A prospectus for UK marine sustained observations.

It takes a certain type of scientist to have the forethought and motivation to initiate a series of repeat measurements that may not show significant change throughout their lifetime. However, it is such records that we must turn to if we are to make informed decisions regarding long-acting issues such as the impact of climate change on human habitation, food supplies and ecosystem health. The UK has a strong history of such sustained observations and part of the motivation for this publication is to celebrate this fact. However, much more important is to gauge the continuing interest from the marine science community in instigating, maintaining and funding such measurements that inherently demand long-term financial and scientific commitment. On 17 September 2013, a one-day meeting, organized by the Challenger Society for Marine Science and the UK Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research, was held at the Royal Society, London, to give the UK marine science community an opportunity to discuss sustained marine observations in an open forum. Seven early/mid-career scientists from a range of marine science backgrounds presented their perspectives on the subject with an introduction and international perspective provided by established scientists. Comments following each talk indicated high levels of scientific and applied interest in the long-term measurements being scrutinized. The meeting was followed by a panel-led discussion session where the panel members addressed questions posed by the audience. This theme issue contains seven papers arising from the talks presented at the meeting with each paper