Arctic Coastal Dynamics (ACD) - 4th Workshop
Coastal Geology, Cryology, Morphodynamics, and Biodiversity
10-14 November 2003
St. Petersburg (Russia)
For more information contact:
Volker Rachold (vrachold [at] awi-potsdam.de)
or Georgy Cherkashov (cherkashov [at] vniio.ru)
Deadline for registration: 15 September 2003
Deadline for paper and poster abstracts: 15 October 2003
Arctic Coastal Dynamics (ACD) is a joint project of the International
Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the International Permafrost
Association (IPA). Its overall objective is to improve our understanding
of circum-arctic coastal dynamics as a function of environmental
forcing, coastal geology and cryology and morphodynamic behavior.
Information on the latest development of ACD, including the main results
of the third ACD workshop (Oslo, December 2002), had been circulated in
the 4th ACD Newsletter in February 2003
(http://www.awi-potsdam.de/www-pot/geo/acd/acd-no4.html).
The fourth IASC/IPA-sponsored ACD workshop, which will be hosted by
VNIIOkeangeologia (Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the
Ocean), will take place in St. Petersburg (Russia) from 10-14 November
2003. The workshop will comprise presentations and discussions according
to the ACD Implementation Plan followed by a meeting of the ACD Steering
Committee. The schedule coincides with the WCRP (World Climate Research
Program) meetings for ACSYS (Arctic Climate System Study) and CliC
(Climate and Cryosphere) so that ACD personnel can interact with these
meetings. St. Petersburg city tours and sightseeing can be arranged upon
request.
An additional objective of the St. Petersburg workshop is to convene a
working group for initial planning of an Arctic Coastal Biodiversity
research agenda (ACB). The primary goal is to provide an international
forum for discussion of research that will be relevant to coastal
biodiversity assessment. Biodiversity assessment is considered a
critical prerequisite to improving coastal zone management and
terrestrial and marine protected area design. Incorporating information
on species composition, habitat structure, and ecological function,
biodiversity assessment is an emerging interdisciplinary research topic,
with significant potential for coastal management. The Arctic coastal
zone is especially suitable for biodiversity assessment due to its
relative lack of human disturbance and its high sensitivity to ecosystem
change through global warming. Important components to be discussed
include habitat classification systems and mapping, the potential use of
ACD coastal map data, techniques for biodiversity analysis, multi-scale
ecoregional assessments, and exemplars of related work such as the
Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF, http://www.caff.is),
Circum-Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Initiative (CAT-B,
http://www.iasc.no), and Gap Analysis (http://www.gap.uidaho.edu). The
ACB working group will develop a position paper on Arctic coastal
biodiversity assessment and discuss options for additional papers and
research proposals.
If you are interested in attending the ACD Workshop please contact
Volker Rachold (1) or Georgy Cherkashov (2). For additional information
of the ACB portion of the workshop, please contact Christopher Cogan
(3).
Early contact is encouraged, additional information on visa procedures,
possible funding assistance, and abstract guidelines is available.
Deadline for registration: 15 September 2003. Deadline for paper and
poster abstracts: 15 October 2003.
(1) Volker Rachold
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Potsdam Research Unit
Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Phone: +49 331 2882174 Fax: +49 331 2882137
vrachold [at] awi-potsdam.de
(2) Georgy Cherkashov
VNIIOkeangeologia (Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the
Ocean)
Angliysky prospect 1, 190121 St. Petersburg, Russia
Phone: +7 812 1138378 Fax: +7 812 1141470
cherkashov [at] vniio.ru
(3) Christopher Cogan
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany
Phone: +49 471 48311558 Fax: +49 471 48311590
ccogan [at] awi-bremerhaven.de