Aarhus University Seal

Projects

MEMC Joint Scientific Projects

Below is a list of ongoing and finished scientific projects - Danish as well as international - with links to the project websites, if available.

BONUS OPTIMUS (2017-2020)

Mussel farming has a high potential for contributing to a sustainable blue growth in the Baltic. To fulfill this potential, research and development is needed on several levels. The overall goal of BONUS OPTIMUS is to provide robust evidence-based ecological, social, and economic documentation on optimized use of farmed mussels as a mitigation tool for eutrophication that in turn can be a sustainable protein-rich feedstuff for fish.

http://www.bonus-optimus.eu/

OCEBIS (2017-2019-2021)

OCEBIS.org (OCEan Biological Information Service) is a downstream service based on Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). This means that ocebis.org on an hourly basis retrieves new data from Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service and generates maps of potential biological drivers which are made available on ocebis.org. In this way, OCEBIS gives a real-time view of the ocean state from a biological point of view. Some data types like spatial connectivity maps are generated on seasonal basis. Due to storage limitations, OCEBIS only provides a limited backlog of data. OCEBIS is funded initially as a CMEMS user-uptake NW-shelf coastal demonstration.

GridWetData

GridWetData is a Python API to easily access 2D/3D marina data fields. The idea is to encapsulate formats, format variations and file name nitty-gritties within the API and provide standardized spatio-temporal interpolations in the marina data fields. This includes COARDS compliant and HBM binary formats. GridWetData is open source distributed at https://github.com/asbjorn-christensen/GridWetData.

CLAIM - Cleaning marine litter by developing and applying innovative methods in European seas (2017-2021)

CLAIM focuses on the development of innovative cleaning technologies and approaches, targeting the prevention and in situ management of visible and invisible marine litter in the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea.

TASSEEF – Development of new tools to assess the environmental effects of mussel fishing

TASSEEF is funded by the Danish AgriFish Agency 2016-2018.
The project aims to develop new knowledge about the indirect effects on the marine environment of fishing dredgers, in particular to develop new tools and methods at the level of entire basins to establish new knowledge about fishing effects. The primary outcome of the project will be new tools for the management of shellfish fisheries in the fjord. Specifically, it will be possible to establish:

  • perennity of the tools
  • development of the scientific basis for the management of fisheries in coastal areas – mussel translocation/ relaying
  • ecosystem services that mussel fishing supplies in very nutrient-enriched regions
  • protection zones around eelgrass

IMAGE (formerly called Mafia)

Integrated Management of Agriculture, Fishery, Environment and Economy (IMAGE/MAFIA) was funded by The Danish Council for Strategic Research for 2010-2015. The strategic alliance MAFIA focused on integration knowledge and models of land use in drainage basins, transport of nutrients to water bodies, biogeochemistry in freshwater and in marine ecosystems, fishery models and welfare economic models as a basis for the development of novel integrated ecosystem-based management models. In MAFIA we will integrate and train new researchers and private and public end-users to develop and work with a number of empirical and process-based models and management tools, further developed into integrated management models cross traditional media and science-based decision support systems, to strengthen national and international environmental management.

OPEC - Operational Ecology

OPEC was a FP7 project financed for the period of 2012-2014. The OPEC project (Operational Ecology) developed and evaluated ecosystem forecast tools to help assess and manage the risks posed by human activities on the marine environment, helping to improve the ability to predict the "health” of European marine ecosystems.

http://marine-opec.eu/default.html

MEECE - Marine Ecosystem Evolution in a Changing Environment

MEECE was a FP7 project financed for period 2010-2012. MEECE used predictive models that considered the full range of drivers to explore the responses of the marine ecosystem in a holistic manner, rather than driver by driver as has been done in the past. MEECE explored the impacts of both climate drivers (acidification, light, circulation and temperature) and anthropogenic drivers (fishing, pollution, invasive species and eutrophication).

NAACOS - North Atlantic-Arctic Coupling in a Changing Climate: Impacts on Ocean Circulation, Carbon Cycling and Sea-ice

Funded by the Danish Strategic Research Council, the main scientific output of NACOOS was to deliver refined state-of-the-art ocean models and observations that can be used to reduce the uncertainty in high latitude climate predictions. Specific scientific results will include improved numerical methods for estimating the coupling between sea ice formation, brine rejection and the hydrodynamics of the underlying water column, ocean climate models that are able to accurately capture the outflow of deep waters from the Arctic over confined topography and the compensating warm currents transporting heat towards the Arctic, state-of-the-art ice mass balance observations in the Arctic, new algorithms for estimating sea ice conditions from satellites, new methods for tracing the freshwater sources and distribution in the Arctic Ocean, new modelling techniques and observations to predict climate effects on key fish stocks, and a mechanistic approach to predicting the efficiency of the biological pump.

Link to project description

RECLAIM - Resolving Climatic Impacts on Fish Stocks

RECLAIM was a FP6 project financed for the period 2007-2009. The principal objectives of this project were to (i) increase our understanding of the impacts of climate change on fish and shellfish populations by reviewing existing knowledge and conducting a variety of data analyses and modelling activities, and (ii) formulate hypotheses to be tested in future research programmes. Global warming fuelled by the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations will have a large impact on marine climate via atmosphere-ocean coupling, and will affect both fisheries resources and overall trophodynamic structure and functioning of marine ecosystems.

http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/47724_en.html

MODREC - Modelling the Impact of Hydrography and Lower Trophic Production on Fish Recruitment

The prime objective was to establish an integrated common model system as a shared modelling tool for 3D physical, biochemical and fish larvae modelling. These models will assist development of environmental indices representing identified major environmental factors for application in stock assessment recruitment models. The effect of predation by fish on larvae will be addressed through the analysis of stomach contents and spatial overlap with possible predator species. In this way the higher trophic levels will influence the larvae model. Funded by The Danish Food Industry Agency for 2007-2009.

EU FutureMares (2021-2024)

FutureMARES is an EU-funded research project examining the relations between climate change, marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our activities are designed around two Nature-based Solutions (NBS) (Effective restoration and Effective conservation) and one Nature-inclusive Harvesting (NIH). We're conducting our research and cooperating with marine organisations and the public in five case study regions across the globe. Our goal is to provide science-based policy advice on how best to use NBS/NIH to protect future biodiversity and ecosystem services in a future climate.

 https://www.futuremares.eu/  

HEU OLAMUR (2023-2026)

OLAMUR will demonstrate and promote multi-use low trophic aquaculture (MU-LTA) in both low and high salinity offshore waters, bringing together state-of-the- art practices in MU-LTA and key industry partners, achieving at least TRL7 and paving the way for a low- impact and low-carbon seafood industry.

Web page will come in 2023.

FORCOAST (2019-2022)

FORCOAST aims to offer information services co-designed with stakeholders, which provide high-resolution data of water quality and met-ocean variables at coastal zone and nearshore that are used to give focused answers to specific questions from the targeted wild fisheries, bivalve mariculture, and oysterground restoration sectors. FORCOAST is developing, testing and demonstrating, in operational mode, novel Copernicus-based downstream information services that will incorporate Copernicus Marine, Land and Climate Services Products, local monitoring data and advanced modelling in the service. This allows improving operation, planning and management of different marine activities in these sectors.

http://forcoast.eu/

INTAROS (2016-2021)

The environment in the Arctic region is now changing significantly due to increased air and water temperature, thinning and decrease in the area of sea ice, melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, thawing permafrost and changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation. Such changes have global and regional implications including extreme weather, sea level change, coastal erosion, natural hazards and changes in the ecosystem. Moreover, these changes impact severely on people's living conditions in the Arctic. Exploitation of living and non-living resources, marine transportation and other human activities are expected to increase with additional impact on the vulnerable environment and communities. In order to ensure sustainable development in the Arctic, it is necessary to collect more data and build up knowledge on its climate and environment.

In order to address these challenges, an integrated Pan-Arctic Observation System is required. INTAROS will therefore develop an efficient integrated Arctic Observation System by extending, improving and unifying existing and evolving systems in the different regions of the Arctic.

https://www.nersc.no/project/intaros

http://www.intaros.eu/

Baltic Sea Checkpoint

The overall aim of this project is to examine the current data collection, observation, surveying, sampling and data assembly programmes in the Baltic Sea basin, assess and demonstrate how they can fit into purpose in the 11 challenge areas in terms of data uncertainty, availability, accessibility and adequacy, and deliver the findings to stakeholders through an internet portal with dynamic mapping features and a stakeholder workshop - http://www.emodnet-baltic.eu/.

GUDP-VIND

UDP-VIND is a Danish development and demonstration project that aims to expand and enrich the technological development within the industrial fishery industry with innovative dynamic digital maps. The maps will make it easier for the fishermen to focus and optimize their fishing operations in respect to the environment and their economy. The project spans over 3 years and six months and is supported by "Grønt Udviklings- og DemonstrationsProgram" - GUDP - under the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark. Main collaborators include Anchor Lab, DTU Aqua, DMI, DFPO, and DPPO.

VECTORS - Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas Marine Life, Impact on Economic Sectors

VECTORS was a FP7 project financed for the period of 2011-2015. VECTORS aims to improve our understanding of how environmental and man-made factors are impacting marine ecosystems now and how they will do so in the future. The project is addressing invasives, outbreaks and changes in fisheries distribution and productivity - in a sea with changing pressures including marine renewables, climate change, ocean acidification, fisheries and shipping. VECTORS also examined how these changes will affect the range of goods and services provided by the oceans, the ensuing socio-economic impacts and some of the measures that could be developed to mitigate or adapt to these changes.

http://www.marine-vectors.eu

 

MyOcean

MyOcean 1 and MyOcean 2 were FP7 projects financed for 2009-2012 and 2012-2014, respectively. Within the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme (GMES) and its Marine Service Fast Track, the European community consolidates past efforts in pre-operational ocean monitoring and forecasting capacity in Europe developped through precursor European projects as MERSEA, BOSS4GMES, GSE MARCOAST and POLARVIEW and recently with the MyOcean 1 and 2. The main objective of the MyOcean2 project was to deliver and operate a rigorous, robust and sustainable Ocean Monitoring and Forecasting system of the GMES Marine Service (OMF/GMS) to users for all marine applications: maritime safety, marine resources, marine and coastal environment and climate, seasonal and weather forecasting.

ECOOP - European Coastal-shelf Sea Operational Monitoring and Forecasting System

ECOOP was an EU FP6 project financed for 2007-2010. The goal of ECOOP was to build up a sustainable pan-European capacity in providing timely, quality-assured marine service (including data, information products, knowledge and scientific advices) in European coastal-shelf seas. The MERSEA Integrated Project looked at the provision of ocean basin scale forecast model outputs to a variety of intermediate users. The ECOOP Integrated Project will take the products made available by MERSEA and fine tune them to meet a variety of applications in European Coastal Seas such as ecosystem models, HAB warning systems, oil spill and contaminant dispersion and forecast studies and maritime ship routing applications etc.

http://copernicus.eu/projects/ecoop

SUNFISH - Sustainable Fisheries, Climate Change and the North Sea Ecosystem

The objective of the project was to create a basis for an improved understanding and evaluation of the effect of future climate change on the North Sea ecosystem and thereby contribute to the development of optimal and sustainable management strategies. Funded by The Danish Council for Strategic Research for 2009-2012.

ECODYN - Influence of Ecological Dynamics and Climate Change on the Marine Environment in Danish Waters

The objectives were through modelling to analyse ecological relationships in the present marine biological and physical environment in the Danish waters and to provide a comprehensive analysis of the possible impact from climate change on the marine ecosystem. Funded by The Danish Council for Strategic Research for 2009-2012.