A Review of the Draft Ocean Research Priorities Plan Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States (2006) / Chapter Skim
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4 Evaluating Thematic Priorities and Cross-Theme Integration
4 Evaluating Thematic Priorities and Cross-Theme Integration
Pages 26-43
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From page 26... ...
They include: · The clarity and appropriateness of the thematic research priorities (Task 3a) ; · The balance among substantive research areas as well as research activities such as observations, modeling, and communication of results (Task 4b and 4c)
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From page 27... ...
1 Understand the status and trends of resource abundance and distribution through more accurate, timely and synoptic assessments 2 Understand interspecies and habitat/species relationships as a basis for forecasting resource stability and sustainability 3 Understand human-use patterns that may influence resource stability and 24 sustainability 4 Apply advanced technologies to enhance the benefits of various natural resources from the open ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes 5 Understand the initiation and evolution of hazard events and apply that understanding to improve forecasts of future hazard events 6 Understand the response of coastal and marine systems to natural hazards and apply that understanding to assessments of future vulnerability to natural hazards 7 Apply understanding to develop multi-hazard risk assessments and to support development of model, policies, and strategies for hazard mitigation 8 Understand the interactions between marine operations and the environment 9 Apply understanding of environmental factors to characterize and predict conditions in the maritime domain 10 Apply understanding of human behavior to develop the information and tools necessary to carry out effective, safe, and secure marine operations 11 Apply understanding of marine operations to enhance the marine transportation system 12 Understand ocean-climate interactions across regions 13 Understand the impact of climate variability and change on the ocean, including its biogeochemistry and ecosystems 14 Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future climate changes and their impacts 15 Understand and predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic processes that govern the overall level of ecosystem productivity 16 Apply understanding of ocean-related socioeconomic activities to assess the ability of marine ecosystems to provide essential goods and services 17 Apply understanding of marine ecosystems to develop appropriate indicators and metrics for their sustainable and effective management 18 Understand, forecast, and reduce ocean-related risks to human health from pathogens, biotoxins, and chemical contaminants 19 Understand human health risks associated with the ocean and the potential benefits of ocean resources to human health 20 Understand how human use and valuation of ocean resources can be affected by ocean-borne human health threats and how human activities can influence these threats 21 Apply understanding of ocean ecosystems and biodiversity to develop products and biological models to enhance human well being * The priorities are numbered here in the order that they are presented in the ORPP only to simplify referencing in the text.
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From page 28... ...
Such analyses are extremely useful in their own right, and they are essential to provide initial conditions for forecasts. Such baselines are essential for gauging ecosystem health trends as well.
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From page 29... ...
Within the themes, there are very different scientific challenges and levels of difficulty in approaching this cross-cutting objective. For example, ocean circulation and climate models have been used for operational prediction for some time, albeit with varying degrees of success, while the development of ecosystem models with sufficient predictive capacity to support ecosystem-based management are much less advanced.
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From page 30... ...
. Some themes are principally drivers they describe processes that affect other societal themes; other themes are primarily receivers they are affected by but have few impacts on other themes.
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From page 31... ...
In an effort to fold all natural and cultural resources under one tent, the four research priorities embedded in this theme inventory, model, incorporate human dimensions, and apply technology are very diffuse. Although the plan discusses the need for taking an ecosystem-based approach, we suggest that the plan go one step further and use ecosystem-based management as the unifying concept to connect the numerous human uses of the ocean and research priorities.
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From page 32... ...
, as the plan discusses. The plan misses the opportunity to point out other important linkages, including the impact of climate change and natural hazards on living resources and the connection between resource exploitation and marine operations.
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From page 33... ...
While the stated priorities cover many aspects of coastal and marine hazards research, the explanation of the priorities would benefit from some additional detail. For example, under Priority 6, the discussion of secondary processes could be expanded to include the study of erosion and sediment transport, such as research to better understand erosion processes and sediment transfer; source, movement, volume, quality, and disposal engineering models; regional sediment budgets; impacts of human intervention (e.g., piers, groins)
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From page 34... ...
Recommendation The discussion of each of these priorities should be modestly expanded to provide greater specificity in the description of proposed research and to include research on coastal erosion and sediment transport. ENABLING MARINE OPERATIONS The research priorities listed under this theme are: 8)
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From page 35... ...
The priorities, as presented, appear to be largely focused on marine transportation. Greater balance needs to be added by discussing how the proposed research will address marine operations related to defense, fishing and aquaculture, recreation, search-and-rescue, and energy and minerals exploitation.
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From page 36... ...
14) Apply understanding of the ocean to help project future climate changes and their impacts.
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From page 37... ...
Linkages of this theme with the "Enhancing Human Health" and with the "Improving Ecosystem Health" themes would be useful in this regard. The lack of a connection made with "Enabling Marine Operations" and "Stewardship of Our Natural and Cultural Ocean Resources" themes is also apparent.
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From page 38... ...
The superposition of storm surges and high wave episodes on rising sea levels represents an important linkage between this theme and the "Increasing Resilience to Natural Hazards" and the "Enabling Marine Operations" themes. This relationship between short time scale variability and long-term change is clearly identified in the former theme.
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From page 39... ...
Both approaches are needed, and the plan could seek ways to more clearly integrate the approaches that evaluate ecosystem status via continuous monitoring (data collection) with approaches that are process-oriented and/or hypothesis driven.
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From page 40... ...
Appropriateness of the balance among substantive research areas, and between research activities such as observations, modeling, and communicating results. There is a strong emphasis on observations under this theme, which is appropriate for studies that are relevant to ecosystem health and, ultimately, ecosystem-based management.
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From page 41... ...
· Priority 16 should be revised as follows: "Develop socioeconomic models for application to ocean and coastal issues to help evaluate the impact of multiple human uses on marine ecosystems." · A broader range of ecosystem responses (not just productivity) should be considered as measures for ecosystem health.
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From page 42... ...
Linkages to other themes could be made more explicit by using clearer wording to convey the intent of the document. For example, a statement such as "research is needed to better understand and predict the relationship between ecosystem health and the effects of oceans on human health" provides much clearer direction on research needs than the current wording in Priority 18, which states that "these studies should also incorporate research being carried out on ecosystem health." In addition, connections Prepublication 42
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From page 43... ...
Recommendation More careful wording should be used so that the distinction between Priorities 18 and 19 is clear, the scope of recommended research is not unnecessarily constrained, and important linkages among research themes are described. The importance of both process studies and quantification of risk should be clearly emphasized.
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