FIFTH EDITION:

“Spatial and temporal patterns in physical-biological oceanic processes: from scale interaction to the rise of the living ocean”

3^th July to 12^th July -2017 - Barcelona (Spain)

Final Program Ramon Margalef Summer Colloquia 2017

Presentation

The Ramon Margalef Summer Colloquia started in 2013 with the objective of becoming an open space for the exchange of ideas between experienced and young ocean researchers. The four previous editions have dealt with “physical-biological interactions” (2013), “natural and human-induced disturbances” (2014), “patterns and processes in boundary marine ecosystems” (2015) and “microbes in a changing world” (2016). In each edition there have been between 25 and 30 young researchers, at the graduate or junior postgraduate level, joined by some 15 senior researchers. Hence, the Colloquium Series has already become a well-established event, bearing the formative spirit of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM) and with the full support of the civil society through the Catalan Association of Oceanographers (ACOIO) ; for the 2017 event, it will also count with the support of a local association, Associació Sotaigua, which will provide access to its beautiful coastal facilities in Begur (Costa Brava).

We believe it is now a good time to go back to the topic of the first edition but placing the emphasis on the way living and non-living ocean processes are structured in spatial and temporal patterns, how physical-biological interactions favour diversity and persistence of the community, and how these interactions give rise to complexity and the living Earth. Hence, the topic of the 2017 Ramon Margalef Summer Colloquium will be “Spatial and temporal patterns in physical-biological oceanic processes: from scale interaction to the rise of the living ocean”.

Spatial and temporal scales

The living ocean is the outset of the interaction between living and non-living processes taking place at very different spatial and temporal scales. This holistic perspective, which essentially says that the full complexity is much more than the sum of the individual processes, has been traditionally neglected because of two principal difficulties: the interaction between physical and biogeochemical processes, which requires a transversal and interdisciplinary approach, and the interplay of processes taking place at many different spatial and temporal scales, which demands a frank communication between researchers typically working on quite distinct topics. The proposed colloquium shall represent a decided effort to sit together senior scientists with these different perspectives, and to expose the junior scientists to the high value, and necessity, of such an integrative approach. The colloquium – through its transversal, inquisitive and open-debate format – will add new and distinct elements to traditional graduate programs. Its transversal and integrative approach will discuss essential elements that are at the basis of international collaborative programs (such as IMBER or SOLAS) and have to be incorporated in any H2020 call. Students participating in the colloquium will also have workshops on ‘scientific writing’ and ‘science communication’, fundamental elements that any young scientist needs to develop.

The aim of this Colloquium is to enhance the exchange of ideas and to promote imaginative thinking by bringing together ecological knowledge from experts on different scientific areas.

Organization

Since its first edition, the Colloquium has been jointly organized by the ICM-CSIC and ACOIO, hence bringing together a research institution and the civil society. In all past Colloquia, ACOIO has efficiently and accurately taken care of all logistic issues, including the handling of the budget. This was actually the first collaborative effort between both ICM-CSIC and ACOIO, after which other initiatives have arisen. We want to continue with this format, not only because of the high efficiency of the ACOIO, but also as a way to maintain and promote joint endeavours with the local civil society. Hence, the scientific organization of the RMSC-2017 will be provided by ICM-CSIC and the logistics will be taken care by the Catalan Association of Oceanographers (Associació Catalana d’Oceanògrafes i Oceanògrafs, ACOIO), with the support of Dr. Néstor Arandia. The course directors are Dr. Josep Lluís Pelegrí and Dra. Cèlia Marrasé from ICM-CSIC.

One new aspect of the RMSC-2017 edition is that part of the activities will be carried out in Begur, a coastal location north of Barcelona; these activities will be done with support from the Sotaigua Association (Associació Sotaigua, AS).

Venue

The main site for the course will be the facilities of the Institute of Marine Sciences (Institut de Ciències del Mar, ICM-CSIC), near downtown Barcelona and close to university lodging (Resa Website).

For the 2017 edition, we also plan to hold two-and-a-half-day activities in the Espai Mas d'en Pinc, located in Begur (130 km northeast from Barcelona, in the Costa Brava).

Students will need to take care of their lodging in Barcelona but two-night accommodation in Begur will be provided by the organization. Please see under the accommodation item for further details.