems in place to identify those areas of PML’s scientifi c research which could be matched to new and emerging markets.

As a result a number of potential commercial opportunities emerged from the science base. The second and current phase of the project has been mainly about proving the concept that the science can be exploited as a product or service, while also still searching for further new ideas. As a result of this work over the past fi ve years it is abundantly clear that PML has within its knowledge base many ideas that have potential wide ranging commercial applications.

3-D visualisation

Capability has been developed to compile and present different marine and terrestrial geospatial data sets together, seamlessly as a single scene in 3-D using GIS and 3-D Viewer systems. This has applications in the planning process for visual impact assessments as, for example, topographical data can be visualised as a fully navigable 3-D digital terrain model to give accurate views of both onshore and offshore planned renewable energy installations.

A combination of excellent science and entrepreneurial fl air ensures that PML Group is ideally placed for delivering stakeholders’ requirements.

For stakeholders

Synthetic Aperture Radar combined with bathymetry to show

coastal topography and seafl oor adjacent

to Plymouth.

PML processes data for the NERC Airborne Research and Survey

Facility. One application has been in the study of the AFAR rift in Ethiopia,

an area of tectonic activity providing clues

to seafl oor spreading and ocean formation.

A question of ballast

There is a serious environmental threat from the transport of invasive marine species in ships’ ballast water, a problem now recognised and indeed being addressed by new International Maritime Organization regulations. It is clear that successful management of the risks associated with ballast water discharge requires the partnership of interdisciplinary scientifi c expertise, together with responsive marine environmental regulators, technology developers and end users. PML Applications is establishing strong working links between these groups at this early stage on an emerging issue, and proof of concept work is ongoing for ballast water treatment developers and service providers for all stages of technology development.

Unwanted biological growth is most frequently associated with the biofouling of ships’ hulls. However, many other industries experience similar challenges on equipment deployed in the marine environment. Work is underway to provide technology screening for seeking antifouling technology for conventional and niche applications, in addition to bespoke research programmes aimed at understanding and preventing the fundamental mechanisms behind the biofouling process.

PML Applications is currently working with the global company, Schlumberger, addressing the problems on hydrophones used during oil and gas exploration. Pedunculate and goose barnacles, strikingly beautiful organisms evolved to settle on almost any surface, cause millions of dollars of additional cost to the company, through the equipment being unavailable during down time for cleaning. PML Applications is drawing on in-house expertise from PML to provide solutions to this niche biofouling issue. An ambitious campaign of laboratory and fi eld based experiments is planned to better understand microbial adhesion, larval recruitment hierarchies and larva/surface interactions.

Novel cleaning practices coupled with non-toxic anti-fouling technologies, to increase effi ciency and reduce maintenance, are being developed. The relationship with Schlumberger represents an exciting direction for PML Applications Ltd, where PML group expertise and knowledge is being applied to address real-time pressing concerns across marine sectors.

With south-west England identifi ed as an area of huge offshore marine renewable energy potential, lessons learned from PML’s biofouling research have a natural application to the effi ciency and maintenance of offshore generators, such as wave energy devices.

pCO2

PML’s knowledge base has also been applied to the potential threats from climate change, resulting in the development of a live on-board climate change monitoring system which samples seawater and atmospheric CO2

concentrations and transmits resulting real-time data by satellite associated with a live remote control system. A number of these systems are currently in operation and being tested further under real life conditions on UK research vessels.

PML actively seeks useful and relevant applications for its science. Working with partners across government, industry, commerce and academia ensures effi cient and timely solutions with potential economic benefi ts.

For stakeholders

PML Annual Review Applying the science

www.pml.ac.uk

Each year billions of tonnes of water are exchanged from the ballast tanks of commercial vessels, often they contain invasive organisms.

The Chinese mitten crab has colonised new areas, after being accidentally introduced via ballast water discharges. As with other invasives it threatens native wildlife and causes habitat damage.

26–––27

COMMUNICATING THE SCIENCE

Sharing science

The PML seminar series is an intrinsic part of internal communications which provides the opportunity for scientists within PML to hear about and question each other’s work, as well gain an external perspective through the 28 invited speakers who have given presentations through the year. The seminars, which have taken place most weeks, have included everything from bathing water standards to benthic oxygen dynamics, climate change to corrosive bacteria and Atlantic Stories to Arctic ice thinning.

Speakers were invited from most of the UK’s leading marine research organizations and academic institutions; many of them collaborators on joint projects with PML; one speaker came from as far afi eld as Australia. Included in the annual series were eleven presentations made by PML scientists. These were especially well received as each was designed to illustrate the cutting edge science carried out at PML, and acknowledged the input of colleagues to challenges requiring an interdisciplinary approach.

PML in the news

PML has maintained its close working relationship with the press and media, and monitored news stories have appeared, on average, more than once each week. News items have been featured locally, regionally and nationally in the traditional press and media, with innumerable electronic media outlets following up stories for a worldwide audience. It has been a stated aim of PML to become a ‘fi rst call’ organization for marine related issues, and it now enjoys a high reputation, amongst members of the press and media, for clear, factual and reliable comment and information on PML-relevant topics.

Of particular note was the global impact of an Emerging Issues Bulletin, written for the United Nations Environment Programme and launched at the COP 16 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change talks in Mexico in December. Earlier in the year a special feature in New Scientist highlighted a PML scientist as having one of the “Best Jobs in Science”. Climate change and ocean acidifi cation with associated carbon capture and storage stories were of particular interest to the national press. PML science, including socio-economics, the Western Channel Observatory and

viruses featured a number of times in NERC’s ‘Planet Earth’ and as podcasts on ‘Planet Earth Online’, whilst ocean acidifi cation research and the Catlin Arctic Survey were widely covered, including on Channel Four TV.

The Communications Group at PML has been strengthened and is becoming increasingly involved at the commencement of, and throughout the duration of successful research project bids, as knowledge dissemination has become more of a requirement and measurable output from funding agencies. In particular, PML is co-ordinating the Knowledge Transfer package for the UK Ocean Acidifi cation Research Programme and is heavily involved in other signifi cant projects such as QICS, Vectors and ECO2.

The UK Marine Science Strategy identifi es poor communication of science as one of the ‘barriers’ to achieving its aims. PML has risen to this by positively encouraging openness and sharing of knowledge between its scientists and stakeholders, and more directly by membership of the UK Communications Working Group of the Marine Science Co-ordination Committee, which is currently creating a nationwide marine science communications strategy.

Research to publication

Publication of research results in peer reviewed journals serves a number of purposes, not least is making PML science available to the wider scientifi c community. As such the number of publications produced can be used as a measure of the success of an organization and the calibre of its science and scientists. Through 2010 PML has continued its high level of publications output with more than 130 contributions over the year, half of these with a PML scientist as fi rst author.

Publications have featured in a diversity of journals across the range of PML scientifi c interests including climate change, ocean acidifi cation, carbon capture and storage, microbial communities, modelling, marine gases, pollution, remote sensing, socio-economics, biodiversity, ecology and plankton. Of special interest is an issue of the Journal of Plankton Research which marks the 20th Anniversary of the Station L4 weekly plankton time series; ten of the eleven articles were contributed by PML staff, all

‘Sunday Times’ journalist Jonathan Leake spent

a day at PML gathering background material and

meeting key scientists for forthcoming features.

Richard Hollingham on board RV Plymouth Quest

collecting interviews for a series of NERC’s ‘Planet

Earth’ online podcasts about ocean acidifi cation.

Peter Miller wins award for ‘Best Poster’ at the

prestigious Oceans from Space symposium in

Venice. This symposium takes place every

ten years.

of them demonstrate the co-operative nature of PML science research. A full list of PML’s current publications is available on its website.

Making the link – science, policy and the public

Making science accessible to the public to encourage a more science literate population and perhaps, behavioural change, or providing it in a form that enables policy makers in decision making and policy formulation is an increasingly important outcome of scientists’ research. However it is usually the case that each group, and indeed other stakeholder sectors, use differing language and/or have varying levels of comprehension of specifi c scientifi c issues.

The politician often demands ‘hard fact’ in the form of answers and predictions, the scientists are usually only comfortable with the ‘state of knowledge’ which seldom meets such demands, and the general public are often swamped with contradictory ‘truths’

PML Annual Review Communicating the science 28–––29

David Liittschwager, a National Geographic photographer, spent two days at PML taking images for an article in the magazine.

Apart from peer reviewed journals PML scientists contributed articles to a wide range of popular science and other magazines.

www.pml.ac.uk

Highlights:

February – PML commissioned to produce short fi lm by NERC, concerning communication between scientists, policy makers and the public.

March – PML team join with colleagues from the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership to exhibit and present at ‘Oceanology International 2010’

April – PML invited to join Marine Science Co-ordination Committee, communications group.

May – PML research at long-term monitoring site L4 featured in special issue of Journal of Plankton Research

May – PML scientist Helen Findlay featured in New Scientist special supplement, ‘Best Jobs in Science’

which leave them in confusion. The fi rst step towards useful knowledge transfer between the various groups stems from an understanding that their needs differ and their imperatives might be at variance with each other.

Certainly much of the misunderstanding that surrounds climate change can be blamed upon poor understanding between those providing information and those receiving it. Using the more straightforward, and relatively recently recognised, phenomenon of ocean acidifi cation as a vehicle PML has linked up with science communications experts Futerra and environmental fi lm makers Nice and Serious to produce a short DVD aimed at highlighting the differing needs of public, industry, policy advisors and scientists challenged by the potential threats of lowering ocean pH. Taking advantage of a recent Reference User Group meeting, to interview key stakeholders, fi lming has already commenced with the fi nished fi lm, funded by NERC, timetabled for spring 2011.

SCIENCE FOR POLICY MAKERS

Science for policy makers

As the world human population increases, resources dwindle and pressures mount on our environment, stakeholders, including politicians, funding agencies and the wider public are demanding more concrete outcomes from science to aid their decision making. For some time PML has been recognised as an organization of integrity, credibility and reliability and is ideally placed to provide advice and guidance to those who need to craft balanced policy.

Often decisions may have wide-ranging effects on the environment, economies and society as a whole. Not only does PML enjoy an excellent reputation for its science outputs, it is also recognized as an authoritative, non-partisan source of unbiased advice and guidance – outcomes of relevance to the modern decision maker.

Scientists from PML work at a variety of levels across a wide range of organizations, collaborations and committees where their input, built from hands-on science experience, and an understanding of the needs of policy makers, helps mould strategies and policies locally, regionally and internationally.

International reputation

At an international level Dr Manuel Barange, PML’s Director of Science, has become the Chair of the Science Committee of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), one of the most infl uential international collaborative bodies concerned with managing the marine environment and its resources. A team of three PML scientists has been invited to address the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) regarding the ‘sister’ problem of ocean acidifi cation, a true testament to PML’s strengths in ‘science to advice to policy’. Other members of the PML team have been involved in other, no less important, international policy and strategy formulation through advice and membership of many groups including:

• Census of Marine Life 2020 Science Council

• European Commission FP7 Advisory Group for Environment (including Climate Change)

• EU Expert Group on Marine Research Infrastructure

• International Ocean Colour Co-ordinating Group Working Group on Phytoplankton Functional Types (Chair)

• ICES Working Group on Biological Effects of Contaminants (WGBEC)

• ICES Working Group on Biodiversity

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report on Climate Change (Review Editor)

• Scientifi c Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Global Ecology & Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB) Scientifi c Steering Committee

• UNESCO-IOC Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Scientifi c Steering Committee

Launched at COP 16 this publication, written by PML, attracted global media attention.

PML’s world-class science attracts the attention of policy makers and other

stakeholders who require credible, timely and reliable

advice. Lord Owen meets PML Chairman,

Terence Lewis.

PML engaging with policy makers and other

stakeholders at the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change, COP 16

meeting in Mexico.

30–––31

PML Annual Review Science for policy makers

National recognition

Using its experience and knowledge to help formulate and guide marine science policy in the UK is a fundamental responsibility for an organization of PML’s standing. In particular, Chief Executive, Stephen de Mora’s membership of the Marine Science Co-ordination Committee puts PML fi rmly amongst strategic decision makers in UK marine science. Equally prestigious is Professor de Mora’s membership of the Science & Innovation Strategy Board (SISB); SISB is the key source of advice to the Natural Environment Research Council and in developing its science strategy.

PML was heavily involved in the formulation of what became the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) and this is now being followed up the provision of advice, as required, to the newly created Marine Management Organisation (MMO) through Dr Melanie Austen, who acts as its Chief Scientifi c Advisor.

Other PML scientists are actively contributing to a broad span of projects, which will ultimately have policy implications; these include:

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Community Network Advisory Board

• Expert Panel for the National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA)

• Maritime and Aviation Team, Foreign and Commonwealth Offi ce - Advisor on Marine Genetic Resources

• Department of Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Science Advisory Group

• Ocean Processes Advisory Group (OPEG)

• Oxford Geoengineering Institute Advisory Board

• Royal Society’s Climate Change Advisory Network

Highlights:

January – UK-Japan workshop on Environmental Impact Assessment of Carbon Capture and Storage, hosted by the British Embassy in Tokyo. Dr Jerry Blackford invited speaker.

February – PML socio economics group publish report on Chagos and recommendation that it be a Marine Protected Area

April – PML’s Dr Icarus Allen invited speaker at the International Symposium on Climate Change, Japan

December - UNEP Emerging Issues Bulletin, ‘Environmental consequences of ocean acidifi cation: a threat to food security’ (written by PML) launched at COP16 in Mexico. PML team presents talks at highest level.

Local politicians and other stakeholders visit PML as part of a tour of Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership (PMSP) institutions.

www.pml.ac.uk

SHARING OUR GLOBAL EXPERIENCE

PML enjoys a global reputation and so is a natural target for partnerships and collaboration. A key element of its strategy is to nurture, further develop and expand these international, national, regional and local relationships. Reasons for developing partnerships include: seeking new avenues and markets for funding, and to meet stakeholders’ needs in an increasingly competitive environment; recognition that collaboration and longer-term relationships are an essential ingredientof modern research activities; and involving industrial partners and end users in research is mutually benefi cial, resulting in knowledge exchange and the delivery of economic benefi t.

PML’s world-class reputation is refl ected in its strategic partnerships which include:

• Partnership for the Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO).

A forum for leaders of similar major oceanographic institutions around the world to promote global oceanography, particularly the implementation of international and integrated global ocean observing systems.

• Willis Research Network.

The world’s largest partnership between academia and the insurance industry. Its focus is to evaluate the frequency, severity and impact of extreme events and help society at local and global scales manage these risks.

PML continues to build upon its international reputation and is particularly proud to work with key organizations in the Far East through Memoranda of Understanding including: the City University, Hong Kong; the Graduate School of Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, China; the Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, China and the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI). PML scientists have participated in workshops in China in relation to marine ecosystems, ocean acidifi cation and harmful algal blooms.

There have been reciprocal visits and funded studentships. Research collaborations continue at a high level and involve universities across Europe, and other institutes worldwide.

300 institutions from over 45 countries

Argentina

· Centre for Surveying and Assessment of Agriculture and Natural Resources

· National Institute ofAgricultural Technology

Australia

· CO2CRC Management Pty Ltd

· The Commonwealth Scientifi c and Industrial Research Organisation

Belgium

· Commission of the European Communities - Directorate General Joint Research Centre

· Flanders Marine Institute

· Flemish Institute for Technological Research

· Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences

· The Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models

· The Free University of Brussels

· University of Liege

· Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics

Brazil

· Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation

· Food Supply Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture

· National Institute for Space Research

· State University of Campinas

Bulgaria

· Institute of Oceanology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

· Sofi a University

Canada

· Bedford Insititute of Oceanography

· Dalhousie University

· University of Regina

Croatia

· University of Zagreb

Cyprus

· University of Cyprus

Denmark

· Bolding and Burchard Hydrodynamics

· Danish Institute for Fisheries Research

· Danish Meteorological Institute

· National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark, University of Aarhus

· Technical University of Denmark & National Institute of Aquatic Resources

· The Danish National Space Center

Egypt

· National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries

· University of Alexandria

Estonia

· Tallinn University of Technology

France

· Analytic & Computational Research Inc

· Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement

· Centre National de Recherche Scientifi que

· Collecte Localisation Satellites

· Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique

· EDF Group (France)

· ENSIETA

· European Space Agency

· GIP Mercator Ocean

· HYGEOS

· Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire

· Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement

· Institut Français de Recherche pour l`Exploitation de la Mer

· Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche

· Meteo-France - Centre de Météorologie Spatiale

· Noveltis

· Océanopolis University of Brest

· Philippe Saugier International Educational Projects

· Station Biologique de Roscoff

· Thales Alenia Space

· University of Pierre and Marie Curie

· University of the Littoral Opal Coast

Germany

· Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research

· Bolding & Burchard Hydrodynamics

· Brockmann Consult

· Freie Universitaet Berlin

· Bundesamt fuer Seeschifffahrt und Hydrografi e

· Bundesanstalt fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe

· Carl von Ossietzky Universitaet

· Cognis GmbH

· Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft – und Raumfahrt e.V.

· Enviscope GmbH

· European Organisation for the Exploration of Meteorological Satellites

· Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH

· Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH

· Freie Universitaet

· GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH

· Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum

· Korean Institute of Science & Technology

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Meereswissenschaften (IFM-GEOMAR)

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Ostseeforschung Warnemuende

· Max Planck Institute, University of Bremen

· Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg

· RWE Power AG

· University of Hamburg Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science

· University of Leipzig

Ghana

· University of Ghana

Greece

· Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis, Thermi-Thessaloniki

· Hellenic Centre for Marine Research

· Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications

· Public Power Corporation

Hungary

· University of Szeged

Hong Kong

· City University

· Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Iceland

· Hafrannsóknastofnunin - Marine Research Institute

Ireland

· Marine Institute

· National University of Ireland

· Techworks Marine Ltd

· University College Cork

· University College Dublin

Israel

· Bar Ilan University

· Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Ltd

· Tel Aviv University

Italy

· Alma Mater Studiorum

· CLU SRL

· Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

· Enel Ingegneria e Innovazione S.p.A

· Ente per le NuoveTecnologie l’Energia e l’Ambiente

· European Commission Joint Research Centre

· Fondazione IMC Centro Marino Internazionale Onlus

· Istituto Nazionale di Geofi sica e Vulcanologia

· Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografi a e Geofi sica Sperimentale

· Planetek Italia S.r.l.

· Universita del Piemonte Orientale

· Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza

· Universita di Bologna

· Universita Politecnica delle Marche

Japan

· Hokkaido University

· Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Korea· Korea Ocean Research and

Development Institute

Lithuania

· Klaipeda University Corpi

Malaysia

· WorldFish Centre

Malta

· Universita ta Malta

Morocco

· Institut National de Recherche Halieutique

New Zealand

· National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research

Niger

· African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development

· Regional Centre for Training and Operational Applications in Agrometeorology and Hydrology

Norway

· Bergen University College

· Bodo University College

· Det Norske Meteorologiske Institutt

· Gassco AS

· Havforskningsinstituttet

· Hogskolen I Bergen

· Hogskolen Stord/Haugesund University College

· International Research Institute

· Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center

· Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning

· Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research

· SINTEF Petroleumsforskning AS

· Statoil ASA

· Uni (BCCS) Research AS

· UNIFOB AS

· University of Bergen

· University of Tromso

· Zero Emission Resource Organisation

People’s Republic of China

· Chinese Academy of Sciences

· Graduate School at Shenzhen

· Guangxi Mangrove Research Centre

· Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences

· National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre

· South China Sea Institute of Oceanology

· Tsinghua University

· Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research

Poland

· Morski Instytut Rybacki w Gdyni

· Uniwersytet Gdanski

· University of Warsaw

Portugal

· Centre of Marine & Environmental Research

· Centre of Oceanography of the University Lisbon

· Institute of Marine Research

· Instituto Superior Tecnico

Romania

· Institutul National de Cercetare - Dezvoltare Marina “Grigore Antipa”

Russia

· State Oceanographic Institute

South Africa

· Council for Scientifi c and Industrial Research

· University of Cape Town

Spain

· Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientifi cas, Barcelona

· Fundacion Azti/Azti Fundazioa

· Instituto Espanol de Oceanografi a

· Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial

· Puertos del Estado

· Starlab

· Universidad de Vigo

· Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

· Xunta de Galicia - Conselleria de Medio Ambiente e Desenvolvemento Sostible

Sweden

· Sveriges Meteorologiska och Hydrologiska Institut

· University of Gothenburg

· Vattenfall Research and Development AB

Switzerland

· Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule

· University of Bern

· University of Zurich

Tanzania

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· University of Dar-es-Salaam

The Netherlands

· Cosine Research BV

· International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation

· Marine Informatie Service - MARIS BV

· Rijks Instituut voor Kust en Zee

· Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

· Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

· Stichting Nationaal Lucht – en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium

· University of Technology

· University of Utrecht

· Vereniging voor Christelijk Hoger Onderwijs Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Patientenzorg

· Wageningen University,

· Water Insight

Tunisia

· Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie

Turkey

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· Middle East Technical University

Ukraine

· Marine Hydrophysical Institute - Ukrainian National Academy of Science

USA

· Aquaculture Innovation Center

· Blue Hill Hydraulics· John Hopkins University

· Montana State University

· Pacifi c Shellfi sh Inc

· Permaquid Oyster Co

· The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanforth Junior University

· University of Connecticut

(The map and accompanying list does not include all PML’s active partnerships)

PML has the vision...to enhance the impact of its activities as a world-leading marine research organization

the mission...to develop and apply world-leading integrated scientifi c understanding of interactions between the marine environment and society in order to sustain coastal and upper ocean ecosystems and their services under conditions of global change

and the strategy...to undertake cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research in anticipation of societal needs and to promote stewardship of marine ecosystems.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s charitable OBJECTS, VISION and MISSION, demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research within a global perspective, whilst acknowledging social responsibilities; ideals encapsulated in its Strategic Objective.

PML is a company limited by guarantee (company no. 4178503) with charitable status (charity no. 1091222). The charitable aims of PML are laid out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association which also defi ne the OBJECTS of the Charity:

To carry out research in environmental science and technology including marine and estuarine environmental science and technology and disseminate results of such research and data and ideas generated in the course of or in connection with such research for the benefi t of the public and to advance public education in the principles and practice of such science and technology.

The PML story began in September 1970 when the Institute of Marine Environmental Research (IMER) was formed by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The next seven years saw the building of a team of scientists that eventually came together in a new building, opened in 1977 and still PML’s home today. PML was created as a wholly owned NERC Centre in 1988. In April 2002 PML became an independent company, limited by guarantee, with charitable status, and a Collaborative Centre of NERC; a model that gave great fl exibility to respond to regional, national and international funding, so enhancing PML’s partnership and development opportunities.

Today PML maintains its close relationship with NERC as a Collaborative Centre and a National Capability Delivery Partner, yet also has built strong working collaborations with other Research Councils, industry, governmental agencies and other funders, in the UK, throughout Europe and globally.

· Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH

· Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH

· Freie Universitaet

· GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH

· Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum

· Korean Institute of Science & Technology

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Meereswissenschaften (IFM-GEOMAR)

· Leibniz-Institut fuer Ostseeforschung Warnemuende

· Max Planck Institute, University of Bremen

· Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg

· RWE Power AG

· University of Hamburg Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science

· University of Leipzig

Ghana

· University of Ghana

Greece

· Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis, Thermi-Thessaloniki

· Hellenic Centre for Marine Research

· Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications

· Public Power Corporation

Hungary

· University of Szeged

Hong Kong

· City University

· Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Iceland

· Hafrannsóknastofnunin - Marine Research Institute

Ireland

· Marine Institute

· National University of Ireland

· Techworks Marine Ltd

· University College Cork

· University College Dublin

Israel

· Bar Ilan University

· Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Ltd

· Tel Aviv University

Italy

· Alma Mater Studiorum

· CLU SRL

· Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

· Enel Ingegneria e Innovazione S.p.A

· Ente per le NuoveTecnologie l’Energia e l’Ambiente

· European Commission Joint Research Centre

· Fondazione IMC Centro Marino Internazionale Onlus

· Istituto Nazionale di Geofi sica e Vulcanologia

· Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografi a e Geofi sica Sperimentale

· Planetek Italia S.r.l.

· Universita del Piemonte Orientale

· Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza

· Universita di Bologna

· Universita Politecnica delle Marche

Japan

· Hokkaido University

· Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Korea· Korea Ocean Research and

Development Institute

Lithuania

· Klaipeda University Corpi

Malaysia

· WorldFish Centre

Malta

· Universita ta Malta

Morocco

· Institut National de Recherche Halieutique

New Zealand

· National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research

Niger

· African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development

· Regional Centre for Training and Operational Applications in Agrometeorology and Hydrology

Norway

· Bergen University College

· Bodo University College

· Det Norske Meteorologiske Institutt

· Gassco AS

· Havforskningsinstituttet

· Hogskolen I Bergen

· Hogskolen Stord/Haugesund University College

· International Research Institute

· Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center

· Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning

· Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research

· SINTEF Petroleumsforskning AS

· Statoil ASA

· Uni (BCCS) Research AS

· UNIFOB AS

· University of Bergen

· University of Tromso

· Zero Emission Resource Organisation

People’s Republic of China

· Chinese Academy of Sciences

· Graduate School at Shenzhen

· Guangxi Mangrove Research Centre

· Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences

· National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre

· South China Sea Institute of Oceanology

· Tsinghua University

· Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research

Poland

· Morski Instytut Rybacki w Gdyni

· Uniwersytet Gdanski

· University of Warsaw

Portugal

· Centre of Marine & Environmental Research

· Centre of Oceanography of the University Lisbon

· Institute of Marine Research

· Instituto Superior Tecnico

Romania

· Institutul National de Cercetare - Dezvoltare Marina “Grigore Antipa”

Russia

· State Oceanographic Institute

South Africa

· Council for Scientifi c and Industrial Research

· University of Cape Town

Spain

· Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientifi cas, Barcelona

· Fundacion Azti/Azti Fundazioa

· Instituto Espanol de Oceanografi a

· Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial

· Puertos del Estado

· Starlab

· Universidad de Vigo

· Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

· Xunta de Galicia - Conselleria de Medio Ambiente e Desenvolvemento Sostible

Sweden

· Sveriges Meteorologiska och Hydrologiska Institut

· University of Gothenburg

· Vattenfall Research and Development AB

Switzerland

· Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule

· University of Bern

· University of Zurich

Tanzania

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· University of Dar-es-Salaam

The Netherlands

· Cosine Research BV

· International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation

· Marine Informatie Service - MARIS BV

· Rijks Instituut voor Kust en Zee

· Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

· Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

· Stichting Nationaal Lucht – en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium

· University of Technology

· University of Utrecht

· Vereniging voor Christelijk Hoger Onderwijs Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Patientenzorg

· Wageningen University,

· Water Insight

Tunisia

· Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie

Turkey

· Institute of Marine Sciences

· Middle East Technical University

Ukraine

· Marine Hydrophysical Institute - Ukrainian National Academy of Science

USA

· Aquaculture Innovation Center

· Blue Hill Hydraulics· John Hopkins University

· Montana State University

· Pacifi c Shellfi sh Inc

· Permaquid Oyster Co

· The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanforth Junior University

· University of Connecticut

(The map and accompanying list does not include all PML’s active partnerships)

PML has the vision...to enhance the impact of its activities as a world-leading marine research organization

the mission...to develop and apply world-leading integrated scientifi c understanding of interactions between the marine environment and society in order to sustain coastal and upper ocean ecosystems and their services under conditions of global change

and the strategy...to undertake cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research in anticipation of societal needs and to promote stewardship of marine ecosystems.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s charitable OBJECTS, VISION and MISSION, demonstrate a commitment to excellence in research within a global perspective, whilst acknowledging social responsibilities; ideals encapsulated in its Strategic Objective.

PML is a company limited by guarantee (company no. 4178503) with charitable status (charity no. 1091222). The charitable aims of PML are laid out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association which also defi ne the OBJECTS of the Charity:

To carry out research in environmental science and technology including marine and estuarine environmental science and technology and disseminate results of such research and data and ideas generated in the course of or in connection with such research for the benefi t of the public and to advance public education in the principles and practice of such science and technology.

The PML story began in September 1970 when the Institute of Marine Environmental Research (IMER) was formed by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The next seven years saw the building of a team of scientists that eventually came together in a new building, opened in 1977 and still PML’s home today. PML was created as a wholly owned NERC Centre in 1988. In April 2002 PML became an independent company, limited by guarantee, with charitable status, and a Collaborative Centre of NERC; a model that gave great fl exibility to respond to regional, national and international funding, so enhancing PML’s partnership and development opportunities.

Today PML maintains its close relationship with NERC as a Collaborative Centre and a National Capability Delivery Partner, yet also has built strong working collaborations with other Research Councils, industry, governmental agencies and other funders, in the UK, throughout Europe and globally.

MARINE SCIENCE FOR TOMORROW’S WORLD

Annual Review 2010

Relevant marine sciencefor real ocean challenges

Registered office:Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect PlaceThe Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DHUnited Kingdom

T: +44 (0)1752 633100 F: +44 (0)1752 633101E: forinfo@pml.ac.uk www.pml.ac.uk

Registered Charity number 1091222

PML is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, company number 4178503

© Copyright Plymouth Marine Laboratory 2011

Design and production www.huttriver.co.uk

· Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute

· Aquapharm Biosciences Ltd

· Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

· British Energy

· British Geological Survey

· British Oceanographic Data Centre

· Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

· Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

· Chesham Speciality Ingredients Ltd

· Countryside Council for Wales

· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

· Det Norske Veritas

· Economic and Social Research Council

· Energy Technologies Institute

· Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

· E.ON Engineering Ltd

· Environment Agency

· Environmental Research Institute

· Health Protection Agency

· Heriot-Watt University

· HR Wallingford Ltd

· Imperial College

· Joint Nature Conservation Committee

· Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership

· Medical Research Council

· Ministry of Defence

· National Assembly for Wales

· National Marine Aquarium

· National Oceanography Centre

· Natural England

· Natural Environment Research Council

· Queens University

· Quintessa Ltd

· Rolls Royce plc

· Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

· Satellite Oceanographic Consultants Ltd

· Scottish Association for Marine Science

· Scottish Environment Protection Agency

· Scottish Government

· Scottish Natural Heritage

· Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science

· The Crown Estate

· The European Marine Energy Centre Ltd

· The Government of the Isle of Man

· The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

· The Met Offi ce

· The State of Guernsey

· The State of Jersey

· The Wellcome Trust

· Tidal Generation Ltd

· UK Climate Impacts Programme

· University of Aberdeen

· University of Bristol

· University of Cambridge

· University of Durham

· University of East Anglia

· University of Edinburgh

· University of Essex

· University of Exeter

· University of Leeds

· University of Manchester

· University of Nottingham

· University of Oxford

· University of Plymouth

· University of Reading

· University of Southampton

· University of St Andrews

· University of Strathclyde

· University of Swansea

· University of Wales

Formal national partnerships include the following:

• One of the major marine research programmes, in which PML is currently involved, is the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded Oceans 2025. This strategic programme involves 7 organizations across the UK addressing some of the key challenges resulting from a changing marine environment.

• The National Centre for Ocean Forecasting (NCOF) is a collaborative arrangement between the Met Offi ce, the NERC Environmental Systems Science Centre, PML, the National Oceanography Centre (Liverpool and Southampton). Through these members it provides a UK centre of excellence for operational oceanography.

• Through its trading subsidiary, PML Applications Ltd, PML is involved in the Centre of Excellence Biocatalysis, Biotrans-formations and Biocatalytic Manufacture (CoEBio3), which comprises a number of industrial ‘giants’, including AstraZeneca, BASF, DSM and Merck. This is a way of engaging industry in PML’s biotechnology activities.

National research project collaborations involve universities and other organizations across the UK, while regional and local partnerships include the following:

• A Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Exeter to progress collaboration in the fi eld of marine molecular biology.

• The Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership (PMSP), whose other members are the University of Plymouth, the Marine Biological Association (MBA), the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS), the National Marine Aquarium and the Diving Diseases Research Centre. The PMSP represents the largest cluster of marine sciences, education, engineering and technology in Britain and one of the largest in Europe.

(The map and accompanying list does not include all PML’s active partnerships)

PML across the UK