Dear colleagues,
 
We are pleased to announce and encourage submission to a Special Session #109: INTEGRATING OCEANOGRAPHY AND ANIMAL TRACKING - THE OCEAN TRACKING NETWORK at the 2012 Ocean Sciences meeting, Feb. 20-24, in Salt Lake City, USA.
 
This session aims to bring together marine biology and oceanography researchers with managers to improve our understanding of the linkages of physical, chemical and biological oceanographic conditions to the population structure, dynamics and movements of key marine organisms in critical habitats.  The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) technologies are particularly valuable for small animals near continental shelves and islands, and we note that there is a separate session focused on large animals, satellite telemetry and open ocean systems.  Thus, we particularly encourage contributions showing early results from OTN or from other projects using acoustic tracking and co-located oceanographic data.  These include both observation and modeling studies which are planning to use, or could benefit from data assimilated by OTN. Contributions related to management applications and future applications are welcome as well.  OTN (http://oceantrackingnetwork.org/; http://otncanada.org/) is an open entity linked to Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), and we welcome new partners interested in sharing data on the interactions between climate change, oceanography and animal movement.

Full session description is below. Please forward this announcement to a potentially interested colleagues.
 
The abstract submission deadline is 23:59 pm Central Daylight Time on 7 October 2011.
 
Abstract submission and registration deadlines can be found at: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/.
 
Best Regards,
 
               Sara Iverson, John Kocik, David Welch, and Daniela Turk
 
Session description:
 
Climate variability, change, and anthropogenic activities affect the distribution, abundance and behavior of marine organisms. Newly available acoustic tracking observations and closer collaboration between oceanography and marine biology research is needed to address how changing ocean dynamics impact ocean ecosystems, animal ecology, and ocean resources. This session aims to bring together both marine biology and oceanography researchers to improve our understanding of the linkages between physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions and the population structure, dynamics, movement, and critical habitat of key marine organisms (from eels to whales). We invite contributions from modeling and observation studies, and those which are planning to use, or could benefit from acoustic tracking and co-located oceanographic data from the Ocean Tracking Network.
 
Organizers:
 
Sara Iverson, Dalhousie University,
John Kocik, NOAA Fisheries Maine Field Station,
David Welch, Kintama Research Services,
Daniela Turk, Dalhousie University