On 19 September 2025, the Submarine Groundwater Discharge Working Group (SGD-WG) under the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) project successfully convened its opening meeting. The meeting was co-chaired by Prof. Bochao Xu from Ocean University of China and Prof. Isaac Santos from the University of Gothenburg. More than 60 working group members and researchers from over ten countries and regions, including China, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, and Japan, participated in the event.
The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Dongyan Liu, Chair of the IMBeR Scientific Steering Committee, who warmly congratulated the establishment of the SGD-WG. Ms. Fang Zuo, Executive Officer of the IMBeR International Project Office, introduced IMBeR’s scientific focus, structure, vision, and future development plans, and expressed the hope that SGD-WG would deliver fruitful outcomes in the years to come.
Prof. Xu and Prof. Santos then provided an overview of the origins, scientific significance, and structure of the SGD-WG. The group aims to provide a collaborative and co-creative platform for scientists engaged in SGD research worldwide. It upholds openness and inclusiveness as its guiding principles, encouraging more like-minded researchers to join and advance the field together.
The meeting featured a keynote presentation by Prof. William Burnett, a leading expert in SGD research from Florida State University. He reviewed the history of SGD research, shared his experience coordinating the first international SGD working group — SCOR Working Group 112 — and offered valuable advice for the future development of IMBeR’s SGD-WG.
Leads of the SGD-WG subgroups then outlined their research objectives, implementation plans, and expected deliverables. Prof. Henrietta Dulai (University of Hawaii) and Dr. Tristan McKenzie (University of Gothenburg) will focus on developing standardized methodological frameworks for SGD measurement and testing techniques. Dr. Yael Kiro (Weizmann Institute of Science) and Prof. Adina Paytan (University of California, Santa Cruz) will explore the conceptual and mechanistic links between SGD and climate change. Dr. Xiaoyi Guo and Prof. Xu (Ocean University of China) presented plans for establishing a long-term SGD monitoring network. Prof. Willard Moore (University of South Carolina) will investigate the chemical processes through which SGD influences coastal oxygen consumption. Dr. Shibin Zhao and Prof. Xu (Ocean University of China) introduced the global SGD database initiative and data-sharing scheme. Prof. Santos outlined plans to revisit and refine the community consensus definition of SGD.
After the presentations, participants actively contributed suggestions for the future development of each subgroup and freely joined those aligned with their research interests. Looking ahead, the IMBeR SGD-WG will continue to integrate global scientific expertise, address key scientific challenges, and produce original research outcomes. It will encourage participation from a broad range of disciplines to advance SGD research and provide critical scientific support for understanding the long-term dynamics and ecological impacts of SGD, contributing to global ocean health and governance.
Learn more about the IMBeR SGD-WG and stay updated on its latest activities here!
Written by: Shibin Zhao (SGD-WG)
Translated by: Suhui Qian (IMBeR IPO)
Figure credit: Kai Qin (IMBeR IPO)