INTERNATIONAL INDIAN OCEAN EXPEDITION

International Ocean Commission (IOC) to take up IIOE-2 as a separate programme During the 47th meeting of the Executive Council of IOC/UNESCO held in Paris, 1 – 4 July 2014, the planning for IIOE-2 and the required support framework was discussed extensively.A sessional working group viz. “the IOC participation to the 2nd International Indian Ocean Expedition” was formed with Prof. Yutaka Michida (Japan) and Dr Satheesh C. Shenoi (India) as co-chairs. The working group at length discussed the requirement for IIOE-2 and � nalized the draft resolution in support of taking up IIOE-2 as a formal project of IOC. Australia, China, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Kingdom and USA formally supported this draft resolution.

The IOC Executive Council adopted the resolution and requested the Executive Secretary to coordinate with SCOR and IOGOOS to prepare a research plan and to set up an Interim Planning Committee (Group of Experts) (IPC) to � nalise the science plan, work out the details to conduct IIOE-2 under the leadership of IOC and report to the Assembly at its 28th session in 2015.

The resolution also urged the Member States to cooperate and contribute to the science plan and execution of IIOE=2 during 2016-2020. The full text of the resolution is available at http://ioc-unesco.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewDocumentRecord&docID=14087

IN THIS ISSUE

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Issue No. 2January 2015

International Ocean Commission (IOC) to take up IIOE-2 as a separate programme 1

The Indian Ocean Observing System and ocean-reanalysis in IIOE-2 2 Gary Meyers

IOGOOS and Perth Program O� ce (PPO), in support of the IOC of UNESCO, 3update on IIOE-2 Planning Louise Wicks, Nick D’Adamo, Andreas Schiller

SCOR and IOC Motivate a Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) 3 Raleigh R. Hood, Michael J. McPhaden, Nick D’Adamo and Ed Urban

EWIN 2015: Exploring Marine Resources along the Western Part of 5Sumatra IslandZainal Ari� n

A Post-IIOE Changing Arabian Sea- Possible Reasons and Repercussions 6 Helga do Rosário Gomes, Joaquim Goes, S.G. P. Matondkar and R. Dwivedi

First Announcement for Upcoming Symposium-Dynamics of the Indian Ocean: 8Perspective and Retrospective-2015

Fig.1: Various meetings of the 47th session of IOC

The Indian Ocean Observing System and ocean reanalysis in IIOE-2Gary Meyers, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, Australia

The motivation for the original International Indian Ocean Expedition in the mid-1960’s was an awareness that exploration of the Indian Ocean had lagged behind documentation of the Paci� c and the Atlantic during the initial phase of modern oceanography, which began just before World War 2. Wyrtki et al. (1971)1 summarised the original objective in the Oceanographic Atlas of the International Indian Ocean Expedition: “It was hoped that increased knowledge of its hydrography and biology could foster development of its � shery and bene� t the countries surrounding it.” This is a broad objective, but knowledge of the Indian Ocean was an open book with blank pages at the time. The introduction to the � rst volume of IIOE Collected Reprints (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0000/000022/002247mo.pdf) has a nice summary of the planning process, and several references that give an overview of scienti� c details. It notes that at the inception of planning, “a synoptic survey was suggested, but later an exploratory programme was adopted which allowed individual scientists to carry out their own specialized programmes of interest.” Although it was 50 years ago, there are a few things we can learn from the original objective and planning process.

Firstly, IIOE-2 also needs a broad objective (not blue sky exploration like IIOE, but something broad, discussed further below). Also, it is highly desirable that individual scientists will be encouraged to carry out their own research interests. This will attract a broad range of leading researchers from around the world. Below, I’ll discuss how IIOE-2 gives back to them. Finally, it is essential that IIOE-2 will increase knowledge of the Indian Ocean in a way that will bene� t the surrounding countries. This raises the question, what then is the broad objective of IIOE-2? What are the priorities?

The big di� erence between then and now is that we already know a lot about the Indian Ocean. This is not the place to comment on what has been learned in the intervening 50 years. But I can’t resist mentioning that as a direct result of IIOE we learned of the existence of equatorially trapped Rossby waves and the mechanism that generates the remarkable seasonal cycle of the Somali Current2. We also learned of the equally remarkable semiannual Wyrtki jets3. These discoveries were made at a time when many people still thought of the oceanic general circulation as quite steady and there was only an inkling of interannual variation4. Much of the knowledge of Indian Ocean circulation, variability and impact on climate gained during the intervening 50 years has been summarised in detail by Schott and McCreary (2001)5 and Schott et al. (2009)6.

In looking for a broad, major priority for IIOE-2 I think we have to look beyond straight forward scienti� c understanding. I think the fact that we now have a sustained Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS) designed to satisfy societal needs (http://www.ioc-goos.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=385:the-indian-ocean-observing-system-indoos&catid=49:gra-news&Itemid=85&lang=en) and ocean models that deliver ocean reanalysis products to users is more important that the scienti� c details. The observational and reanalysis products are a gold mine of raw data that will support a broad range of scienti� c research; and more importantly, they o� er the quickest way to provide bene� t to nations of the region. Beyond science, IIOE-2 is positioned to be an attractor for environmental, economic and societal well being and a generator of good will in the region. This is important.

IIOE-2 is happening at a time when the Indian Ocean has become a focal point of geopolitical interest and strategic planning for major economic and military powers around the world. The economies of some nations in Asia, Europe and even the Americas are critically dependent on the � ow of energy and free passage of oil, gas and coal along the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean. With the rise of regional nations as economic powers, a sense of competition and wariness has crept into the strategic planning of many nations with Indian Ocean interests. Scientists from many countries working together for

the common good of all concerned is one of the ways to lessen this tension and build good will in the region. Prof Sandy Gordon (Australian National University) made this point beautifully in a piece entitled Don’t Militarise the Great Connector: “What is needed [rather than competition] is a strategy

designed to provide for joint action in the “commons”, to alleviate the sense of insecurity on the part of the major powers that their legitimate interests in the Indian Ocean might not be met.” He makes the point that working together in the commons to address non-conventional security threats such as conservation, resource (e.g. � shery) management and climate impacts is a good way to reduce the economic and military tensions. IIOE-2 is well positioned to play this role.

My personal opinion is that the highest priority for IIOE-2 is enhancing and sustaining IndOOS and improving the quality and accessibility of ocean reanalysis products. This is almost an assured way to deliver important bene� ts all to the countries of the region.

That is not to say that cruises and experiments on board research vessels is not also an important part of IIOE-2. There are some circumstances where important progress in our science can be made with ship-board experiments. If scienti� c breakthroughs of equal magnitude to those of Lighthill and Wyrtki mentioned above are to come from IIOE-2, it is likely that it will be in the areas of multidisciplinary research—ecology transcending biology and physics. The modern ship-board capabilities for biological experimentation have improved tremendously since IIOE and even since JGOFS. We have the capability to better understand the interaction of physics with biology—e.g. how to model mixing in the upper part of the thermocline and biology in the mixed layer. Probably cruises are needed at least in each of the six wind-driven upwelling regions. I have met some people who have a mistaken impression that IIOE-2 is calling for a � eet of research vessels redoing the Indian Ocean like IIOE. I am sure this is not the intention of the organisers of IIOE-2.

In an article in EOS7 the organisers have stated, “The overarching goals of IIOE-2 are to advance scienti� c understanding of interactions between geological, ocean, and atmospheric processes that give rise to the complex physical dynamics of the Indian Ocean region and to determine how those dynamics a� ect…human populations.” This aspiration is consistent with setting a priority on sustaining IndOOS and improving the quality and accessibility of ocean reanalysis products.

The organisers go on to say, “A large part of IIOE-2…involves organizing ongoing research and stimulating new initiatives as part of a larger sustained expedition to the Indian Ocean.” This is an open invitation to researchers from all over the world to join IIOE-2. Certainly the many ongoing research projects using IndOOS data and reanalysis products could be incorporated into IIOE-2. This undoubtedly would be good for IIOE-2, but what do the entrained researchers get in return? I think they get the opportunity to link their research into the active delivery of societal bene� ts under auspices of an international program and they tap into the synergy that will develop in a program where many researchers work together.

References:1. Wyrtki, Klaus. “Oceanographic atlas of the international Indian Ocean expedition.”

(1971).

2. Lighthill, Michael James. “Dynamic response of the Indian Ocean to onset of the southwest monsoon.” Philosophical Transactions for the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences (1969): 45-92., doi: 10.1098/rsta.1969.0040.

3. Wyrtki, Klaus. “An equatorial jet in the Indian Ocean.” Science 181.4096 (1973): 262-264., doi:10.1126/science.181.4096.262.

4. Burnette, J. G., et al. “Part II- Symposium on the Changing Paci� c Ocean in 1957 and 1958.” California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Reports Volume VII (1960) : 13-218.

5. Schott, Friedrich A., and Julian P. McCreary Jr. “The monsoon circulation of the Indian Ocean.” Progress in Oceanography 51.1 (2001): 1-123.

6. Schott, Friedrich A., Shang‐Ping Xie, and Julian P. McCreary. “Indian Ocean circulation and climate variability.” Reviews of Geophysics 47.1 (2009).

7. Hood, Raleigh R., Michael J. McPhaden, and Ed Urban. “New Indian Ocean Program Builds on a Scienti� c Legacy.” Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 95.39 (2014): 349-350. doi:10.1002/2014EO390001.

2INTERNATIONAL INDIAN OCEAN EXPEDITION

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The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), in collaboration with the Scienti� c Committee for Oceanographic Research (SCOR) and the Regional Alliance of the Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing System (IOGOOS),formally adopted the 50th Anniversary of the International Indian Ocean Expedition (termed IIOE-2) as an IOC program at its 47th session of the IOC Executive Council in July 2014 through Resolution EC-XLVII.1. This formalises a planning process that commenced several years earlier and has engaged a broad number of international stakeholders, both through a voluntary international reference group under the auspices of the IOC Perth Programme O� ce and SIBER (Sustained Indian Ocean Biogeochemistry & Ecosystem Research scienti� c alliance), and through several other meetings hosted by SCOR, IOGOOS and the IOC (for further background information on IIOE-2 please refer to www.iocperth.org).

The IOC resolution set in place a number of important � nal planning steps in the lead up to the proposed launch of IIOE-2 in 2015. One of these was the formation of a SCOR Science Planning Development Committee (SPDC) to oversee the � nalisation of an IIOE-2 Science Plan. SCOR has a historic link to the original Indian Ocean Expedition, having led this initiative when the � rst International Indian Ocean Expedition commenced in 1959. The SPDC includes 10 international scientists under the chairmanship of Dr Raleigh Hood of the University of Maryland and current chair of SIBER, along with IOC representation by Dr Nick D’Adamo and SCOR representation through Dr Ed Urban. The SPDC has made rapid progress in the development of the IIOE-2 Science Plan, building upon the outputs of the preceding reference group process and is now in its � nal stages of drafting. The Plan is centred around 6 scienti� c themes as the foci for IIOE-2 research (boundary current dynamics, upwelling variability and ecosystem impacts; monsoon variability and ecosystem response; circulation, climate variability and climate change; extreme events and their impacts on ecosystems and human populations; unique geological, physical, biogeochemical and ecological features of the Indian Ocean) with strong links, to data and information management as well as training and education. When complete the plan will undergo a � nal review through coordinated international engagement. The Science Plan drafting process has also captured and documented the current and planned research by many countries during the IIOE-2 into a common template, which will continue to be a living document on the SCOR website throughout IIOE-2.

Alongside the SCOR SPDC, IOC is establishing an Interim Planning Committee (Group of Experts) (IPC) jointly with SCOR and IOGOOS to realize the planning and implementation of IIOE-2. The IPC will have a number of tasks including: establishing relevant programme coordinating bodies; coordinating the development of implementation plans based upon the research plan developed by the SPDC; and identifying and securing resources for the management and implementation of IIOE-2. The IPC will comprise 15 members jointly appointed (10 nominated by IOC, 3 nominated by IOGOOS, and 2 nominated by SCOR) by the Executive Secretary of the IOC, the President of SCOR and the Chair of IOGOOS. As part of IOC’s nominated 10 representatives, the Executive Secretary has invited Member States to nominate individuals with the necessary range of scienti� c and technological skills, along with geographical and gender balance to facilitate the full engagement of all IOC Members States and relevant scienti� c and technological organisations. The IPC will be required to report in detail on its activities to the IOC Assembly at its 28th session in June 2015. Part of this report will include details of when and where IIOE-2 will be formally launched, proposed to occur at this stage in the last quarter of 2015.

In addition to the above steps, many countries have individually made tangible progress towards formulating their own engagement in IIOE-2. This has included the formation of national IIOE-2 committees (i.e. India), to ensure consistent national approaches and research objectives; as well as developing detailed multi-national science proposals which have spawned out of IIOE-2 discussions (i.e. the Eastern Indian Ocean Upwelling Research Initiative - EIOURI).

IOGOOS and Perth Program O� ce (PPO), in support of the IOC of UNESCO, update on IIOE-2 PlanningLouise Wicks1, Nick D’Adamo1 and Andreas Schiller2

1Perth Programme O� ce in support of the IOC of UNESCO2CSIRO, Australia and Chair IOGOOS

Fig.1. Participants at the IOGOOS series of meetings, 29 October – 1 November 2014, Phuket, Thailand.

SCOR and IOC Motivate a Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2)Raleigh R. Hood1, Michael J. McPhaden2, Nick D’Adamo3and Ed Urban4

1University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Horn Point Laboratory, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA, rhood@umces.edu2NOAA, Paci� c Marine Environmental Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98115, USA, michael.j.mcphaden@noaa.gov3Perth Programme O� ce in support of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, Australia, 1 Ord Street, West Perth 6005, Western Australia, N.D’Adamo@bom.gov.au4Scienti� c Committee on Ocean Research, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA, ed.urban@scor-int.org

More than 50 years ago the Scienti� c Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) motivated one of the greatest oceanographic expeditions of all time: the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) (Fig.1). This expedition was motivated by the opportunity to explore one of the last great frontiers on Earth and it dramatically advanced our understanding of monsoon variability and dynamics and described, for the � rst time, the complex surface ocean circulation that emerges in response to monsoon forcing. The data also provided a much more detailed picture of the complex topography of the Indian Ocean basin that helped establish the theory of plate tectonics. However, even though subsequent expeditions have � lled in many of the remaining knowledge gaps, important scienti� c questions remain unanswered. These questions come from many � elds within the Earth sciences, including geology, geophysics, atmospheric science, physical and chemical oceanography, biogeochemistry, ecology and � sheries.

IOGOOS continues to remain closely associated with IIOE-2 planning with several members of IOGOOS and its associated alliances engaged in the intergovernmental planning processes. IIOE-2 planning and research opportunities were a large part of IOGOOS, SIBER & IRF’s discussions at their most recent meetings in Phuket, Thailand 29 October – 1 November 2014 and these meetings rea� rmed their collective commitment to aligning all research under their auspices with IIOE-2 research themes, as well as to actively develop new research initiatives. IIOE-2 represents an exciting time for oceanographers, climate scientists and modellers. All endeavours under its name will yield signi� cant enhancements in the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS) and in combination with model-data synthesis e� orts, will lead to an improved understanding of the biophysical environment of the Indian Ocean, its seabed and ecology.

much more detailed picture of the complex topography of the Indian Ocean basin that helped establish the theory of plate tectonics. However, even though subsequent expeditions have � lled in many of the remaining

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Fig. 1: Centre: Map of the Indian Ocean showing the cruise tracks of research vessels during the International Indian Ocean Expedition. Left: Logo and � eld instrument

case from the IIOE. Right: Three oceanographic research vessels that participated in the IIOE, from Germany (Meteor II), The US (Atlantis II) and the UK (Discovery II).

Moreover, many new questions important to society have emerged since IIOE. Today, more than 16% of the world’s population lives in the coastal and interior regions of the northern Indian Ocean and the populations of most Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) nations are increasing rapidly. This population increase has contributed to growing negative impacts of multiple stressors on both coastal and open ocean environments that include eutrophication, deoxygenation, atmospheric and plastic pollution and over� shing. These stressors, combined with global warming and acidi� cation, are resulting in loss of biodiversity in the Indian Ocean and changes in the phenology and biogeography of many species.

In addition, the human impacts of climate change, extreme events and monsoon variability are a growing concern. Inundation from sea level rise will heavily impact low-lying areas around “IOR” where millions of people live within one meter of mean sea level and are at increased risk in the coming decades (Fig. 2). The very existence of some Indian Ocean island states and deltaic coasts is threatened by sea level rise. The frequency and/or severity of extreme events are also projected to increase in the Indian Ocean. The frequency of heavy precipitation will likely increase over many land areas of the region. Heavy rainfall

associated with tropical cyclones and average tropical cyclone maximum wind speed are both likely to increase in the Indian Ocean with continued global warming. Droughts are also projected to intensify in the 21st Century in some seasons and areas around IOR. These projections, combined with high exposure and vulnerability to extreme events in many

developing nations around IOR and in small island nations, suggest that negative human consequences from extreme events will increase in the coming decades.

Societal drivers in the Indian Ocean also include concerns about food security and � sheries and direct human impacts in coastal environments. The declining state of both artisanal and industrial � sheries is of great concern as many people living in IOR nations and island states depend on wild-catch � sheries for food and employment, with many � sheries being overexploited. Many of these vulnerable countries are also among the world’s least developed countries whose inhabitants are among the world’s poorest and therefore more dependent on � shing. Direct human impacts in coastal environments include coastal erosion and loss of mangroves and degradation of coral reefs, which all contribute to loss of biodiversity. There is a pressing need for ecosystem preservation in the Indian Ocean for both tourism and � sheries.

Many countries in the region do not yet possess a self-sustaining ocean science research community. The existence of national expertise is important for national governments to address environmental, resource extraction, ecotourism, management and other issues.

All of these considerations lead to the conclusion that another Indian Ocean Expedition is needed.

Advances in Oceanography since IIOE In the 50 years since IIOE, three fundamental changes have taken place in ocean science. The � rst is the deployment of a broad suite of oceanographic and meteorological sensors on Earth-observing satellites that have dramatically improved the characterization of both physical and biological oceanographic variability and the atmospheric forcing of that variability. The second is the emergence of new components of the ocean observing system, most notably Argo � oats and in the Indian Ocean, the deployment of the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), which includes the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA)(Fig. 3) and the tsunami detection network. The third fundamental change is the development of ocean modeling in all its facets from short-term forecasting to seasonal prediction to climate projections. In addition, improvements in our analytical techniques have made new and better measurements possible in all oceanographic disciplines. Other fundamental changes, not speci� c to oceanography but nonetheless highly consequential, are the advances

in global positioning for precision navigation, advances in real-time data collection and transmission and advances in communications (e.g., the World Wide Web) that have enormously facilitated data sharing and scienti� c collaboration. These advances have revolutionized our ability to measure, model and understand the global ocean. Moreover, compared to the IIOE era, which relied almost exclusively on ship-based observations (Fig. 1), new measurement technologies in combination with targeted and well-coordinated � eld programs provide the capacity for a much more integrated picture of Indian Ocean variability.

Indeed, it is remarkable how much oceanography has advanced in the last 50 years. Thanks to these technological developments we can now study how the ocean changes

Fig. 2: Flooding in Bangladesh. Top: picture of a � ooded village in Bangladesh, from emel, Issue 7, October 2004 (see: http://www.emel.com/article?id=8&a_id=1810).

Bottom: Map of Bangladesh between India and Burma from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/water_rivers/river_� ooding_management_rev6.shtml

Fig. 3: The IndOOS integrated observing system, with basin-scale observations by moorings, Argo � oats, XBT lines, surface-drifters and tide-gauges; as well as boundary arrays to observe

boundary currents o� Africa (WBC), in the Arabian Sea (ASEA) and Bay of Bengal (BOB), the Indonesian through� ow (ITF), o� Australia (EBC) and deep equatorial currents.

RAMA: Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction.

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across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and how these � uctuations are coupled to the atmosphere.

Organizational FrameworkSCOR and IOC are working to stimulate a new phase of coordinated international research focused on the Indian Ocean for a 5-year period beginning in late 2015 and continuing through 2020. The goal is to help to organize ongoing research and stimulate new initiatives in the 2015–2020 time frame as part of a larger expedition. International programs that have research ongoing or planned in the Indian Ocean during this time include the Sustained Indian Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (SIBER) program of the Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBER) project, the Climate Variability (CLIVAR) project, the Indian Ocean component of the Global Ocean Observing System (IOGOOS), GEOTRACES (a global survey of trace elements and isotopes in the ocean), the Global Ocean Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP) and others.

Many countries, including Australia, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, are planning cruises in this time frame as well. These programs and national cruises will serve as a core for the new Indian Ocean research focus, which has been dubbed “IIOE-2.”

To help organize these e� orts, the IOC convened three planning workshops. The � rst, at which the framework for a plan was developed, was held in May 2013 in Hyderabad, India. The second meeting was convened in November 2013 in Qingdao, China and focused on identifying the high-level science and societal drivers for IIOE-2. The third workshop, which occurred in March 2014 in Mauritius, focused on engaging the research community of the southwestern Indian Ocean region in this new initiative. The reports from these meetings are available at http://iocperth.org. SCOR subsequently formed an a compelling science plan for IIOE-2 (see http://scor-int.org/IIOE-2/IIOE2_SPDC.htm).

Overarching Goal and Research Themes of IIOE-2The overarching goal of IIOE-2 is to advance our understanding of interactions among geological, ocean and atmospheric processes that give rise to the complex physical dynamics of the Indian Ocean region and to determine how those dynamics a� ect climate, extreme events, marine biogeochemical cycles, ecosystems and human populations. This understanding is required to predict the impacts of climate change, eutrophication, acidi� cation and increased � sh harvesting on IOR nations; and the interaction of the Indian Ocean with other components of the Earth System. New understanding is also fundamental to policy makers for the development of management strategies for the Indian Ocean. Other goals of IIOE-2 include helping to build research capacity and motivating e� orts to make oceanographic data from the region discoverable and widely accessible.

The domain of the expedition will be basin-wide, extending to and considering interactions with the Southern Ocean. Using input from the workshops and national planning e� orts, the SCOR SPDC has grouped pressing research questions into six main research themes for IIOE-2:

Anthropogenic impacts: How are human-induced ocean stressors (for example, warming, sea level rise, de-oxygenation, acidi� cation, eutrophication, atmospheric and plastic pollution, coastal erosion, and over� shing) impacting the biogeochemistry and ecology of the Indian Ocean? How, in turn, are these impacts a� ecting human populations?

Boundary current dynamics, upwelling variability and ecosystem impacts: How are marine biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem processes and � sheries in the Indian Ocean in� uenced by boundary currents, eddies and upwelling? How does the interaction between local and remote forcing in� uence these currents and upwelling variability in the Indian Ocean? How have these processes (and their in� uence on local weather and climate) changed in the past and how will they change in the future?

Monsoon variability and ecosystem response: What factors control present, past, and future monsoon variability? How does this variability impact ocean physics, chemistry and biogeochemistry in the Indian Ocean? What is the e� ect on ecosystem response, � sheries, and human populations?

Circulation, climate variability and climate change: How has the atmospheric and ocean circulation of the Indian Ocean changed in the past and how will it change in the future? How do these changes relate to topography and connectivity with the Paci� c, Atlantic and Southern oceans? What impact do these changes have on biological productivity and � sheries?

Extreme events and their impacts on ecosystems and human populations: How do extreme

events in the Indian Ocean impact coastal and open ocean ecosystems? How will climate change impact the frequency and/or severity of extreme weather events, tropical cyclones, and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean? What are the threats of extreme weather events, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, combined with sea level rise, to human populations in low-lying coastal zones and small-island nations of the Indian Ocean region?

Unique geological, physical, biogeochemical and ecological features of the Indian Ocean: What processes control the present, past, and future oxygen dynamics of the Indian Ocean and how do they impact biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem dynamics?

How do the physical characteristics of the southern Indian Ocean gyre system in� uence the biogeochemistry and ecology of the Indian Ocean? How do the complex tectonic and geologic processes and topography of the Indian Ocean in� uence circulation, mixing and chemistry and therefore biogeochemical and ecological processes?

In addition to the surface and atmospheric circulations, IIOE-2 will promote further exploration of deep circulation and deep-sea ecosystems in the Indian Ocean along with the tectonic processes that support them. Assimilation of data into oceanic and atmospheric analyses and reanalyses will also be important research topics under IIOE-2.

Next StepsAn IOC resolution supporting the new IIOE-2 was endorsed at the 47th meeting of IOC’s Executive Council in July 2014. This resolution will help motivate participation and action by IOC Member States. In the meantime, the SCOR SPDC is forging ahead with the development of an IIOE-2 Science Plan. The target date for the completion of a draft plan is January 2015. The draft plan will be circulated for comment to the scienti� c community and IOC before � nal adoption. The IOC will then take up the task of developing an implementation plan for IIOE-2 involving its Member States. As with the original IIOE, the scienti� c communities and governments in the Indian Ocean region and beyond will engage in this important new activity through the combination of non-governmental and intergovernmental ocean science organizations.

The success of IIOE-2 will be gauged not just by how much it advances understanding of the complex and dynamic Indian Ocean system, but also by how it contributes to sustainable development of marine resources, environmental stewardship, ocean and climate forecasting and the training of the next generation of ocean scientists from the region. If this vision of success is realized, IIOE-2 will leave a legacy as rich as the original expedition.

EWIN 2015: Exploring Marine Resources along the Western Part of Sumatra IslandZainal Ari� n, Research Centre for Oceanography, Indonesia.

IntroductionThe Eastern Indian Ocean is the area that is least studied among other oceanic areas, especially by Indonesian oceanographers. The Eastern Indian Ocean is in� uenced by transport of low latitude water masses from the Paci� c Ocean that pass to the Indonesian seas and � ow into the Indian Ocean, known as ARLINDO-ArusLintas Indonesia. ARLIDO or the Indonesian Through Flow (ITF) could play an important role in the productivity of this area of the ocean (i.e., geochemical and upwelling processes) and in the health of coastal ecosystems (coral biodiversity and coral reef resilience). Moreover, the Equatorial zone of the Indian Ocean is also in� uenced by oscillation and perturbation processes that are not observed in other oceans such as Wyrtki Jet current, Madden-Julian Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole. These various processes will directly and indirectly a� ect marine living resources and communities along the coasts that border the Eastern Indian Ocean. Hence, exploring the phenomena of the Eastern Indian Ocean will be an important step in utilizing resources.

In response to above mentioned need, the � rst national workshop on “Indian Ocean Research Networking” was held in Bogor, Indonesia. Around 25 marine researchers participated in the workshop (Fig. 1). The objective of the workshop was twofold : � rstly, to strengthen research networking among oceanographers at a national level and

Hence, exploring the phenomena of the Eastern Indian Ocean will

In response to above mentioned need, the � rst

research level and

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level and secondly, to develop an oceanographic research plan for the next � ve years. The direct outcome of this workshop was the formulation of a plan that will initiate oceanographic research on the Eastern Indian Ocean in September 2015.

The Widya Nusantara Expedition, also known as Ekspedisi Widya Nusantara (EWIN) is an initiative of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), aimed at the study of small islands and ocean processes. EWIN-2015 will focus on the area along the western part of Sumatra Island that faces the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Research AreasOceanographic research will focus on ocean processes such as biogeochemistry and upwelling process, biodiversity of pelagic ichtyo-plankton, migration of living resources and related research interests. These focus areas are to be highlighted in studies that are aimed at:

1. Understanding oceanographic processes of Eastern Indian Ocean such as upwelling, migratory species, spawning area, larval dispersal, ichtyoplankton dynamics.

2. Understanding biogeochemical processes (carbon cycle, nutrient cycles) and their implication to coastal and marine productivities along western Sumatran waters.

3. Understanding and elucidation of the interaction between ocean & small islands, and its implied socio-economic impact on resident communities.

Enggano Island, one of the outer islands of Indonesia, that has 37,167.93 hectares of conservation area, will be a focus area for these studies.

Research SupportAt the moment, RV Baruna Jaya VIII will be launched to support the expedition (Fig. 2). Other research vessels under the management of BPPT (Agency for Assessment and Application Technology) and Balitbang KP (Agency of Research and Development for Fisheries and Ocean) will also be used to carry out research in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The Indonesian Institute of Sciences will organise a 10 day cruise during the year 2015. It is hoped that international agencies may support this e� ort, collaboratively and � nancially by perhaps matching the cruise fund, in order to ful� ll the regional and international research agenda.

Contact for Further information:Zainal Ari� n, zain003@lipi.go.id;AanWahyudi, ajwahyudi@gmail.comResearch Centre for Oceanography – LIPIJl. PasirPutih I, Jakarta 14430.

Fig.2. : RV Baruna Jaya VIII (length 50 m, 1500 GT)

A Post-IIOE Changing Arabian Sea – Possible Reasons and Repercussions Helga do Rosário Gomes1, Joaquim Goes1, S.G. P. Matondkar2 and R. Dwivedi3 1Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA.2National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, 403004, Goa, India. 3Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Kerala, India.

The International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) from 1959 to 1965 is considered as one of the greatest oceanographic endeavours not only in terms of the personnel, ships and money that was involved but also because it fostered the beginning of tremendous international cooperation between the world’s oceanographers, as well as stimulated interest in marine sciences in many bordering countries. From being a virtually unexplored ocean, the determination and cooperation of scientists who saw this as a ‘voyage of exploration’ catapulted it into a region where major global studies such as the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and Joint Global Ocean Flux Studies (JGOFS) were later conducted. Extensive oceanographic cruises conducted over this third largest ocean yielded a pioneering set of multidisciplinary data which included the distribution and biodiversity of phytoplankton, photosynthetic organisms that fuel the entire marine food chain. Ground-breaking work undertaken during IIOE established that distribution of various phytoplankton and zooplankton groups and biomass varied with meteorology and hydrography. Diatoms, the siliceous group, were associated with nutrient rich waters of the two monsoonal systems while dino� agellates with more nutrient impoverished, strati� ed waters. Large surface blooms of the diazotroph Trichodesmium were seen in highly strati� ed water devoid of nutrients. Detailed taxonomic e� orts1-3 created invaluable databases on phytoplankton and zooplankton that has yet to be equaled.

The 1990s saw a renewed interest in the Indian Ocean albeit with a greater focus on the Arabian Sea recognized as a natural laboratory ‘to test conceptual linkages among physical forcing, food-web structure, biogeochemical cycling and � uxes and carbon burial in the sediments’. The JGOFS study supported by SCOR laid great emphasis on the ocean’s biogeochemical response to monsoonal forcing. Phytoplankton productivity measurements such as photosynthesis versus irradiance response curves, rates of 14C assimilation, estimates of O2 evolution were undertaken along with novel methods to measure phytoplankton biomass such as ocean colour remote sensing. Along with conventional microscopic identi� cation techniques, new tools such as chromatographic pigment separation and � ow cytometry to identify picophytoplankton(0.2 to 2.0 microns) were used. It was ascertained4 with certainty that carbon cycling and the potential for carbon export from the ocean surface were largely a function of changes in the food web structure driven by monsoonal alterations of environmental conditions. Higher carbon export during the summer and winter monsoon coincided with periods when the upper mixed layer was dominated by large diatoms while the intermittent periods when waters were nutrient impoverished were dominated by small, autotrophic picoplankton, Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus.

Post-JGOFS, there weren’t any large-scale � eld campaigns documenting phytoplankton community structure. However, a large-scale study conducted by the NIO, Goa in the northern Arabian Sea and supported by SAC, ISRO, towards validation of data from

Fig.1: Row wise (sitting, left to right): Dr.Anugerah Nontji (RCO-LIPI), Dr.Zainal Ari� n (RCO-LIPI), Prof.Dr.Iskandar Zulkarnain (LIPI), Dr.Djusman Sajuti (LIPI), Dr.Cabell Davis (Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution, USA), Dr.Susilo Hadi (R&D Centre for Marine Geology), Dr.I Wayan Nurjaya (Bogor Agric. Univ.)

Back row (standing, left to right): Dr.Haryadi Permana (RC Geotechnology-LIPI), M.Furqon Azis Ismail., M.Sc. (RCO-LIPI),Dr.John Nurifdinsyah (Bung HattaUniv), Yustian Rovi A.,M.Sc. (P2O-LIPI), Dr.Suhartati

M. Natsir (RCO-LIPI), Salvienty Makarim, M.Sc. (R&D Agency for Fisheries and Marine A� airs), Triyoni Purbonegoro, M.Si. (RCO-LIPI), R. Dwi Susanto, Ph.D. (University of Maryland, USA), Dr.Anastasia R.T.

D. K. (KKP), Dr.Ivonne Radjawane (Bandung Institute of Technology), Dr.Augy Syahailatua (RC for Deep Sea-LIPI), Dewi Surinati, M.Si. (RCO-LIPI), Dede Falahuddin, S.Si. (RCO-LIPI), Hanny

M.S.Si. (RCO-LIPI), Dr.Tri Prartono (Bogor Agric. Univ.), Dr.Sam Wouthuyzen (RCO-LIPI), Adi Purwandana, M.Sc. (RCO-LIPI)

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India’s � rst ocean colour sensor, the Ocean Colour Monitor, provided a continuous dataset on phytoplankton diversity and succession for this decade. In addition to detailing the community structure of phytoplankton, it documented for the � rst time ever the appearance of large-scale blooms of the dino� agellate Noctiluca scintillans. From 2003 onwards when researchers � rst sampled the bloom, N. scintillans has appeared as thick, green, widespread blooms throughout the northern and central Arabian Sea with remarkable consistency annually in February and March5 (Fig. 1a). Unlike the more ubiquitous red form seen in temperate regions, green N. scintillans harbours a photosynthesizing endosymbiont, the prasinophyte Pedinomonasnoctilucae (Fig. 1b). What is unusual about N. scintillans is that in addition to bene� ting from the photosynthetic activity of its green endosymbionts it also grazes voraciously on phytoplankton, small particles like larvae and eggs and detritus, making it a mixotroph. Our current data shows that there has been a drastic shift from diatom-dominated winter blooms seen during IIOE (1960s) and JGOFS (1990s) to widespread blooms of N. scintillans in the 2000s6. Data collected by Ukrainian researchers between the 1950s and 1980s also does not show N. scintillans as a component of the winter phytoplankton community7. Prior to its appearance as large scale blooms in the open ocean waters of Arabian Sea, N. scintillans was observed only occasionally along the west coast of India. The basin-wide expanse of the blooms and their consistent appearance every year are captured in Aqua-MODIS images (Fig. 2a-d). N. scintillans attained surface concentrations of 9,600 cells l-1 and 17,342 cells m2 in the euphotic column during the largest bloom of our � eld studies (Feb. 2009). Chlorophyll-a concentrations from the

endosymbiont, P. noctilucae were around 25 mg m-3 and carbon � xation rates in excess of 2 g C m-3 day-1 at the surface, and 12 g C m-2 day-1 in the euphotic column were measured.

Since 2003, hydrographic and chemical measurements show N. scintillans is associated with waters that are under-saturated with respect to O2

5. Cell counts and dissolved

O2 data shows that the sudden surge of N. scintillans in the early 2000s occurred in conjunction with an abrupt decline in O2 saturation6. Since then, annual winter-time dissolved O2 concentrations in the upper euphotic column have continued to remain low raising the question, whether the recurrent emergence of N. miliaris blooms in winter is facilitated by in� ux of hypoxic waters into the euphotic zone. To test this hypothesis we conducted shipboard experiments6 (2010-2011) where N. scintillans cells and a diatom dominated phytoplankton fraction without N. scintillans were incubated under reduced O2and ambient O2 which served as controls. CO2 � xation rates by the green endosymbiont increased by about 25-300% rates under reduced O2 conditions while an almost threefold decrease in photosynthetic was observed in diatoms, suggesting that the endosymbionts provide it with a competitive edge over other phytoplankton by photosynthesizing more e� ciently in reduced O2. Our observation that N. scintillans is able to thrive and outcompete other phytoplankton under hypoxic conditions is not unrealistic, given that its endosymbiont P. noctilucae evolved 1.3Ga years ago in an atmosphere where O2 concentrations were much lower than in the modern world. It is therefore likely that their carbon assimilation pathways and enzyme systems are more uniquely suited to hypoxic environments.

If indeed the emergence of N. scintillans blooms is linked to a reduction in O2 then questions arise as to whether the well-known mid-depth oxygen de� ciency of the northeastern Arabian Sea has exacerbated. In searching for physical mechanisms that can bring up hypoxic waters we had to rule out intensi� cation of winter-time penetrative mixing as the Arabian Sea appears to be experiencing a shallowing of the Mixed Layer suggesting a weakening of winter convective mixing6. Another possibility is that mid-depth oxygen de� ciency is expanding horizontally and vertically because of increased organic matter, a notion supported by our � ndings8 that the Arabian Sea is becoming more productive due to warming of the Eurasian continent and the systematic decrease in spring snow persistence over large parts of southwest Asia and the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau region. Loss of snow persistence in recent years has enhanced the land-sea pressure gradient which in turn has strengthened southwest monsoonal winds resulting in intensi� ed wind-driven coastal upwelling favoring enhanced phytoplankton blooms during summer.

An unexplored source of organic matter is domestic and industrial outfall from bordering cities where waste water treatment plants have not kept pace with rapid population growth6. The population of Metropolitan Mumbai Region has doubled over the last decade to 21 million and discharges 2700 megalitres per day (MLD) of severely O2 depleted, nutrient-rich domestic waste water containing 63 tons of nitrogen and 11 tons of phosphorous into the Arabian Sea.

Karachi (population approx. 15 million) discharges about 1600 MLD of domestic and industrial waste water of which 70% is untreated. Dissolved O2 concentrations from Ministry of Earth Sciences’ long-term monitoring program COMAPS are generally very

low (1.4±1.23 ml -1) in winter. We suggest that during winter, the poleward � owing Western Indian Coastal Current may facilitate the spread of hypoxic waters o� shore. Other possible causes for intensi� cation of hypoxia that need further exploration are excessive fertilizer usage known to increase hypoxic zones in other parts of the world and atmospheric deposition of new nitrogen (Fig. 3).

Careful evaluation of the role of N. scintillans in the food web shows that it is not a preferred food source, in part because it is too large to be grazed especially by copepods, the most common grazers of diatoms that previously dominated winter blooms. Instead it is voraciously consumed by j e l l y f i s h jelly� sh and salps.

Fig. 1 (a) Surface blooms of N. scintillans in the Arabian Sea seen on 7th March 2011 during cruise S.S. Sampada 286 (b) Single cells of N. scintillans with the

endosymbiont Pedinomonasnoctilucae.

Fig. 2 Spatial distribution of winter phytoplankton blooms dominated by N. scintillans in the Arabian Sea seen by NASA’s Aqua-MODIS satellite. Monthly (February) Aqua-MODIS

Level-3 Chlorophyll a images were binned from level 2 images at 2 km resolution for (a) 2008 (b) 2009 and (c) 2010 and (d) 2011.

Fig. 3: Schematic showing pre-1998 and post-1998 winter-time ecosystem conditions in the Arabian Sea.

are excessive fertilizer usage known to increase hypoxic zones in other parts of the world and atmospheric deposition of new

j e l l y f i s h

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Thus in addition to causing a shift in planktonic communities at the lower trophic level, N. scintillans can alter trophic interactions via carbon transfer to salps and jelly� sh, both minor components of � sh diet.

To summarize, it appears that recent blooms of N. scintillans have arisen from the competitive advantage that its endosymbionts provide it by being able to � x carbon more e� ciently than diatoms under hypoxic conditions as well as by the ability of N. scintillans to feed rapidly on diatoms that grow when winter convective mixing brings nutrients to an otherwise impoverished euphotic zone6.This allows N. scintillans to proliferate for almost 2 months, contributing to the overall loss of diatoms witnessed in recent years.

The above study emphases the bene� t of investing in large scale oceanographic studies such as IIOE where rigorous comparisons between the � ora and fauna of the 1960s and 1990s could provide evidence of adjustments in this ecosystem responding to climate and anthropogenic changes.

References:1. Thorrington-Smith, M. “The distribution of abundance, species diversity and

phytohydrographic regions in West Indian Ocean phytoplankton.” J. mar. biol. Assoc. India 16 (1974): 371-380.

2. Rao, T. S. S. “Zooplankton studies in the Indian Ocean.” The biology of the Indian Ocean. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1973. 243-255.

3. Taylor, F. J. R. “General features of dino� agellate material collected by the “Anton Bruun” during the International Indian Ocean Expedition.” The biology of the Indian Ocean. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1973. 155-169.

4. Garrison, David L., et al. “Microbial food web structure in the Arabian Sea: a US JGOFS study.” Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 47.7 (2000): 1387-1422.

5. Gomes do Rosário, Helga, et al. “Blooms of Noctiluca miliaris in the Arabian Sea---An in situ and satellite study.” Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research 55 (2008): 751-765.

6. Gomes do Rosário, Helga, et al. “Massive outbreaks of Noctiluca scintillans blooms in the Arabian Sea due to spread of hypoxia.” Nature Communications 5 (2014).

7. Krey, J., Bole, R., Gillbricht, M. and Lenz, J. “Planktological-chemical observation during the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) with RV “Meteor” in 1964/65.” (1971).doi:http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.611057

8. Goes, Joaquim I., et al. “Warming of the Eurasian landmass is making the Arabian Sea more productive.” Science 308.5721 (2005): 545-547.

First Announcement for Upcoming Symposium- Dynamics of the Indian Ocean: Perspective and Retrospective- 2015In order to celebrate the 50th year of completion of IIOE and the Golden Jubilee of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, India an international symposium is scheduled to be held in Goa from 30 November 2014– 4 December 2015.

The Symposium, co-sponsored by CSIR- NIO, SCOR and IOC, will provide a forum for marine scientists all over the world to present results of their latest research in the Indian Ocean, review the progress made in understanding the unique characteristics of the region and plan future research to address outstanding issues.

Fig. 1. First Announcement accessible at www.IO50.incois.gov.in

The editors would like to thank the contributing authors for their articles and enthusiasm. We would also like to invite contributions for the next upcoming July 2015 issue.

Editorial CommitteeS.S.C. Shenoi, Satya Prakash, Celsa Almeida

Address for CorrespondenceIIOE-NOC Secretariat,ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services,‘Ocean Valley’, Pragathi nagar (BO), Nizampet (SO),Hyderabad - 500 090, India.

Phone: +91-040-2389 5001 Email: iioe@incois.gov.in

scientists all over the world to present results of their latest research in the Indian Ocean, review the progress made in understanding the unique characteristics of the region and plan future research to address outstanding issues.

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