The Biologically-Driven Ocean Carbon Pumps

Biogeochemistry is one of the fastest growing disciplines in ocean sciences, hence the new Gordon Research Conference on Ocean Biogeochemistry. Biogeochemistry deals with the effects of living organisms on the concentrations of chemical elements in the different reservoirs of Earth (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) and with the cycles of chemical elements among reservoirs.

The first GRC on Ocean Biogeochemistry is devoted to The biologically-driven ocean carbon pumps. In future years, the Conference will address the cycles of various chemical elements that are involved in different aspects of life (including N, P, O, Fe, Si, Ca), play active roles in climate (including C, S, N), and participate in the long-term storage of carbon (including C, Ca, Si). It will consider the continuum between the past, present, and future ocean; explore observational, experimental, and modeling approaches; address the neritic, oceanic, and deep environments in the water column, and the sea bottom below; discuss the roles of photosynthetic, chemosynthetic, and heterotrophic organisms; and tackle both fundamental questions and environmental problems of concern to society.

By bringing together the international community of marine biogeochemists, the Conference will provide a unique, international forum for the development of ocean biogeochemistry, and thus become the cradle for novel ideas.