NAVIGATING THE MUDDY WATERS OF CROSS-BORDER MONITORING Towards an international integrated observation network for the Wadden Sea

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1 Safety, Mobility, Sustainability and more Powered by INSPIRE March 4 and 5, 2013 Brussels, Belgium NAVIGATING THE MUDDY WATERS OF CROSS-BORDER MONITORING Towards an international integrated observation network for the Wadden Sea Catharina J.M. Philippart 1, Martin J. Baptist 2, Taco de Bruin 3, Dick J. Brus 4, Michiel N. Daams 5, Bruno J. Ens 6, Eelke O. Folmer 1, Lucien Hanssen 7, Folkert de Jong 8, Rob Loke 2, Olga Lyashevska 1, Jaap van der Meer 1, Pim Vugteveen 7 & Frans J. Sijtsma 5 1 Department of Marine Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands 2 IMARES Wageningen UR, Den Burg, The Netherlands 3 Data Management Group, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands 4 Department of Soil Geography, Alterra, Wageningen, The Netherlands 5 Department of Economic Geography, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands 6 Coastal Ecology Team, SOVON Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Den Burg, The Netherlands 7 Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 8 Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

2 The Wadden Sea world wide unique

3 The Wadden Sea world wide unique one of the largest and intact wetlands in the world with unique nature values

4 The Wadden Sea world wide unique highly productive coastal ecosystem (= high food abundance)

5 The Wadden Sea world wide unique fuelling station for migratory birds

6 The Wadden Sea world wide unique home to common seals, grey seals, harbour porpoises and the occasional whale

7 The Wadden Sea world wide unique strong interactions between ecology & socio-economy

8 The Wadden Sea world wide unique UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites: DE + NL on list since June 26, 2009 DK nomination submitted on January 25, 2013

9 Management and protection * of the Natural World Heritage Site Wadden Sea Worldwide: RAMSAR & OSPAR Europe: EU Water Framework Directive Birds and Habitats Directives (Natura 2000) Trilateral: Wadden Sea Plan National: DE: National Park Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer National Park Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer National Park Hamburg NL: Key Planning Decision Wadden Sea 3rd Policy Document Wadden Sea (PKB) Ecological Main Structure (EHS) Nature Conservation Act Flora and Fauna Act DK: Statutory Order on Nature and Wildlife Reserve * protection must be guaranteed to become and stay a WHS

10 Monitoring efforts (NL) National and regional authorities * Wadden islands & Wadden Sea (> 50 obligations) Primary producers & plants (> 20 obligations) Macrozoobenthos (> 40 obligations) Fish (> 30 obligations) Birds (> 40 obligations) Sea mammals (> 20 obligations) Research institutes (e.g., plankton, benthos & birds) Citizen science (e.g., butterflies, bats & beached birds) Companies (e.g., long-term impact studies) Etc. * management and protection regulations (Smit et al., 2010)

11 The continued existence of the Wadden Sea area as we know it at present is by no means assured [ ]. Developments will have to be monitored and analysed in an international context. Prof. Dr C.P. Veerman Chair Deltacommissie 2008 Combining research results is often not possible for various reasons, but where an integrated approach is being realised, the added value is immediately obvious. Drs W.E. van Duin Saltmarsh Scientist IMARES Managers of the Wadden area should strive for maximum monitoring efforts in the most efficient way Mr S.P. de Boer Projectmanager Groningen Seaports By 2020, the trilateral Wadden Sea area is the best monitored and best understood coastal system in the world. Prof. Dr J. van Dijk Chair Waddenacademie

12 WaLTER Wadden Sea Long Term Ecosystem Research Sound, innovative and connecting monitoring network for the Wadden Sea area Funded by the Waddenfonds and cosponsored by the provinces of North-Holland and Fryslân

13 WaLTER Wadden Sea Long Term Ecosystem Research tractable questions & conceptual models Conceptual model as framework for posing questions and gather data to answer those questions Hooper et al. (2006) EcolMon 75:3-53 integration of ecology & socio-economy Including both ecological and socio-economic drivers in a predictive framework Chapin III et al. (2006) AmNat 168:s36-s49 adaptive monitoring framework Allow monitoring program to evolve (e.g., due to new information, changing questions & technical developments) Lindenmayer & Likens (2009) TREE 24:

14 Monitoring needs What do I want to know? What do I want to analyze? What should be measured? Where and how often? tractable questions Needs for knowledge + information analyses variables A B C monitoring variables a b c d e monitoring objects

15 Tractable Questions Sneak preview of shortlist Will sediment accretion rates keep pace with sea level rise? What are the expectations with regard to storminess? What are the key determinants of population dynamics of bivalves? Do anthropogenic nutrient loads affect the carrying capacity for fish? How can mussel fisheries become sustainable? Can the impacts of shrimp fisheries on the ecosystem be minimized while sustaining their livelihoods? 2013

16 Question: What are the key determinants of population dynamics of bivalves? Conceptual model based on literature: Low winter temperatures Many eggs per female Reproduction delayed (larvae on time for plankton spring bloom) Predatory shrimps delayed (too late in the season to feed on larvae) + Recruitment Mortality Based upon Beukema et al. 1993, 2001, 2010; Honkoop et al. 1998; Philippart et al. 2003; Strasser et al. 2003

17 Trilateral observations averages Coverage of tidal flats in Tidal Basins (TB4-TB39) by mussels (Mytilus edulis) show regional differences Mussel hotspots Eastern part of NL Western part of LS Northern part of SH Data sources: IMARES, RIVO, MarinX, NLWKN & BioConsult Folmer et al. (in prep.) Data sources: IMARES, RIVO, MarinX, NLWKN, NLPV & BioConsult

18 Trilateral observations historical vs. recent average distributions Regional differences are stable in time aerial photographs various techniques Folmer et al. (in prep.) Data source: Dijkema et al. (1989) degree of spatial clustering (red = above mean; blue = below mean) Folmer et al. (in prep.) Data sources: IMARES, RIVO, MarinX, NLWKN, NLPV & BioConsult

19 musselbeds (%) no data nucleus 3 nucleus 1 nucleus 2 Trilateral observations y2y variations Three clusters of variation Boundaries of clusters located near river mouths (estuaries) or in areas highly exposed to waves and currents Consequences for monitoring efforts Include possible role of dispersal of pelagic larvae in determining recruitment success Folmer et al. (in prep.) Data sources: IMARES, RIVO, MarinX, NLWKN, NLPV & BioConsult

20 Economy Ecology SEED Spatial Ecological Economic Database Strategic spatial planning relevant wider area project area thematic data layers stakeholder validated economic & ecological data Project planning Sijtsma & Daams (in prep.)

21 SEED thematic data layers for project area Frequency of occurrence of mussel beds ( ) Percentage change in population in neighbourhoods ( )

22 Population change ( ) Mussel beds ( ) Total employment Employment in fisheries 6500 Work-related commuting Property value ( WOZ ) 14

23 SEED thematic data layers for relevant wider area Frequency of occurrence of mussel beds ( ) Percentage change in population in municipalities ( )

24 Data Portal various levels of data & information Raw data Field measurements Automated sensors Airborne & satellite images Wadden Sea Services Emersion time tidal flats Primary productivity Spatial Ecological Economic Database Wadden Sea status index Economic, social & ecological values Comparisons in time & space

25 WaLTER roadmap STEP 1: Inventory of the main monitoring needs STEP 2: Conceptual models of ecologic & economic interactions STEP 3: Data portal Wadden Sea existing & future observations STEP 4: Statistical analyses of the existing observations STEP 5: Blueprint of the integrated monitoring network tractable questions analyses & monitoring variables monitoring variables where & how often incl. protocols, management, funding, membership of LTER-EU & ILTER, etc.

26 Safety, Mobility, Sustainability and more Powered by INSPIRE March 4 and 5, 2013 Brussels, Belgium Acknowledgements Waddenfonds, Provincie Noord-Holland, Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu, Rijkswaterstaat, Provincie Fryslân, Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij, Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, Provincie Groningen, Waddenacademie, VisNed, Deltaprogramma Wadden, Programma Rijke Waddenzee, PlanBuro voor de Leefomgeving, KNMI, KvK, Groningen Seaports, Waddensleutels, Metawad, Mosselwad, Gegevensautoriteit Natuur, Informatie Huis Marien, St. Natuurinformatie, NWO/ALW, Provincie Noord-Holland, Consortium Scientific Monitoring German Bight (WIMO), Geonovum, AgentschapNL & Netherlands Space Office watch the network grow and develop