Objective
The cause of glacial/interglacial (G/IG) variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations remains among the most important unresolved challenges in Earth sciences. Recent modelling studies suggest that the ultimate explanation of the full G/IG atmospheric CO2 change relies in a combination of physical and biogeochemical processes that are involved in the regulation of the deep ocean carbon reservoir. The Southern Ocean (SO) ventilates the largest fraction of the deep ocean, and represent the biggest open ocean region where the extraction of nitrate and phosphate by marine phytoplankton is incomplete, allowing for the leakage of deeply sequestered carbon back to the atmosphere. Consequently, an increased SO nutrient utilization during glacial stages has been proposed as a plausible mechanism to increase the efficiency of the ocean’s biological pump that could explain the lower atmospheric CO2 levels during ice ages. Recent estimates of the nutrient status of the glacial SO using a newly developed technique based on the analysis of the isotopic composition of nitrogen bound within microfossil shells (and hence potentially free of sedimentary artefacts), have offered promising new insights on the spatial and temporal response of nutrient consumption in the Antarctic region during glacial stages. However, the available microfossil-bound dataset is limited to the last glacial cycle and far too sparse to provide a clear picture of the nutrient status of the SO during ice ages. This proposal seeks to provide key constrains on this mechanism by applying a multidisciplinary approach that combine (i) the generation of new G/IG microfossil-bound N isotopes records from previously unexplored regions of the SO; (ii) its extension back in time beyond the last glacial stage; and (iii) the use of state-of-the-art biogeochemical and ocean circulation models to gauge the effect of the reconstructed changes in SO nutrient utilization on atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IOF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.