Project description
Helping close ocean carbon budgets
The Earth's carbon cycle can be regulated, and this is the job of the oceanic biological carbon pump (BCP). The biological pump transfers atmospheric CO2 (fixed by phytoplankton in the sun-lit upper ocean) as particulate organic carbon to the deep ocean floor. Scientists are exploring the physical transport of organic matter by vertical mixing or the active transport by zooplankton vertical migration as significant components of the BCP. Using year-round and depth-resolved observations from heavily instrumented biogeochemical Argo floats, the EU-funded CAPTURE project will develop a mechanistic and quantitative understanding of these BCP components. Focussing on the Southern Ocean, the project will combine physical oceanography, phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology and biogeochemistry. It will further our understanding of key climate-related processes and help close ocean carbon budgets.
Objective
The Biological Carbon Pump (BCP) transfers atmospheric CO2, fixed by phytoplankton in the sun-lit upper ocean, as particulate organic carbon to the deep ocean. The BCP plays a key role in Earth’s climate by removing 10 Pg of carbon from surface waters each year, with the Southern Ocean (SO) pump representing 33% of the global BCP.
Carbon export from the BCP has long been solely attributed to the gravitational sinking of large particles following the spring phytoplankton bloom. Conspicuous imbalances in ocean carbon budgets have recently challenged this long-lived paradigm. Several lines of observational evidence have demonstrated the importance of additional export pathways that transfer all classes of particles to depth at different times of the year. Physical transport of organic matter by vertical mixing or active transport by zooplankton vertical migration should now be considered as major components of the BCP. CAPTURE (CArbon PaThways in the soUtheRn ocEan) aims at developing a mechanistic and quantitative understanding of these BCP components using year-round and depth-resolved observations from heavily instrumented Biogeochemical Argo floats. We will address the interlinking of these components over complete annual cycles, introducing the novel concept of BCP seasonality. This multidisciplinary approach, combining physical oceanography, phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology and biogeochemistry, will fundamentally change our understanding of key climate-related processes and help close ocean carbon budgets.
By providing a synoptic vision of the biogeochemical state of the SO and its capacity to store atmospheric CO2, CAPTURE will address a major societal challenge and assist decision-makers. The transfer of knowledge between all partners of this project, from both academic and industrial sectors, will enhance European scientific excellence and career prospects of the applicant.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences oceanography physical oceanography
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geochemistry biogeochemistry
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
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.
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75006 PARIS
France
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.