The IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) organized an online training workshop on designing meta-analyses to assess the impacts of ocean acidification, using the resources offered by the Centre:
- A bibliographic database which currently includes more than 9,500 references with custom OA-ICC keywords and is shared using Zotero and pCloud.
- A compilation of biological response data from ocean acidification experiments.
These resources can be used to synthesize current knowledge, test new hypotheses, and identify new research directions. They also provide a unique opportunity to engage in ocean acidification research for scientists in countries with limited access to field sites and laboratories.
During the workshop, participants learned:
- The basics of the different synthesis and meta-analysis methodologies (narrative, semiquantitative, quantitative) through lectures and critical evaluation of existing published material.
- How to navigate the OA-ICC databases and how to use these resources to test new hypotheses.
- How to identify their own research questions that can be answered through synthesis and meta-analysis using the OA-ICC resources.
After the course, participants received support through a mentoring program to develop their own meta-analyses. Each participant had the opportunity to work with an expert on their individual project, with the goal of publishing a meta-analysis relevant for their region.