Global Alliance of Continuous Plankton Recorder Surveys

The Global Alliance of Continuous Plankton Recorder Surveys (GACS) was founded in 2011 and brings together the expertise of plankton specialists, scientists, technicians and administrators from laboratories around the world.  This international collaboration involves the CPR Survey and twelve other regional CPR Surveys from across the globe and provides a comprehensive understanding of changes in the marine environment. 

Working together and pooling our data and resources is essential in order to understand the effects of environmental changes on plankton biodiversity at a global level. Numerous regional monitoring and observational programmes have been established in the past, but have lacked a holistic perspective on plankton biodiversity in response to global events such as climate warming and ocean acidification. Using CPR data, GACS is working towards that global perspective.

At present, there are large areas of the world’s oceans, notably the sub-tropical and tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans where there are no regular CPR surveys or plankton monitoring in general.  GACS aims to improve coverage in these regions and offers support in facilitating the establishment of new surveys.

The CPR Survey hosts the annual Board of Governance meetings with Prof Anthony Richardson (CSIRO) as Chair.  Materials produced by GACS include Report Cards, Global Marine Ecological Status Report, a biennial newsletter and capacity training to facilitate new surveys.  Secondment of CPR scientists between surveys ensures good practice and common standards are followed and help foster good working relationships.

Current GACS Partners

Survey Country Affiliation
North Atlantic, Arctic UK Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey (CPR Survey)
North East Pacific Canada Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey (CPR Survey)
Southern Ocean Antarctica, Australia Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Australian Antarctic Division (AAD)
North West Pacific Japan Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Japanese Antarctic Programme Japan National Institute for Polar Research (NIPR)
New Zealand New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
US East Coast USA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Southern Ocean Antarctica, Brazil Federal University Rio Grande (FURG)
Integrated Marine Observing System Australia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)
Benguela Large Marine Ecosystem South Africa Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Benguela Current Commission (BCC)
China China Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IO-CAS)
Marion Dufresne France Institut Paul Emile Victor (IPEV), Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC)
Cyprus Cyprus The Cyprus Institute (CyI)
Indian India National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)

Further information can be found at the GACS website http://www.globalcpr.org