Shelf Sea Biogeochemistry
Announcement of Opportunity
Closing date: 16:00 on 20 December 2011
Outline proposals are invited for the Shelf Sea Biogeochemistry research programme. This £10·5m programme is co-funded by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and will contribute toward Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) objectives.
This programme directly relates to the delivery of the NERC Earth system science theme and aims to reduce the uncertainty in our understanding of nutrient and carbon cycling within the shelf seas and their overall role in global biogeochemical cycles.
The overarching objectives of the Shelf Sea Biogeochemistry research programme are:
- to improve quantitative knowledge of nutrient and carbon dynamics in UK/European shelf seas, their wider role in global biogeochemical cycles, and their response to climate change and other anthropogenic drivers;
- to provide evidence that supports a number of marine policy areas and statutory requirements, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and Marine and Climate Acts.
It is expected that four proposals will be funded to address the programmes objectives. Up to £6·6m is available for this call, according to a pre-determined distribution of funding between the programme objectives.
A workshop will be held on 14 November 2011 at the National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool to ensure the research community is aware of the NERC National Capability available to support research, such as facilities, infrastructure and modelling, as well as the collaboration opportunities arising from NERC research programmes (eg Ocean Shelf Edge Exchange, UK Ocean Acidification) and the programmes of potential partners (eg Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) , Marine Scotland).
The workshop will also provide a forum for discussion of the science challenges and possible approaches to undertaking the research, as well as provide an opportunity to identify potential collaborations and partnerships.
Please register for the workshop by completing the online registration form by 16:00 on 7 November 2011.
Attendance of the workshop is not a prerequisite for submitting a proposal.
Proposals for this call are invited from eligible UK researchers (see the NERC Research Grants Handbook for standard eligibility criteria) including, for this programme, researchers at CEFAS and the Met Office.
The closing date of proposals is 16:00 on 20 December 2011.
Please see the Announcement of Opportunity document below for full details of the call.
Announcement of Opportunity (297KB)
For further information about this announcement of opportunity please contact:
Jessica Batchelor
Tel: 01793 442831