BIOcean5D’s mission – to explore marine life and how it changes with space, time and human impact – brings together a multidisciplinary team from across 11 countries. The General Assembly is a key moment each year to share news, progress and results from across the project’s eight interconnected work packages, in addition to an ethics overview provided by an external advisor within the framework of the project’s ninth work package. As BIOcean5D enters its final year, this year’s meeting was particularly important to review and discuss results, strengthen collaboration and together ensure the project’s long-term legacy and impact.
Hosted at the Ifremer station in Sète, France, the meeting opened with welcoming addresses from Sophie Arnaud-Haond, representing Maria Ruyssen (Director of the Ifremer Sète station) and Philippe Riou (Director of Ifremer’s Department of Oceanography and Ecosystem Dynamics).
Following opening words from BIOcean5D Scientific Coordinator Colomban de Vargas and Project Manager Amandine Nunes-Jorge, nearly 50 presentations were delivered by BIOcean5D colleagues over the first two days, organised under the following scientific sessions:
- Marine biodiversity across spatial/organismal scales
- Biodiversity patterns across temporal scales
- Animal biodiversity in the seascape
- Marine holobiont biodiversity
- Marine biodiversity under human impact
- Drivers of marine biodiversity
- Species distribution modelling
- Modelling pelagic ecosystem functioning
- Economics and policies of marine biodiversity
At the end of each of the first two days, the work package leaders provided an overarching vision of progress and remaining objectives for each of BIOcean5D’s eight work packages. These first two days also featured updates and discussions on the BIOcean5D Data Hub, upcoming hackathon and training activities, sequencing efforts and a demonstration of the MyGOD tool for visualising time-series metabarcoding data.
In addition, dedicated time was set aside for in-person discussions and collaboration, allowing colleagues to advance scientific publications and project deliverables while strengthening links across the teams. Guidance sessions on the BIOcean5D Data Hub and project reporting were also available.
Credit: Caroline Juery
The final day of the General Assembly began with a focus on strengthening collaboration and alignment between BIOcean5D and partner projects that share our ambition to understand and protect marine life. We warmly thank the representatives from GES4SEAS, MARBEFES, MARCO-BOLO, OBAMA-NEXT and AtlantECO for their presence at our GA.
The remainder of the final day was dedicated to discussions on ensuring the long-term legacy and impact of BIOcean5D. This included a policy-focused workshop, followed by exchanges on high-impact scientific results, publications and future objectives.
We extend our grateful thanks to Raffaele Siano, Colomban de Vargas, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Liza Koenig and Amandine Nunes-Jorge for organising the 3rd BIOcean5D General Assembly and to Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Colomban de Vargas and Raffaele Siano for chairing the event.