Aquatic Primary Productivity (GAP) 7th International Workshop
GAP 7 was held from 9 – 17 September 1999 in Switzerland. The workshop, organized by the University of Zürich, the EAWAG and by Zürich Water Supply, was attended by approximately 60 limnologists and oceanographers.
The participants met first at the University of Zürich for plenary sessions, keynote lectures and experimental planning. Although thousands of e-mails had been exchanged in advance of the workshop, the planning sessions started almost as frantically as in the stone age of electronic communication six years ago when GAP 6 was held in Saskatoon. But wondrously, as traditionally happens in GAP-workshops, we designed experimental programs that were feasible with some improvisational flair.
After two days the scientists split into groups and moved to field stations (Kastanienbaum at Lake Lucerne, Piora at Lake Cadagno, Lengg and Kilchberg at Lake Zürich) for 5 days of experimental work and data collection. The sunny, summer-like weather in a superb (pre)alpine scenery facilitated the collection of data on the impact of UV and PAR radiation on the primary production of phytoplankton and biofilms, and the dynamics of phytoplankton, microbial mats and phototrophic bacteria.
Not even the limited lab space at Kastanienbaum and Piora, which was crowded with high-tech equipment brought along by participants, prevented the participants from consuming more than 5000 scintillation vials and some 40 liters of scintillation cocktail, thus causing a permanent traffic jam with the LSC-counters that persisted for days after the workshop had ended. The lab group working with algal cultures grown under nutrient-deficient conditions kept spirits high by compensatory activities at lunch and supper. Contrary to rumors telling that Saint Peter was bribed with gold bars from the catacombs of a Swiss bank, it was sheer coincidence that rain started the day after we returned from the field stations to Zürich for the analyses, interpretations and presentations of results in the sheltered building of the Institute of Plant Biology.
Jean-Jacques Frenette (Canada) checking the solar radiation screens for the biofilm experiments in Lake Lucerne during the GAP 7 International Workshop. (Photo: R. Sommaruga)
Arrangements have been made with the Managing Editor of Aquatic Sciences to publish the keynote lectures and experimental results from GAP 7 following appropriate peer review.
The International Committee, which oversees GAP activities, held a general business meeting during the workshop. The meeting was held to obtain GAP participants’ impressions of the workshop format and to get ideas for the future. In addition, a number of announcements were made:
- Three members of the International Committee have retired: Barbara Prezlin, U.S.A.; Mitsuru Sakamoto, Japan and Serge Maestrini, France. The Chair of the International Committee thanked the retiring members for their many contributions to GAP.
- Three new members have agreed to join the International Committee: Peter Bossard, Switzerland; Vivian Montecino, Chile; and Patrick Neale, U.S.A. They join continuing members: John Beardall, Australia; Tom Berman, Israel; Zvy Dubinsky, Israel; Katherine Richardson, Denmark and Richard Robarts, Canada.
- The 8th International GAP Workshop will be held in Eilat, Israel in 2002. Exact dates have not yet been set. More information about this and other workshops will be published in future issues of SILnews.
Peter Bossard and Richard Robarts
Biological Monitoring
The next meeting of the working group will be held at Melbourne, Australia, integrated into the XXVIII International Congress of the SIL. Those interested in details should e-mail their interest to:
Wolfgang Schmitz, Chairperson
E-mail: w.schmitz-weingarten@t-online.de
Aquatic Invasive Species
A workshop “Aquatic Invasive Species – Developing a Scientific Information Exchange” was held at the 27th SIL Congress in Dublin, in August 1998. The goal of the workshop was to discuss and stimulate communication and networking between scientists concerning aquatic invasive species. A short proposal to establish a Working Group on Aquatic Invasive Species was developed and presented to the National Representatives when they met later in the week. The proposal was approved, and the Working Group was established.
Another suggestion was to organize an international conference or workshop on species transfers, focusing on freshwater and brackish aquatic ecosystems.
First Meeting of the Steering Committee
On November 6, 1998, the Steering Committee met in Ann Arbor, Michigan and proposed that the long-term goal of the Working Group is to promote global awareness of the problems and risks posed by cross-boundary species transfers, by encouraging and improving scientific networking and data exchanges. Emphasis will be placed on species transfers between and among freshwater and brackish aquatic ecosystems. The Steering Committee members also proposed and discussed a number of possible topics that could provide the foci for an international conference.
1999 Update
During 1999 the Steering Committee made significant progress with its goals. Funding was obtained to support several international invasive-species-related activities related to the Working Group, in association with ASLO 2000.
- A pre-ASLO 2000 Conference workshop on “Invasions of European & North American Ecosystems by onto-Caspian Species” is planned for June 2-3, 2000. Presentations are by invitation only, but individuals interested in participating in the workshop discussions and future planning should contact Hugh MacIsaac or David Reid for information and updates.
- A Special Symposium on Aquatic Species Invasions will be convened as part of the ASLO 2000 Conference. James T. Carlton, internationally recognized expert on aquatic species invasions, will make a keynote presentation. Those wishing to make a presentation should contact one of the persons listed below.
- Progress has been made towards the development and implementation of multiple invasive species databases. Within the U.S.: (1) An internet-based database on established coastal invaders was launched as a pilot project with funding from NOAA; (2) An international database directory for existing research and management activities on a broad range of invasion-related issues (e.g., ballast water biology and technology to species-based invasion research) is being implemented with funding from the U.S. Coast Guard, and will provide an internet-accessible resource that is searchable by key words; (3) A database of ballast water delivery and management patterns for the U.S. has been implemented also with funding from the U.S. Coast Guard. Parallel and complementary efforts are also underway in a variety of other countries. A lunch or evening workshop is being planned for the ASLO 2000 conference to demonstrate selected databases as well as to work on advancing international collaboration and coordination of database development. Contact Gregory Ruiz for information.
- A meeting of persons interested in participating in the Working Group will be held at the ASLO 2000 Conference. Contact David Reid to be added to the mailing list for future information.
The Steering Committee will focus on organizing the Working Group around an international network of interested scientists and decision-makers during the next year, and expects that substantial progress will result from the activities described above.
Contacts
David Reid
NOAA/Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, USA
E-mail: reid@glerl.noaa.gov
Hugh MacIsaac
Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Canada
E-mail: hughm@uwindsor.ca
Gregory Ruiz
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, USA
E-mail: ruiz@serc.si.edu
Please include your name, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, and an indication of how you would like to be involved.
David Reid, for the Steering Committee