By Session

Conveners:

Fei Chai, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou
Jianping Gan, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Leo Oey, Princeton University, USA
Zhiyu Liu, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Ruoying He, North Carolina State University, USA

Robin Robertson, University of New South Wales, Australia

As an integrated system, water movements, thermohaline structures, and material and energy exchange and transfer in the ocean not only are tightly connected to global change and human activities, but also interact with oceanic chemical, biological and biogeochemical processes in a variety of ways. Understanding these interactions is key to evaluating and discovering the underlying rules of the ocean's environmental change. This session will present and discuss recent new findings on physical processes in the coastal and open oceans, in particular, focusing on the dynamic interactions between physical, chemical, biological and biogeochemical processes in order to provide an integrated view on the variability of the ocean environment.

Conveners:

Wei-Jun Cai, University of Delaware, USA
Shuh-Ji Kao, Xiamen University
Cindy Lee, Stony Brook University, USA
Kitack Lee, Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea
James Murray, University of Washington, USA

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Claudia Benitez-Nelson, University of South Caroli, USA

Anja Engel, GEOMAR Helmholtz-Center for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany

Tung-Yuan Ho, Academia Sinica, Taipei

The World Ocean is an important component of the Earth system and is under the influence of both natural and anthropogenic stresses. Understanding the biogeochemical processes and mechanisms associated with these stresses and the role the ocean plays in regulating climate change is of global importance. This session will provide opportunities for the scientific community to exchange new ideas and discuss the latest information and advances in our understanding of marine biogeochemical processes at different spatial and temporal scales. This session invites submissions that discuss: (1) Carbon and other biogenic element cycles and related ocean biogeochemistry; (2) The influence of anthropogenic drivers and climate change on the marine environment and the biogeochemical response of the ocean; (3) Coupling of physical and biogeochemical forcing on the cycling of elements in the marine environment; (4) Isotope studies in marine biogeochemistry; (5) New techniques that study and help us understand oceanic biogeochemical processes. Studies in the open ocean, marginal seas, estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves, coral reefs and submarine groundwater discharge are all appropriate for this session and we encourage colleagues to submit their best and most recent work for presentation.

Conveners:

Hongbin Liu, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
John Reinfelder, Rutgers University, USA
Dalin Shi, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Donald Anderson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA

Naomi Harada, Research and Development Center for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Japan

Alyse Larkin, University of California Irvine, USA

The ocean ecosystem plays a vital role in global climate change, element cycling and providing ecological services. This session aims to discuss the interactions between marine organisms (particularly microorganisms playing the dominant role in biogeochemical cycles) and environmental drivers and to help us reliably evaluate and predict the impact of global change (e.g. ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation) on marine ecosystems and the responses of ecosystems to global change.

Conveners:

Haizheng Hong, Xiamen University
Paul Lam, City University of Hong Kong
Xiaolin Li, Xiamen University

Anne E. McElroy, Stony Brook University, USA
Wen-Xiong Wang, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Jay Gan, University of California, Riverside, USA 

Anne E. McElroy, Stony Brook University, USA

As a consequence of increased anthropogenic activities, environmental pollutants enter the marine environment through terrestrial inputs and atmospheric deposition, subsequently affecting the physiology, development, reproduction and survival of marine organisms, and jeopardizing the bio-diversity, composition, functions and services of existing marine ecosystems. This session aims to facilitate interdisciplinary discussion among environmental scientists, chemists, biologists and oceanographers in order to integrate current knowledge on the fate and transport of pollutants in marine environments, assess their ecotoxicological effects on marine ecosystems, and elucidate the underlying toxic mechanisms.

Conveners:

Sam DuPont, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Kunshan Gao, Xiamen University

V Rajan, The University of Hong Kong

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Cristian A. Vargas, Universidad de Concepcion, Chile

Anthropogenic climate changes are suggested to alter multiple oceanic properties, which are being or will influence marine organisms. Such a projection is supported by a growing body of ocean observatory evidence demonstrating simultaneous shifts in life-sustaining properties such as temperature, CO2, O2, and nutrients as well as lab-based studies. Hence, a major challenge for marine sciences is to determine the combined or accumulative effects of multiple stressor on organisms, communities and ecosystems. This symposium will attract ocean global change biologists and related peers or students to gather together to share advances in understanding the issues related to the topic.

Conveners:

James T. Liu, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung
Adam D. Switzer, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Fengling Yu, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Harry Jol, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA  

This workshop will bring together interdisciplinary findings in sedimentary processes and records regarding changing ocean environment, in space and through time. Topics include sediment dynamics, sea level change, coastal environmental change and relevant researches. This workshop aims to serve four purposes: 1) to announce and promote, worldwide, the official launching of the new Department of Geological Oceanography in Xiamen University; 2) to attract innovative scientists from all over the world to join this international department; 3) to hold the 4th international S2S workshop after the 1st one in Tongji, 2013 and the 2nd one in Xiamen 2015; the 3rd one in Tongji, 2016; and 4) to promote the IGCP Project 639: "Sea level change: from second to millennial”. Specifically, to review the sedimentary research in the past, present and its future development, and shed light for the development of the new DGO in the next few years.

Conveners:

Ann Pearson, Harvard University, USA
Tiantian Tang, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Hilary Close, University of Miami, USA

Alexander Laskin, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA

Particle export delivers substantial amount of carbon into the deep water, which is one of the few net sinks for the increasing anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere. A size dependent export of marine particles has been broadly discussed in the past few decades, with the specific attention on those particles originated from large phytoplankton. However, evidence is being accumulated on the importance of particles with various origins, prokaryote, mineral sorption and so on, suggesting the diversity and complexity of the mechanisms driving the particle export in the water column. In this session, the mechanism how particles are exported into the deep ocean is discussed with new evidence from biomarkers, stable isotope fingerprinting, trace metal association as well as other perspectives. Attention is addressed on how to deliver small particles from the surface to deep water.

Conveners:

Zhimian Cao, Xiamen University
Martin Frank, GEOMAR Helmholtz-Center for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany
Jing Zhang, University of Toyama, Japan

Trace elements in the ocean are critical for marine life serving as regulators of ocean biogeochemistry including marine ecosystem dynamics. However, the mechanisms controlling the biogeochemical cycling of these elements and how they influence the functioning of ocean ecosystems remain elusive. The GEOTRACES program, which aims to map the world’s oceans for trace elements and isotopes, has facilitated rapid progress in this field enabling a coherent landscape of oceanic trace element cycling to emerge. This session seeks to bring together recent studies in the spirit of the GEOTRACES program. We invite abstracts on all aspects of oceanic dissolved and particulate trace element distributions and speciation, as well as their isotopes, including their application to reconstructing marine processes such as ocean circulation, redox conditions and paleoproductivity. We also encourage submissions using lab culture experiments and modeling approaches to constrain the biological and chemical processes that determine the distributions of trace elements in seawater.

Conveners:

Mingfang Ting, Columbia University, USA
Xiaoyi Yang, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

John Church, CSIRO Marine And Atmospheric Research, Australia

Noel Keenlyside, University of Bergen, Norway

Bo Qiu, University of Hawaii, USA

Global climate is an intricate system. Climate change can be triggered by the atmospheric intrinsic dynamic modes, the ocean- atmosphere interaction modes, cryosphere changes, and the anthropogenic effect, among others. The various processes, in terms of their different temporal spans, contribute to the multi-scale climate variability ranging from intra seasonal to centuries. It is widely recognized that the most significant climate regime shifts occurred in mid-1940s, mid-1970s and late-1990s, all of which were associated with phase changes of various ocean-atmosphere coupling modes such as PDO, AMO, AO/NAO. In addition, the tropical climate modes of ENSO, IOD and monsoon systems also exhibited synchronous variations in response to the climate change. All the above-mentioned ocean-atmosphere interaction processes may cast significant impact on the long-term change of biogeochemical cycling.

This session addresses the multi-disciplinary aspects of climate change, the associated oceanic and atmospheric dynamical processes as well as their implications for global and local biogeochemical processes. We welcome all original research results related to the observational analyses, modeling diagnoses and simulations of climate variability, especially those with an interdisciplinary flavor.

Conveners:

Toshiyuki Hibiya, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Zhiyu Liu, Xiamen University

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

William D Smyth, Oregon State University, USA

The ocean circulation is a cause and consequence of fluid scale interactions ranging from millimeters to more than 10,000 km. Turbulent mixing processes in the ocean are crucial in determining the oceanic general circulation, and are major limiting factors in the ability to project future climate states. This tight relationship between the large-scale circulation and small-scale mixing is a consequence of the turbulent nature of oceanic flows, with energy continuously exchanged among all scales of motion. The ocean’s energy cascade and mixing are in fact arguably the most prominent problems in the current agenda of physical oceanography. This session invites research concerning all aspects of oceanic energy cascade and mixing. Both observational and numerical approaches to this topic are welcome, along with theoretical studies.

Conveners:

Yongming Luo, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai
Alice Newton, University of the Algarve, Portugal
Martin Le Tissier, Future Earth Coasts

Aim: To present coastal assessment practices at multiple scales focusing on barriers and solutions to increased impact

Structure: 15 minute formal presentations

As climate change intensifies and accelerates, the capacity to cope with impacts and the ability to take advantage of any opportunities presented will become critical attributes to not only recognise but also augment where possible across multiple systems and sectors. Accepting that the generation of scientific data must feed into the broader political and policy landscape defined by international laws, policies, conventions and agreements is critical. Assessments that are actively aligned with global goals and frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction provide an evidence base to support just such efforts. The global community is actively seeking sound information on which to base decisions that have a great potential to shape the future of planetary ecosystems. The scientific community must respond to that call through assessment, research, experimentation, and recommendations upon which action can be taken.

Conveners:

Emily H. King, COSEE China, Xiamen University
Bayden Russell, The University of Hong Kong

Confirmed Invited Speakers:

Bob Chen, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA

Tullio Rossi, Animate Your Science, Australia

Today's public has more access to information than could be imagined by previous generations. Yet, with all this access, it seems that the average person knows less and less about the environmental catastrophe that is upon us. With the recent recommendation by researchers that a new epoch be declared - the Anthropocene - this lack of environmental awareness is no longer simply alarming. It is dangerous.

The purpose of this session is to highlight public outreach activities being conducted and discuss ways to improve current methodologies. We welcome submission of abstracts for both oral or poster presentations.

Conveners:

Feng Chen, The University of Maryland, USA

Nianzhi Jiao, Xiamen University

The ocean, being the largest long-term sink for carbon on the Earth, plays a significant role in the global carbon cycle and climate changes. However, the processes and controlling mechanisms of carbon sequestration in the ocean are not yet clear, and thus become a hot research line which needs innovation and creation in both theory and methodology. Microbial ecological processes are recognized to play an important role in marine carbon cycling, such as microbial transformation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from labile states to biologically inaccessible states. This session aims to highlight the recent progress of microbial regulation of major pathway or component of marine carbon pool. We hope this session will also provide useful information about the marine carbon sink and its relationship with ecosystem sustainability and climate changes, with potential applications of marine carbon sink to solutions of anthropogenic carbon emission.

Conveners:

Yongming Luo, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai
Alice Newton, University of the Algarve, Portugal
Shona Paterson, Future Earth Coasts
Martin Le Tissier, Future Earth Coasts

Aim: To present assessment work in a different light using different language with the aim of improving utility and usability of coastal assessments and assessment data

Structure: short TED-like talks followed by discussion groups

The production and use of sound and salient information is critical to making decisions, ensuring the sustainable use of the coastal environment, and enabling the continuing functioning of the wide range of ecosystem services on which human societies depend. Assessments can be conducted in numerous ways using different sets of data depending upon goals and scope. Each assessment adds to the scientific knowledge available for decision making and resource management. However, it must be acknowledged that assessments and data collection and analysis of information can only take us so far in terms of delivering a more resilient and sustainable future worldwide.

Successful knowledge transfer is a key element needed to address the knowledge-to-action gap that has been identified between the assessment process and large scale global goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How knowledge is mobilized and research needs are identified will influence the decision-making process as well as the effectiveness of the actions taken. A critical element in the determining the relevance, applicability, and credibility of the research process is early engagement and participation in the research design process by practitioners and decision-makers, leading to ownership of the outputs through processes of co-design and co-production of knowledge. Researchers and decision-makers who initiate evaluations and assessments used must therefore accept the importance of identifying who needs what information under what conditions for what purpose.

This workshop aims to provide a forum to enable the interaction and dialogue between practioneers, decision makers, policy makers, and key sector representatives in order to encourage the sharing of experiences and insight about coastal assessment efforts and initiatives, as well as the difficulties that hinder communication and utility of results. By encouraging the transformation and translation of assessment language into end-user friendly, solution oriented dialogue, a greater cross-fertilization of assessment research and practice across different communities and across different strands of research can be achieved. Ultimately the insights gathered during this session will contribute to efforts to develop regional case studies such as those driven by the Continent Margins Working Group (Glavovic et al., 2015) and to the existing body assessment literature with the aim of attempting to induce a change in dissemination practices.

Conveners:

George Balazs, IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, Oceania Region, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Min Liu, Xiamen University
Thierry Work, Honolulu Field Station, National Wildlife Health Center, Hawaii, USA

Five marine turtles (Loggerhead sea turtle Carettacaretta, Green sea turtle Cheloniamydas, Leatherback sea turtle Dermochelyscoriacea, Hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelysimbricate, Olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelysolivacea) and Chinese white dolphin or Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin (Sousa chinensis) are the national protected animals in the Chinese Seas, and are deeply woven into the cultural and traditional fabric of humanity with uses ranging from food to fortune telling, and from funerary to pets. Conservation of these threatened marine animals are challenging due to our limit knowledge on their ecology and the conflict of conservation and marine exploitation.

There are two sessions in this one-day workshop, “Marine Wildlife Health and Disease” and “Marine Wildlife Ecology and Conservation”. In each session, we cover training, discussion and presentation with a focus on Cheloniamydas and Sousa chinensis. In particular, conservation effort on Cheloniamydas in Hawaii has shown a regional population recovery of the species and led to the down listing from the “Endangered” to “Least Concern” following a comprehensive assessment by the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group (see http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/16285718/0).Conservation practices in Hawaii can serve as a real-life learning ground for people in other regions striving to save and sustainably utilize their own charismatic and culturally important marine wildlife resources.