Global Change: the LOICZ approach
Crossland, C.J. (2000). Global Change: the LOICZ approach, in: Pacyna, J.M. et al. (Ed.) Socioeconomic aspects of fluxes of chemicals into the marine environment, scientific report on the workshop on socioeconomic aspects of fluxes of chemicals into the marine environment, Norwegian institute for Air Research (NILU), Kjeller, Norway 8-10 March, 1999. pp. 31-38 In: Pacyna, J.M. et al. (2000). Socioeconomic aspects of fluxes of chemicals into the marine environment, scientific report on the workshop on socioeconomic aspects of fluxes of chemicals into the marine environment, Norwegian institute for Air Research (NILU), Kjeller, Norway 8-10 March, 1999. EC: Luxembourg. ISBN 92-828-8575-5. 246 pp., more |
| Abstract | The global International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) aims to quantitatively understand the biophysical processes that regulate the Earth's surface and its capacity to support life. Land-Oceans Interaction in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) is one of the eight core projects studying the Earth ecosystems. LOICZ is generating more accurate estimates of the fluxes of materials into, through and out of the world's coastal zone. The LOICZ program has two major thrusts. First, the development of horizontal and, to a lesser extent, vertical material flux models (or budgets) from continental basins through regional seas to continental ocean margins, and the influence of human activities. The second thrust is addressing the scaling of the material flux models at spatial scales from lo- cal to global levels and across temporal scales. LOICZ aims to have within two years, a collection of coastal biogeochemical budgets that is an adequate basis for globalisation (more than 150), and a system of typologies that can be used for a first-cut globalisation synthesis. LOICZ started its first phase in 1993, developing comprehensive science and implementation plans and establishing a global network of some 2000 researchers. A second 5-year phase began in 1998. It is clear that a useful and practical knowledge of the globally heterogeneous coastal zone depends on harnessing an array of research from natural and social sciences, and recognition of both anthrocentric and geocentric driving forces of change. The LOICZ program is designed to encompass these elements in providing science information to the global community and which should prove vital for use by global decision-makers and coastal zone management. |
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