The first funding period started on 1 November 2006 and lasted till 31 October 2012. During this first period of funding the cluster of excellence focused on two major areas of research,
Greenhouse Oceans (A) and
Resources and Risks (B). Each of them was further divided into seven, respectively, six research teams which in turn were based on different research platforms (P1-P4). The research teams encompassed the
Integrated School of Ocean Sciences, the cluster's public outreach program and the transfer of research to application.
Greenhouse Oceans The research area
Greenhouse Oceans (A) focused on the causes and effects of
climate change in regards to the modern ocean. Interactions between the
atmosphere, ocean surface, deep water regions and its organisms were closely studied. It was divided into seven research teams. Their members mostly focused on environmental research ranging from topics such as
ocean acidification and its impact on marine life to
global warming and its influence on the ocean floor to
ocean circulation regarding climate modelling and even ocean surface chemistry, studying the exchange of gases between the
water column and the atmosphere.
Resources and Risks The research area
Resources and Risks (B) focused in turn on different
resources, their mining and recovery potential but also their sustainable utilization and possible occurring risks. It was divided into six research teams, that focused mostly but not exclusively on economic research ranging from topics such as
fishery and the
common pool problem to molecular interdependencies within marine organisms for medical research to resource deposits and their safe exploitation and even to submarine hazard research regarding
earthquakes and
tsunamis. == Second Funding Period ==