NERC: Gap analyses of biological influence on ocean storage of carbon

03/03/2022

23/03/2022

The Natural Environment Research Council invites applications for its gap analyses of biological influence on ocean storage of carbon call. This supports analysis of the existing global models and observations related to the role of marine life in ocean carbon storage. Projects should identify significant knowledge gaps likely to be tractable by future fieldwork and fundamental limitations in how current models represent the carbon system. The full economic cost of the project may be up to £250,000 and projects may last for up to one year. Funding is worth up to 80 per cent of full economic costs.

The programme will address three aspects of biological influence: •challenge one - how does marine life affect the potential for seawater to absorb CO2, and how will this change?; •challenge two - how will the rate at which marine life converts dissolved CO2 into organic carbon change?; •challenge three - how will climate change-induced shifts in respiration by the marine ecosystem affect the future ocean storage of carbon?

Applicants that are based at an UK HEI, research institute, UKRI-approved independent research organisation or public sector research establishment may apply. Investigators can only be involved in one application. Inclusion of early career researchers and proposlas from diverse groups of researchers are encouraged.