PANAJI: Global experts working on causes and concerns of decreasing oxygen levels in oceans will hold a three-day international symposium here from Saturday on “Microbial Responses to Ocean Deoxygenation”.
Over 25 foreign experts and 75 Indian researchers are expected to attend the symposium, which is organised by Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in association with UNESCO’s Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR). The venue for the symposium is Dona Pula, near Panaji.
The experts would aim at providing directions to decipher and address the factors affecting rates of marine nitrification (ammonium oxidation and nitrite oxidation) and denitrification, to assess the role of microbial processes involved in nutrient cycles, in the face of in the face of lowering oxygen levels.
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The experts claim that ocean deoxygenation bears significant consequences for coastal economies, carbon flux-rates and marine geochemistry.
“There is an urgent need for scientific enquiries into ocean deoxygenation since low oxygen can bring about profound changes in the metabolism of life forms inhabiting [the ocean]; this directly impacts marine ecosystem functions and services through changes in food-web structure and biodiversity,” a spokesperson of the organisers said.
The experts believe that declining oxygen concentrations leads to reduction in aerobic respiration and increase in respiration of oxidized nitrogen (nitrate reduction and denitrification).
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Through the symposium, Indian oceanographers are looking to facilitate research network formation and collaborative scientific practices with SCOR members.