Towards the integrated management of the Danube river – Danube Delta – Black Sea system: collaboration of the two EUSDR flagship distributed research infrastructures

Abstract

This book summarises the scientific case for the design and structure of a distributed research infrastructure on the Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea macro system. Current gaps in our understanding of this environmental system are outlined, focussing particularly on the lack of cross-disciplinary research that spans the wide geographical extent of the Danube Basin and Black Sea and our failure, to-date, in synthesising environmental process dynamics at appropriate spatial and temporal scales. The document details the technology and infrastructure required to meet these demands, focussing on two EU flagship projects: DANUBIUS-RI and DREAM. Together these initiatives have the potential to maximise opportunities for world leading environmental research in the Danube River Basin, the freshwater –marine transitional zone of the Danube Delta, and the Black Sea. This research will have wider impact outside the Danube region and will address current and emerging societal challenges. Moreover, by embracing new and emerging opportunities it will deliver a platform to enable cross-disciplinary research that integrates the environmental science and engineering disciplines with the social and economic sciences thereby advancing our ability to understand and manage dynamic environments such as the Danube – Danube Delta – and Black Sea.