The IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) held its First Winter School on Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors from 24 October to 4 November 2022 in Monaco.
Human health and well-being are closely linked to the ocean and the many goods and services it provides. However, the ocean is under cumulative stress from a range of human-driven pressures. The impact of multiple ocean stressors on marine life and ecosystem function is not well understood, yet it is central to mitigate the negative effects they cause and/or to support adaptation strategies that might counteract stressors.
To date, studies often focus on single species or groups of organisms and the influence of a single stressor, while information about ecosystem responses to multiple stressors is limited. Innovative science is needed to resolve the complexity of the interplay of stressors and the resulting impacts.
The course brought together 10 early-career researchers from the following countries: Argentina, Chile, China, Cuba, Iceland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Peru, Portugal, and Qatar. Participants learned key scientific concepts for researching ocean acidification in the context of multiple stressors, such as defining a stressor, mode of action, and an interaction. The course provided guidance on measuring and manipulating seawater chemistry, designing and setting up relevant biological experiments, and producing intercomparable data.
The course was organized by the IAEA OA-ICC in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Laboratoire d'oceanographie de Villefranche-sur-mer, through the Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes - Impacts and Solutions (OACIS) initiative.
