Impact of Leakage on Benthic Organisms and the Marine Ecosystems (WP4)

WP4 will determine the biological impacts and risks associated with CO2 leakage by controlled exposure experiments or in-situ observations at natural sites, and identify appropriate methods to monitor the marine environment above a storage site.

Objectives:

  • To quantify the consequences of short (days – weeks), medium (weeks – month), and long (years – decades) term CO2 leakage for the health and function of marine organisms and communities.
  • To assess the ability of organisms and communities to adapt following prolonged exposure to locally elevated CO2 levels using natural analogues.
  • To increase our capability to predict marine ecosystem response to potential CO2 leakage.
  • To identify and test biological indicators and monitoring techniques appropriate for detecting episodic events and/or prolonged low-flux CO2 seepage
  • To formulate “Environmental Best Practices” for the monitoring, protection and management of marine biota at offshore CO2 storage sites.

 

WP4 leader: Steve Widdicombe
swi [at] pml.ac.uk