WP3 "Deep Biosphere Workshop" coming soon

Workshop announcement

The Deep Biosphere

Deep-Sea and Sub-Seafloor Frontiers (DS³F)

May 3-4, 2011, Aarhus, Denmark

Conveners: Bo Barker Jørgensen¹ and R. John Parkes²

¹Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark (bo.barker@biology.au.dk)

²School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, University of Cardiff, P.O.Box 914, Cardiff, CF10 3YE, United Kingdom (parkesrj@cardiff.ac.uk)

Organization: Camilla Nissen Toftdal

Objectives

The objective of this workshop is to discuss and propose future directions of marine deep biosphere research and how this may be more strongly integrated and funded in Europe. We invite a group of active researchers in this field to share their ideas of the major scientific challenges and new opportunities that will move the science forward in the coming years. We wish to strengthen the European engagement in future drilling proposals and expeditions. We invite participants to contribute their opinions and expertise to a report that, together with a series of similar workshops during 2010-11, will contribute to a white paper that will provide background information for the planning of the EU Framework Program 8.

Workshop

This is one of several focused workshops organized under the "Deep-Sea and Sub-Seafloor Frontiers (DS³F)" initiative (www.deep-sea-frontier.eu). The DS³F is an EU coordinated action with the overall goal to bring together researchers from across Europe to develop a comprehensive coordinated approach for future deep-sea research. DS³F will address issues of sustainable ocean management and explore some of the deep-seated geological processes that drive seafloor ecosystems, and make use of seabed archives for paleo-environmental reconstruction and improved prediction of future climate change and geohazards. More specifically, DS³F aims to identify the primary issues that need to be addressed in sub-seafloor drilling, with relevance to deep-sea ecosystems and deep biosphere, marine resources, and long-term monitoring in the next 10-15 years. The initiative is headed by Professor Achim Kopf at the MARUM Research Centre at the University of Bremen and is structured in 9 work packages. The definition and coordination of these work packages evolved from the Deep Sea Frontier (DSF) international symposium (June 2006) and from subsequent collaborations. WP 2 deals with the Deep Biosphere.

Program

Monday, May 2

Arrival in the afternoon or evening. Joint dinner for those arriving before 7 pm.

Tuesday, May 3

Scientific presentations and discussions. The planning of the presentation program and the structure of discussions will be decided when the participants are confirmed.

Wednesday, May 4

Open discussion: Scientific goals, research opportunities, and funding strategies.

A report summarizing presentations and discussions will be written shortly after the workshop.

The meeting ends with lunch at 1 pm.

Practical information

Participation in the workshop is upon invitation only, as each participant represents an expertise important to achieve the objectives. A list of invitees is attached.

The workshop will cover your travel expenses and your stay in Aarhus. We ask you to purchase your own tickets (tourist class) which we will reimburse upon receipt of original tickets after the meeting. We will arrange your accommodation and take care of all meals and local transport.

The workshop takes place at the Center for Geomicrobiology at Aarhus University (see http://geomicrobiology.au.dk). Aarhus is easily reached by train (3 hours) or plane (30 min, via Tirstrup Airport) from Copenhagen.

For registration and for all questions concerning logistics please contact our Center Administrator, Camilla Nissen Toftdal (toftdal@biology.au.dk; phone +45 89 42 32 80)