Difference between revisions of "Future marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning research issues"
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===Synergy of anthropogenic impacts additional to global warming=== | ===Synergy of anthropogenic impacts additional to global warming=== | ||
| − | The oceans have been used as a means of | + | The oceans have been used as a means of [[Maritime_Traffic|transport]], [[Introduction_to_MarBEF_research#Goods|resource acquisition]] and [[Coastal_pollution_and_impacts|disposal]] for centuries. While attitudes to the [[Over_exploitation|exploitation]] of the seas are changing, there is still a requirement to understand and manage the transport pathways and the effects of [[Portal:Ecotox|pollutants]] arising from ocean exploitation. These pathways include run-off of contaminants from the land, direct input through energy (thermal pollution), liquid and solid waste from vessels and accidental addition of [[xenobiotic]] material. |
| − | transport, resource acquisition and disposal for | + | |
| − | centuries. While attitudes to the exploitation of | + | Research has often focused on single stressor |
| − | the seas are changing, there is still a | + | approaches, but multi-stressor systems and |
| − | requirement to understand and manage the | + | modelling are still required. This area of work |
| − | transport pathways and the effects of pollutants | + | has particular implications given the overlap |
| − | arising from ocean exploitation. These | + | between stresses resulting from environmental |
| − | pathways include run-off of contaminants from | + | change, and such linkages should be promoted. |
| − | the land, direct input through energy (thermal | + | Marine exploitation carries with it a number of |
| − | pollution), liquid and solid | + | responsibilities toward environmental |
| + | management. Biodiversity impacts include those | ||
| + | caused by introduced invasive species and | ||
| + | consequent biodiversity and functionality | ||
| + | effects. | ||
Revision as of 10:50, 3 September 2009
The European Network of Excellence on Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (MarBEF) has, over the past five years of its existence, moulded a scientific community that has never been so conceptually and operationally united and productive. However, marine science is still developing and we still understand the ocean less than the terrestrial environment. For us, the oceans are foreign habitats which we may enter but not yet inhabit.
MarBEF scientists have focused on and identified many critical marine biodiversity issues, which are now much clearer than before, but MARBEF has also revealed areas of weakness that require concentrated effort. These are as follows:
- The impacts of global climate change
- Comprehensive datasets
- Synergy of Anthropogenic impacts to global warming
Impacts of global climate change
Although there is now strong evidence for changes in the global climate, the medium term and long-term effects on the marine environment are still open to debate. Marine systems, from polar ice to coral reefs are charismatic systems which are highly vulnerable to temperature, sea-level and storm frequency changes.
Evidence of migrational responses to climate are accumulating and act as an early warning of the nature of community alteration in the face of global change scenarios. Studies of modifications to ecosystem variation and functionality resulting from climate change must remain of the highest priority over the coming ten years. Some of these studies require long-term databases that are now recognised as being highly valuable and important to maintain.
Comprehensive datasets
Many current topics in marine biodiversity research are taking place on very large spatial scales and over long-term periods. They are among other things creating baseline assessments in the marine realm, for assessing impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity, and studying the mechanisms by which alien species are introduced.
Therefore, MarBEF recognised that its scientists would require analyses on a global scale and it funded the LargeNet project. LargeNet collected and integrated a large amount of data, comprising pelagic, rocky shore and soft-bottom benthos data from across Europe. This data established a baseline for current biodiversity analyses and future investigations within a changing world. This scale of data collection is necessary to be able to understand and anticipate the consequences of environmental variations on biodiversity. The database has, for example, been employed to assess the current biodiversity status and future changes in marine communities. See also here.
Synergy of anthropogenic impacts additional to global warming
The oceans have been used as a means of transport, resource acquisition and disposal for centuries. While attitudes to the exploitation of the seas are changing, there is still a requirement to understand and manage the transport pathways and the effects of pollutants arising from ocean exploitation. These pathways include run-off of contaminants from the land, direct input through energy (thermal pollution), liquid and solid waste from vessels and accidental addition of xenobiotic material.
Research has often focused on single stressor approaches, but multi-stressor systems and modelling are still required. This area of work has particular implications given the overlap between stresses resulting from environmental change, and such linkages should be promoted. Marine exploitation carries with it a number of responsibilities toward environmental management. Biodiversity impacts include those caused by introduced invasive species and consequent biodiversity and functionality effects.
