Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #25: The Canadian Arctic Ocean Genome Project  (Arctic Ocean Genome)

Outline
In this exciting period of rapid advances in microbial ecology, innovative applications of genomic technologies have opened up many new opportunities to address fundamental questions about the biosphere. They have also identified major gaps in understanding. One of those gaps is our knowledge of microscopic life, hence most of the biomass and biodiversity, in cold ocean ecosystems. This information is of vital interest to Canada given our geographic position, but it is also of pressing international need given the compelling evidence that global climate change has begun and will continue to accelerate and have its most severe impacts in the polar regions. The genomic approach (genetic, DNA and RNA based) to polar biology has been recently identified in a workshop report from the National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC (National Research Council of the National Academies 2003. Frontiers in Polar Biology in the Genomic Era 166pp). This workshop and report were commissioned because members of the academy perceived enormous potential in applying DNA-based medical research technologies to ecological questions, yet also observed a relative lack of polar research in this area to date. This report underscored the outstanding opportunities for research in polar genomics, and drew special attention to the value of studies in polar microbial biodiversity. The overarching aim of our program is to develop and apply state-of-the-art molecular methods to monitor the changing Arctic Ocean based on sentinel ('indicator') microbial genes, functions and taxa. The program will include an analytical phase determining the molecular biodiversity of key microbial groups in the pelagic zone (especially pico-eukaryotes, a major component of the Arctic plankton) , and microbial communities associated with coastal salmonid fishes, across the full spectrum of Canadian Arctic Ocean waters. This information will be used to develop molecular probes (including molecular microarrays, see Gibson G 2002 'Microarrays in ecology and evolution: A preview.' Molecular Ecology 11: 17-24), and to determine the relationship between microbial community structure and physical oceanographic variables, especially oceanic water mass properties. This ambitious project is only possible through a unique combination of laboratories with complementary skills and experience. We will use state-of-the–art facilities and extensive expertise in genomics to bring our project to fruition, combined with longstanding experience in polar research and Arctic oceanography. We have unprecedented access to logistics, including the CFI-funded icebreaker CCGS Amundsen and a state-of-the-art computer cluster optimized for bioinformatics analysis.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project fits well with IPY theme 1, Status by determining the present microbial biodiversity of environmental status of the polar regions, and IPY theme 2, Change, by quantifying present natural environmental change in the polar regions, as measured by the biodiversity of key microbes . However, as noted in the National Research Council Report, the program will fit especially well in IPY theme 4, New Frontiers, given its emphasis on the new frontier of microbial genomics in the polar regions.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International partners are still under discussion, but already include the National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark, and expressions of interest from USA. We have begun informal, preliminary discussions with the international program office of IPY, and there is great interest in partnering this proposed work with related molecular initiatives from other nations during IPY to cover a broader range of sites in both polar regions.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Our oceanographic sections would extend from the subarctic front in the North Pacific, through Bering Strait, the Beaufort Sea and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and finally out into the NOW polynya, Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 09/07      06/08 – 09/08      06/09 – 09/09 (post IPY)
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
CCGS Amundsen ship time in all three years, with ancillary support from other ships in the icebreaker fleet, and access to ships from other nations working in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Will produce powerful molecular tools, including microarrays, for the long term monitoring of the polar marine environment..

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Will mesh well with polar genomics projects currently under development in other nations (e.g. BAS in Antarctica) This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Database Management

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New

This program will partially use the logistic framework and resources of ArcticNet, however it is a new, independent project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
A steering committee of four PIs and institutions will lead the overall planning, execution and completion of research objectives: Centre de Génomique de Québec (Dr. Jacque Corbeil, director) Centre d'Études Nordiques, ULaval (Dr. Warwick Vincent) Québec Océan, ULaval (Dr. Louis Bernatchez) Institute of Ocean Sciences, DFO, BC, where one of our PIs, Dr. Eddie Carmack, is an internationally leading specialist in the physical oceanography of the Arctic Ocean. A research associate will oversee the day-to-day finances and running of the project, and Dr. Connie Lovejoy (Professor of Molecular Oceanography, Québec Océan) has agreed to act as science manager for the program.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We will work closely with the considerable coordination and communication resources of the NCE network ArcticNet to ensure that training and outreach, as well as data sharing are properly achieved. We have invited the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to sit on the advisory board of this project and the initial response has been positive. Through ArcticNet we have excellent, formalized links with Inuit organisations (including the Inuit Circumpolar Conference), whom are vitally concerned about the accelerated change in their traditional hunting and fishing grounds.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
All data will be placed in the public domain (e.g., Genbank) immediately after curation (data validation).

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We are currently seeking funds from Genome Canada to meet an expected budget of 9.9M$ including ship time and molecular analysis. Our letter of intent (pre-proposal) has now been accepted by Genome Québec and Genome Canada for our proposal 'The Arctic Ocean Genome Project'. The lead PI on this is Prof. Jacques Corbeil and the genomic research laboratories that he directs (Centre de Génomique de Québec) will be the host institution. Prof. Vincent has agreed to facilitate national and international linkages (especially IPY), links with ArcticNet (in which he is a theme leader), as well as participate in the oceanographic and microbiological aspects of the research. The LOI received enthusiastic reviews and we have been invited to submit a full application. Additional support will be sought from other sources including NSERC.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Our project will provide a unique Canadian contribution in the 'Frontiers' theme of the International Polar Year, and will allow Canada to achieve international leadership in molecular oceanography at this critical time of change in the circumpolar Arctic. It will generate new insights into the ecology of the Arctic Ocean and will yield a set of tools of great long term interest for the analysis and monitoring of seas in both polar regions.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Warwick F. Vincent
Université Laval, Sainte-Foy, Quebec


G1K 7P4
Canada

Tel: 418-656-5644
Mobile: no
Fax: 418-656-2043
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation