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understanding the role of carbon flux
between the atmosphere, land and sea
In brief
The Southern Ocean is arguably the most
important carbon-climate system on Earth.
According to recent estimates, 40% of all
CO 2
emitted are stored in the Southern
Ocean. Despite this, the Southern Ocean
carbon cycle remains little understood and
has the potential to weaken the role of the
global oceans as a CO 2
sink. How the
Southern Ocean carbon cycle will adjust
to climate change is a global challenge
that could impose further constraints on
minimum emissions reduction rates. The
CSIR and its partners are working together
for a better understanding of the Southern
Ocean.
The challenge
South Africa is likely to be particularly
vulnerable to global change, given its
aridity, highly diverse ecosystems and the
high dependence on ecosystem services
for water, agriculture, fisheries, forestry,
tourism and other land uses. As global
change research reveals increasing
evidence of climate-linked changes, it
is clear that these changes are likely to
impact many sectors of South African
society.
One of the challenges being addressed
in the Department of Science and
Technology’s (DST) Ten-year Innovation
Plan, is science and technology for global
change, with a focus on climate change.
The challenge has three objectives:
• Enhance scientific understanding of
global change
• Develop innovations and
technologies to respond to global
change
• Understand the social context within
which solutions will have to be
implemented.
CSIR research
In one of its research programmes, the
CSIR leads a multi-institutional initiative to
understand the link between climate and
the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean.
Understanding the changing carbon fluxes
between the atmosphere, land and sea is
one of the challenges that scientists must
confront if the consequences of political
decisions regarding carbon emissions are
to be effectively assessed.
The CSIR and its partners in the Southern
Ocean Carbon-Climate Observatory
(SOCCO) programme participate in the
annual cruises to South Africa’s bases
in Antarctica, Gough and the Prince
Edward Islands, enabling researchers to
put in place a long-term observational
programme. The SOCCO programme
focuses research on developing an
integrated physical and biogeochemical
understanding of the coupled carbonclimate
system in the Southern Ocean
through measurement and modelling.
Researchers can contribute high-quality
data to the global integrated carbonclimate
observing network, while at the
same time developing skills and future
leadership in climate and Earth systems
science by including postgraduate
students to work with experienced
scientists on these cruises.
With the support of DST and South
Africa’s National Antarctic Programme
(SANAP), the SOCCO programme has
established several national research
and development facilities at the CSIR
and its research partners. These include
a high precision CO 2
and partial CO 2
measuring facility (CSIR), an ocean biooptics
facility (CSIR), an ocean profiling
facility (CSIR and the Department of
Environmental Affairs); a high precision
nutrient and oxygen measuring facility,
as well as an ocean productivity facility
(University of Cape Town); and an iron
clean analytical experimental facility
(University of Stellenbosch).
Dr Thato Mtshali (front) took part in the
sampling and measuring of iron during
an international research cruise in the
South Pacific. Iron is one of the essential
micronutrients to phytoplankton and a key
role player in our understanding of the role
of the oceans in global CO 2
trends. He
will employ these newly-acquired skills at
the brand new iron chemistry facility at the
University of Stellenbosch.
In 2011, observational capabilities at
the ocean profiling facility are expanding
to include long-range ocean gliders –
another first for South Africa.
Outputs
This group of nine researchers has
published over thirty research articles in
high-impact and prestigious international
science journals such as Trends in Ecology
and Evolution; Environmental Research
Letters; Climate Dynamics; Progress in
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