News of the institute for coastal research

2010-02-25 Press release Helmholtz Association

2010-02-15 News

What drove tuna catches between 1525 and 1756 in southern Europe

Long-term changes in temperature can influence the productivity and composition of ecosystems. The analysis of the variations of ecological data over periods in which this human influence was not as pressing as today can, therefore, more clearly reveal linkages between climatic or environmental conditions and ecological productivity. This study attempted to disentangle the relationship between temperature variations and populations of Mediterranean tuna (Thunnus thynnus) between the 16th and 18th centuries by analyzing historical records of fish captures, temperature reconstructions based on proxy-data and simulation of past climates performed with a global climate climate model.

2010-02-08 Press Release Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung

New underwater experimental field off coast of Helgoland

Today scientists at the Centre of Scientific Diving of the Biological Institute Helgoland start a project that is unique thus far for the North Sea: “MarGate”, an innovative underwater experimental field. “MarGate” is part of the COSYNA oceanographic research infrastructure coordinated by the GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht and financed within the research field “Earth and Environment” of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.

2010-01-08 News

"Prediction" or "Projection"

A survey among climate scientists is used to examine the terminology concerning two key concepts in climate science, namely, predictions and projections, as used among climate scientists. Contrary to established guidelines, approximately 29% of the respondents associate probable developments with projections, and approximately 20% of the respondents associate possible developments with predictions.