Operational Ecology Unit

The unit of Operational Ecology (OE), constitutes the link of the Biological department with the Operational Oceanography & Marine Observatories department. This unit is an integral part of both departments, while at the same time has strong interaction with the chemistry department.

The OE unit facilities are built upon those of the POSEIDON system, with (a) land-based facilities in Athens and Crete (data centre, technical support, calibration lab for biogeochemical sensors) and (b) multiple in situ facilities/platforms with integrated biogeochemical sensors (fixed-point platforms, cabled observatory, Bio-Argos, gliders, Ferryboxes, drifters). For some of its activities, the OE unit benefits from other facilities of the Biological and Chemistry department (e.g. mesocosms and analytical laboratories of seawater and of marine organisms).

Specifically, it deals with the following subject areas:

• OE observations: systematic collection and operational provision of quality-assured biogeochemical and ecological data.
• OE forecasts, predictions and projections. Ecosystem forecast, scenario-based management, ecosystem-based management, biological data assimilation. Projections of long-term trends, fluctuations, and regime shift of marine ecosystems.
• OE products and Services. Data reprocessing, regular reanalysis, long-term trend analysis, environmental status info, biohazards alert systems and predictions, biological early warning systems.