Scientist Inma Herrera, affiliated with the BIOCON group at the ECOAQUA University Institute of the ULPGC, has been appointed to contribute to the Third World Ocean Assessment (World Ocean Assessment III). This ambitious United Nations project brings together over 550 experts from 86 countries to analyze the global health of the seas.
The report, which the UN itself has described as "possibly the most important book on the ocean ever written," aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the oceans, the changes they are undergoing, and their implications for present and future generations.
Herrera, an expert in zooplankton and president of the Zooplankton Ecology Group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), has focused her contribution on the chapter dedicated to plankton. This microscopic component is fundamental to marine ecosystems and acts as a key indicator of global changes.
The analysis addresses how warming, acidification, and nutrient alterations are modifying plankton productivity and distribution worldwide. Researchers emphasize the need to strengthen long-term observation programs to anticipate oceanic responses and their socio-ecological consequences.
“"Participating in this assessment has been a great opportunity to contribute to a global vision of the state of the oceans and highlight the importance of plankton, and especially zooplankton, as an indicator of the changes occurring in marine ecosystems."
Inma Herrera's participation in this worldwide project, presented in New York coinciding with World Oceans Day, represents a recognition of the scientific work carried out at the ULPGC and the ECOAQUA Institute, reinforcing the role of the Canary Islands in international marine research.
