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Society, Ecosystems and Change: SEAChange
A successor to the Sea and Coast II Programme
1. Introduction
Science in the marine and coastal environment in South Africa is at a critical stage, with
greater demands than ever for scientific advice within a globally changing scientific
environment in which the ecosystem effects of human endeavours have become a strong
focus. Economic and social imperatives are increasingly coming to the fore indicating
the need for scientific knowledge to balance societal needs with sustainability.
The South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) has been
intensely involved in marine research and management for over thirty years and has a
proud record of addressing the country’s needs including the development of two phases
of the national Sea and Coast Programme, which has maintained South Africa at the
global forefront of marine science. These earlier phases have been objectively evaluated
by independent international review panels and have been considered outstanding in
terms of the quality of research and the training they have provided. An exceptional
number of postgraduate students has been produced, many of whom are now playing a
leading role nationally and internationally. The programme has also been outstanding in
its record of transformation and has a strong legacy of leadership in marine science.
It must however, be recognized that marine science in South Africa is in crisis. Several
departments have been closed and many vacant posts remained unfilled. Access to ships’
time and research equipment has declined, hampering research. There is a continuing
loss of skills and the number of publications on marine science has dropped. In addition
to this, it has been recognized that in line with national and international trends there is a
need for more integrated research and the broadening of the research focus in the marine
and coastal environment to include the social sciences, economics, law and humanities.
Against this backdrop of opportunities, challenges and crisis, SANCOR is now in the
process of developing a third phase of the Sea and Coast Programme, which will be
called SEAChange (Society, Ecosystems and Change), reflecting a) the important place
of humans in the dynamic marine ecosystem, b) the need to shift to an ecosystem-based
approach to management and c) the fact that both natural environments and societal
processes are changing at an unprecedented rate.
Excellence in science will underpin the programme, which has been designed to assist
South Africa to position itself strategically within Africa and the rest of the world and to
fulfill its own needs as an emerging nation. The geographic location of South Africa
further elevates it to a unique position to be at the forefront of research on early-warning
systems and biodiversity protection. Recognizing that science in the marine and coastal
environment is a domain that cuts across multiple disciplines, the programme was
constructed in a democratic manner by the broader marine science community, including
researchers, managers, social scientists, economists, educationists and legal experts. The
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knowledge generated will meet the national mandate of science and technology for
economic growth.
This new programme takes cognizance of the new challenges, including the need for
multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary training, transformation and dissemination of
information, the loss of skilled scientists, the changing face of the employment market
and global climate change. South Africa is falling behind in its ability to meet these
challenges and hence to plan for or react to them. This threatens not only the safety and
security of individuals but the nation’s optimal use of the sea. SEAChange will play a
pivotal role in strengthening scientific capacity, and the programme emphasizes the need
to build on a basis of cutting-edge innovative research in the marine and coastal
environment that is relevant to society.
2. Guiding Principles
The SEAChange Programme has been designed with the following set of guiding
principles in mind:
a. Emphasis on high quality research.
b. An appropriate balance between fundamental science and applied science.
c. Greater cohesion and a more directed strategy than the Sea and Coast II
Programme, with a limited number of umbrella themes.
d. Inclusiveness, allowing opportunity for as wide a range of marine
research as possible.
e. A ‘big-science’ approach. Space is available for individual projects, but
there is also provision for large, cohesive projects.
f. Creative thought, both in terms of developing a fresh and innovative
programme and in the execution of the science.
g. Provision for both natural and human sciences.
h. Strategic positioning with regard to other national, regional and
international programmes.
i. Emphasis on training of postgraduate students from the level of honours
to postdoctoral studies.
j. Encouragement of research across biogeographic provinces of South
Africa and collaborative research between South Africa and other
countries.
3. Vision
To provide cutting-edge research to generate the necessary knowledge that
will support management in achieving a healthy and productive marine and
coastal environment for the benefit of all current and future South Africans.
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4. Alignment with National Needs
SEAChange is aligned with and complementary to the objectives of relevant government
agencies and NGOs. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), the National
Research Foundation (NRF) and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
(DEAT), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South African National
Parks (SANParks) and provincial conservation authorities all have common goals of
promoting science for the benefit of human societies. The World Wild Fund for Nature
South Africa (WWF-SA) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are both developing
marine programmes, strengthening the connection between conservation and human
utilization, while the International Ocean Institute, Southern Africa (IOI-SA) promotes a
people-centered approach to ocean science, management and governance. In addition
there are several regional programmes encouraging research and management across
national African boundaries including the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem
Programme (BCLME), Benguela Environment Fisheries Interaction & Training
Programme (BENEFIT), the Agulhas Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem
Programme (ASCLME), African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), South
West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project (SWIOFP) and the Western Indian Ocean Marine
Science Association (WIOMSA). All the above emphasize the need for studies of entire
ecosystems, including human populations. Consideration also needs to be given to the
potential impacts on ecosystem health of operations such as power stations, mining,
coastal development and water extraction that affects estuaries. The NRF mandate
specifically includes the training of students and the broadening of the knowledge fields.
DEAT has a primary focus on the sustainable utilization of natural marine resources. The
Department of Minerals and Energy controls mining and has a joint interest in managing
mineral extraction and marine ecosystem health, and the interplay between mining and
fishing industries.
The SEAChange Programme is also aligned with the research goals of national policies.
The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the National Water Act (1998) all stress the need to maintain healthy
ecosystems for long term societal benefits. The New Partnership for African
Development (NEPAD) provides the umbrella for all of these policies. The diagram
below summarizes the objectives of national agencies and policies, which are congruent
with the SEAChange programme as outlined in its objectives below (Section 6).
Knowledge
generation
Human resource
and capacity
development
Knowledge
transfer
New technologies
OBJECTIVES
Multidisciplinary/
interdisciplinary
research
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5. Alignment with International Programmes
Many international programmes have either developed or recently changed emphasis to
focus on climate change and variability, social needs, and ecosystems. Examples include
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Scientific Committee on Oceanic
Research (SCOR), Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) together with its regional
alliances, DIVERSITAS, International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP), World
Climate Research Programme (WCRP), Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC)
and Global Change, Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Society in Africa (GCBESA). The
SEAChange Programme has the same underlying philosophies as these international
programmes. Therefore, the research generated under this programme will provide
support to these international initiatives and will raise the status of South Africa’s
contribution to them.
6. Objectives of SEAChange
a. Knowledge generation – the programme will place emphasis on the generation
of new cutting-edge knowledge, including rigorous experimental approaches and
new interpretations derived from synthesis and analysis of existing information,
and will encourage networking and collaboration.
b. Human resource and capacity building – an integral part of the programme
must be the training of staff and students, with the aims of (1) producing highly
skilled scientists, technicians, managers, communicators, educators and
entrepreneurs and (2) redressing the imbalance in equity in terms of race and
gender.
c. Multidisciplinarity/interdisciplinarity – the programme will allow for narrowly
focused projects but will promote a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary
approach across the entire programme. In particular the incorporation of research
on social science, law, economics, indigenous knowledge and compliance will be
encouraged in order to better understand the links between natural and human
systems and to better serve the needs of society.
d. Knowledge transfer – the programme must (1) publish results in the scientific
literature and (2) publicize the results to management, industry, educators, policy
developers, general public and others who may benefit from them.
e. New technologies – the programme will support research towards the
development of new technologies based on living marine resources (bioprospecting, genetics, mariculture, operational oceanography, etc.).
It is recognized that not all individual projects will be able to meet all of the
objectives but the programme as a whole must fulfill these objectives so that the
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whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It is obligatory for the grant holders of
each project to publish in both the scientific and popular literature.
7. Research Scope of SEAChange
For the purposes of this programme, the definition of an ecosystem is purposefully very
wide, ranging from very large-scale entities (LME-scale) to very small (habitat-level,
such as rocky shore, sandy beach, continental shelf, etc).
The structure provided in this document is intended as a way of organizing the thinking
behind the programme and as a description of the programme, rather than as a method of
‘packaging’ the research. Projects will not necessarily be expected to fit within only one
programme theme, but may also span two or more themes. The theme or themes which a
project proposal will address will be dependent on the question(s) being asked and the
scientific emphasis of the project.
The structure provided is based on examples in order to provide guidance, and is not
considered comprehensive in terms of research scope or directions. This in no way
precludes research directions not specifically mentioned in the document from being
considered within the programme
Four themes have been proposed for the SEAChange Programme, three of which
embrace ecosystems as the central focus. The first theme, Ecosystems and Change, is
concerned with changes in marine ecosystems over space and time, including long range
forecasting, and the physical and biological explanations for changes such as extreme
marine events, harmful algal blooms, low-oxygen events and Benguela Niños. The
second theme, Ecosystems and People, emphasizes the interactions between natural
ecosystems (and parts thereof) and human societies. The third theme, Ecosystem
Functioning, concentrates on explaining the fundamental structure and functioning of
ecosystems and the factors that influence the dynamics of these systems. The final theme
is Biotechnology, supporting research towards the development of new and improved
technologies.
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THEME: ECOSYSTEMS & CHANGE
Documenting change
There is a recognized need to
develop capacity to document
change. Monitoring has not been
included here as it is envisaged
that much of this function will be
filled by the SAEON
Coastal/Inshore and Offshore
Nodes. The following are
examples of the types of research
which would document change:
Drivers of change
Three major drivers of change are
recognized. These include
natural change, climate change,
and change as a result of direct
human intervention (such as
resource extraction, invasions,
pollution, coastal engineering,
etc.). The following are
envisaged as examples of such
research:
Effects of change
Some examples of research
related to the effects of change
include:
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Biology and effects of
invasions
Ecosystem health
Changes in ecosystem states
Ecosystem variability
Changes in species
distribution, range extensions
Past changes – long-term
geological
Harmful Algal Blooms
Uncertainty and risk
Baseline studies
Low Oxygen events
Physical processes - Sea
level, shoreline change, etc.
Observation science,
including amalgamation,
assimilation and analysis of
long-term data, and new
methodologies for the
analysis of long-term data
Changes in UV radiation and
its effects on organisms and
ecosystems
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Seeking correlates and
causes of biological and
physical change
Relationships between
physical and biological
change
Uncertainty and risk
Linkages between marine
and terrestrial systems
Linkages with hydrology and
change, and
hydrogeographical links
Human dimensions of ocean
and coastal change (as driver,
context, recipient)
Changes in UV radiation and
its effects on organisms and
ecosystems
Marine-coastal interface,
including the estuarine
interface
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Ecosystem resistance,
stability, resilience, and
thresholds to these
Change management (also
forms a component within
the Ecosystems & Society
theme)
Implications for, and
feedbacks to, international
agreements
Ecosystem health
Changes in ecosystem states
Ecosystem effects of fishing
Predictive capability and
modeling (physical
processes, biological
processes, linkages with
human systems, etc.)
Harmful Algal Blooms
Linkages between marine
and terrestrial systems
Marine-coastal interface,
including the estuarine
interface
Linkages with hydrology and
change, and
hydrogeographical links
Ocean-atmosphere-land
interactions and linkages
Human dimensions of ocean
and coastal change (as driver,
context, recipient)
Ecotoxicology & marine
pollution studies
Changes in UV radiation and
its effects on organisms and
ecosystems
Prediction around
compounded effects of
drivers of change, eg. of
climate change on invasions
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ECOSYSTEMS & SOCIETY
This programme theme should consider interactions between ecosystems and society in both directions, i.e.
societal influences on marine and coastal environments, and influences of these environments and
happenings therein on society. Research within this theme must have a direct link with the ocean or coastal
environment.
Documenting the interactions
Understanding the interactions
Managing the interactions
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People dynamics affecting
ecosystems/ Impact of people
on ecosystems
land-based sources of marine
pollution, especially
stormwater
impacts of improved
technology
Coastal developments –
monopolization of the
coastline, inappropriate
engineering, pollution
Infrastructure development
(increased shipping,
inappropriate engineering,
etc.)
Marine natural hazards,
extreme natural events
Tourism interactions with the
ecosystem and society –
positive and negative
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Impact of lack of natural
resources, lack of access, etc.
on society
Values placed on ecosystems
and resources, in economic
and other terms
Disentangling direct
anthropogenic change from
larger-scale change
Poverty, coastal livelihoods,
population health
Common-property resources
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Impact of environmental
policies and political
decisions on ecosystems and
on society
Role of education and
awareness programmes in
promoting responsible
interactions with the
environment
Co-management systems,
community involvement in
management
Allocation of rights
Tenure regimes
Disentangling direct
anthropogenic change from
larger-scale change
Compliance – fisheries and
other
Risk management (including
from pollution, marine
natural hazards, etc.),
contingency planning
Sustainability research
Common-property resources
Transfer of knowledge
generated
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ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING
Deifinition and delimination
Ecosystem processes
a. Definition and delimitation of
the physical environment
 Recruitment patterns and
processes
 Defining bioregions, ocean
provinces, regional and
geographic definition
 Seabed mapping
 Near-shore oceanography
(physical and biological
oceanography)
 Chemical oceanography
 Mapping biotopes (eg. reefs,
seamounts, etc.)
a. Physical
 Waves
 Wind
 Tides
 Currents
 Rivers
 Temperature
 Turbidity
 Upwelling
 Near-shore oceanography
(physical and biological
oceanography)
 Land-sea interactions, eg.
freshwater requirements of
marine environments, etc.
b. Composition of the biota
 Biodiversity
 Taxonomy & systematics
 Species delimitation and
genetic boundaries
 Assemblage structure
 Ecological interactions
 Offshore and deep-sea biota
(from 30m depth)
 Taxonomic gaps (particularly
small, deep-sea, microbial)
 Taxonomy of larval stages
 Fish taxonomy (in light of
fish taxonomists retiring and
leaving the system)
 Microbial ecology
c. Organization of the ecosystem
 Trophic composition
 Species diversity
 Microbial ecology
 Energy and material flows
b. Geological
 Sedimentary composition
 Sediment transport
 Rock type
 Geological history
c. Chemical
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Accumulations in sediments
Nutrients and nutrient fluxes
Iron limitation
Salinity
d. Biological
 Dispersal and recruitment
 Migration and movement
patterns
 Seasonal cycles
 Productivity
 Eco-physiology
 Larval-adult linkages/
relationships
 Species interactions
(predation, competition, etc.)
 Evolutionary responses and
studies
 Processes driving
biogeographic and genetic
patterns
 Eco-physiology
 Evolutionary responses and
studies
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BIOTECHNOLOGY
Description pending
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Ecosystems & Change
Temporal and spatial changes in marine
ecosystems, including climate change and
variability, biogeographic studies, etc.
Ecosystems & Society
Interactions between ecosystems (and their
components) and societal processes, including
human activities and development in the
coastal environment, such as tourism and
mariculture, governance and compliance etc
Ecosystem Functioning
Ecosystem structure and functioning, and
factors influencing ecosystem dynamics,
including biodiversity, conservation, ecology,
etc.
Biotechnology
Development of new and improved
technologies, including genetics, mariculture,
bio-prospecting, etc.
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8. Programme Management
The SEAChange Programme management structure has been developed to address
criticisms leveled at the Sea and Coast II programme in terms of poor co-ordination
amongst projects. It has been designed to achieve co-ordination without overloading
individuals with committee work.
a. Programme Management Committee
A Programme Management Committee (PMC) will be elected by the SANCOR
Forum to oversee the entire programme. It was agreed that the PMC would not be the
SANCOR Steering Committee although it might include members of that committee.
The PMC would have five functions, (1) co-ordination that will ensure programme
cohesion (2) allocating the proposals to the relevant themes and (3) help select
reviewers for the peer review process, (4) develop terms of reference for the
programme assessment and evaluation and (5) ensure that information regularly gets
to appropriate audiences through the most effective channels. The PMC will be
composed of a minimum of six and a maximum of eight individuals. These will
include:
 One representative elected by each of the four Working Groups
 One representative elected from the SANCOR Steering Committee
 The Chair of the SANCOR Forum (this is an elected position)
 A maximum of two additional members co-opted by the PMC in order to
ensure due representation (see below).
Guidelines for the composition of the PMC are that it must be multidisciplinary, and
inter-regional, and allow for both continuity and turnover. In particular, the PMC
must include at least one member representing the social sciences, humanities and
law.
The PMC will elect a Chair from within this group. The PMC activities will be
covered by SANCOR running expenses.
b. NRF Advisory Review Panel
The NRF Advisory Review Panel will decide on the fundability of proposals. As a
prerequisite proposals must be of sufficient scientific merit and this is assessed by
independent peer review and panel discussions. Proposals are further considered by
the panel in terms of their contribution to human resource capacity development,
equity and redress, and the strategic objectives of the programme. The Advisory
Review Panel will be appointed by the NRF but will include representative members
of the PMC.
c. Working Groups
Each theme will have a working group that will meet annually to discuss research
directions, facilitate co-ordination of research proposals submitted to the programme,
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provide a forum for the sharing of ideas, encourage collaboration both within and
across disciplines, and examine the scientific accomplishments of the suite of projects
within that theme. Four workshops (one per theme) will be funded by the NRF to
initiate the process. An elected representative from each Working Group will serve
on the PMC, and these representatives will be elected annually. Membership of the
Working Groups will not be restricted to NRF grant-holders, but will be open to the
wider scientific community undertaking research in the marine and coastal
environment. However, grant-holders’ participating in the Working Groups may be
funded through their grants, and allowance should be made for this when applying for
funding through the SEAChange programme.
4 people from
the PMC
Programme Management Committee
a. Co-ordination
b. Allocation of projects to themes
c. Help select reviewers
d. Ensure communication
e. Develop terms of reference for
programme evaluation
NRF Advisory Review Panel
Decisions on fundability based on
a. Scientific merit
b. Human resource development
c. Equity and redress
d. Strategic merit
Working Groups
a. Co-ordination of science
b. Establishment of scientific directions within themes
c. Annual review of scientific directions for each theme
d. Overlap of programmes
When SEAChange is initiated in 2007 some current recipients of grants will still be
receiving funding under the Sea and Coast II Programme. Researchers in this situation
may elect to (1) continue their funding within the Sea and Coast II Programme for the
duration of the cycle it was awarded, (2) transfer their projects to the new SEAChange
programme or (3) terminate their current project and submit a fresh proposal under the
SEAChange programme.
9. Programme Assessment and Evaluation
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Annual grant holder reports will be submitted to the NRF as a condition of continued
funding, and communicated to DEAT annually as part of the Joint Venture Agreement.
A mid-term review will take place to assess the achievements of each theme and the
programme as a whole to determine if progress is on track and whether any gaps have
been identified. At the end of the programme a final review by SANCOR based on
annual reports will be used to summarize the programme and to provide feedback to the
participants. Every project must publish its research results in the scientific literature and
convey these findings to a wider public audience through popular media (magazine
articles, videos, radio or television). The South African Marine Science Symposium
(SAMSS) will be used as a vehicle to report to the wider community on what is
happening in the programme and in individual projects. The mid-term and the end-ofterm reviews will take place at SAMSS in 2008 and 2011 respectively. The mid-term
review should be undertaken by the PMC but the end-of-term review must involve
independent reviewers who examine the programme holistically and are supplied with
firm terms of reference to evaluate the programme. These terms of reference will be
drafted by the PMC.
10. Conclusion
The SEAChange Programme will co-ordinate science in the marine and coastal
environment in a manner that allows a balance between fundamental and applied science.
The programme has been constructed around four themes, each of which has been
identified on the basis of national needs and the potential to build on existing strengths,
move marine science forward in new directions, and broaden the knowledge fields in the
domain of the marine and coastal environment. Development of the programme has
involved a fully consultative and democratic process, and represents the combined vision
of the South African marine science community and the investors. The programme is
deliberately broad to allow participation of a wide range of disciplines while being
focused specifically on society, ecosystems and change.
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