Biodiversity Conservation* and Ecosystem Health #

Transcription

1 Biodiversity Conservation* and Ecosystem Health # * Sabine Dittmann # Peter Doherty

2 White paper contributions: Lead author Title Baker Marine Biotechnology; extracting value from marine biodiversity. Bax Discovery, prediction and monitoring. Campbell Nonindigenous marine species effects to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health. Costanza Ecosystem services from healthy oceans and coasts. Creighton R&D priorities Australia s estuaries, embayments and nearshore marine environments. Doblin Marine microorganisms form the foundation of healthy ocean ecosystems and successful marine industries. Gillanders Ecosystem health. Harrison Marine vertebrate conservation (including threatened and protected species). Hutchings Aspects of classifying, cataloguing, curating and systematics of marine biodiversity. Kenchington R&D priorities Marine Protected Areas. Kendrick Benthic ecosystems. Poloczanska Climate change impacts.

3 Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health in Marine Nation 2025 Identified National Challenge Knowledge gaps for evidence-based decision making and management for biodiversity conservation: Biodiversity, habitat mapping in unexplored areas Ecosystem functions and processes Cumulative impact of multiple stressors Key research areas Discovery Monitoring Decision-support tools GeoScience Australia

4 Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Health Research priorities Realisation Relevance Inventories & Discoveries Monitoring & Reporting Surveys & mapping Research Hubs Management & conservation Long-term ecological research Integrated monitoring & research program Modelling Experimental Facility Data, knowledge & decision support Long-term data streams Reporting & evaluation Adaptive management Ecosystem service valuation

5 Framework Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA) Commonwealth Marine Bioregional Plans (IMCRA Integrated Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia) Australia s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Marine Parks & other legislation in States Biodiversity Conservation IUCN Promise of Sydney (Nov 2014): healthy oceans are critical to life on earth and must be protected at much greater scale

6 International relevance Australia signatory to international agreements e.g. CBD Convention of Biological Diversity, CMS Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species Contributions to global programs e.g. IPCC Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, IWC - International Whaling Commission, GOOS Global Ocean Observing Program Participation in global initiatives e.g. CoML Census of Marine Life Global impact of Australian research related to marine biodiversity conservation and ecosystem science publications, leadership, tools Biodiversity Conservation Census of marine life (2010) Highlights

7 Key issues Biodiversity inventories and discoveries (1) Knowledge gaps Unknown biodiversity, especially continental shelf and deep sea, and microbiota Description & classification of species Unknown distribution patterns and abundance Biodiversity Conservation Science needs Inventory and description of marine biota, incl. marine invasive species, using traditional and molecular techniques Empirical data collections on distribution and abundance of organisms, incl. tracking of movements Identification of Key Ecological Features (KEFs) and Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) Bioinnovation research

8 Biodiversity inventories and discoveries (2) Biodiversity Conservation Relevance Inform management and conservation (e.g. data deficiency for potentially vulnerable species) Refine bioregionalisation (IMCRA) Support NRSMPA to achieve a comprehensive, adequate, and representative system of marine reserves Support biodiscovery and marine biotechnology International networks to manage marine invasive species Inform climate-change research Perspective Museums and herbaria as national archives of flora & fauna Searchable electronic databases for marine biodiversity collections Career paths in taxonomy and systematics Upscaling of biosecurity research

9 Monitoring and reporting (1) Biodiversity Conservation Knowledge gaps Incomplete mapping of EEZ by sonar (~ 6% at high resolution) Imperfect surrogates and proxies for biodiversity Microbial communities and micro-invertebrates largely unknown Time series for threatened species Harris & Baker (2012) Science needs Robust, quantitative and adequate time-series Standardised monitoring and sampling approaches Nationally-consistent habitat classification scheme Precision seabed mapping Indicators for trends in ecosystems, incl. climate change related changes Develop rapid assays using microbes 2010 Brachionichthys hirsutus Spotted Handfish, endemic to Australia, critically endangered Murray Mouth and Coorong D Stress:

10 Monitoring and reporting (2) Relevance Biodiversity Conservation Requirement for robust national monitoring, reporting and evaluation Deliver status and trend data (e.g. for State of Environment reporting; Climate Change Report Cards) Inform recovery plans for threatened species Assess effectiveness of management and intervention actions NRSMPA reserves as reference sites Risk mitigation of habitat loss from climate change Perspective Nationally consistent monitoring and reporting framework Comprehensive inventories and monitoring Technologies for monitoring in deep sea Long term monitoring and evaluation framework

11 Common agreement in submissions Biodiversity Conservation Baker Marine Biotechnology Bax Discovery, prediction and monitoring Campbell Nonindigenous marine species Costanza Ecosystem services Creighton Estuaries and nearshore Doblin Marine microorganisms Gillanders Ecosystem health Harrison Marine vertebrate conservation Hutchings Documenting marine biodiversity Kenchington Marine Protected Areas Kendrick Benthic ecosystems Poloczanska Climate change impacts Inventories and discoveries Monitoring and reporting

12 Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Health Research priorities Realisation Relevance Inventories & Discoveries Monitoring & Reporting Surveys & mapping Research Hubs Management & conservation Long-term ecological research Integrated monitoring & research program Modelling Experimental Facility Data, knowledge & decision support Long-term data streams Reporting & evaluation Adaptive management Ecosystem service valuation

13 Realisation Biodiversity Conservation Science need & Priorities Surveys & maps Longterm research Experimental facilities Research Hubs / CoE Skilled people Data infrastructure Inventories & discoveries Vessels Technology IMOS LTER Marine Biodiversity Hub Marine Vertebrate Science Centre Marine Taxonomic Facility Monitoring & reporting Vessels Technology IMOS LTER Network of marine stations Marine Biodiversity Hub Marine Vertebrate Science Centre Marine Taxonomic Facility

14 Overlap with other themes Biodiversity Conservation Sovereignty, security, natural hazards Energy security Food security Dealing with changing climate Optimal resource allocation Urban coastal environments Infrastructure Key issues Inventories and discoveries Monitoring and reporting Realisation Surveys & maps Long-term research Experimental facilities Research Hubs / CoE Skilled people Data infrastructure

15 Recommended prioritisation and realisation Action Area Within 5 yrs Within 10 yrs Within 20 yrs Baseline surveys Vertebrate conservation Long-term ecological research Digitise historical knowledge on marine biodiversity held by museums and herbaria Close the most critical knowledge gaps on habitats and biodiversity for the NRSMPA Restore funding for research on Australian mammals of conservation interest including species known to be data deficient Conduct risk analyses to identify species threatened by mobility Establish long-term observation sites in conjunction with the NRSMPA to audit reserve performance and to provide reference data for off-reserve management actions Evaluate the effectiveness of the NRSMPA against objectives Reverse the decline in national capacity for taxonomic studies Make national collections of biodiversity more accessible to biodiscovery research Expand funding to other phyla (e.g. sea snakes, marine turtles, seabirds, marine fishes) after assessment of relative risk Understand the likely responses and limits of marine species to climate change Biodiversity Conservation Continue to prospect invertebrate communities and convert that knowledge to useful outcomes Monitor all populations of key species supported by recovery plans Sustain key data streams to inform operational models

16 Biodiversity Conservation & Ecosystem Health Research priorities Realisation Relevance Inventories & Discoveries Monitoring & Reporting Surveys & mapping Research Hubs Management & conservation Long-term ecological research Integrated monitoring & research program Modelling Experimental Facility Data, knowledge & decision support Long-term data streams Reporting & evaluation Adaptive management Ecosystem service valuation

17 Theme 4: Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health Peter Doherty

18 The health of marine ecosystems has been assessed by examining the status and trends of the major physical and chemical processes that maintain the quality of the biodiversity and habitats in each region. Outbreaks of diseases, nonnatural algal blooms and infestations by pests have been assessed as symptoms of an unhealthy marine ecosystem. State of the Environment Report 2011

19 Theme 4: Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health Marine ecosystems provide a wide range of goods and services Estuaries and coastal waters are the most productive marine ecosystems and underpin the bulk of fisheries on narrow shelves Ecosystem services (gas regulation, nutrient cycling, etc) far exceed the value of conventional marketed economic goods and services The public goods nature of ecosystem services means that oceans are undervalued in both private and public decisionmaking around use, conservation and restoration

20 Theme 4: Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health Marine ecosystems are submerged and out of sight We cannot manage what we do not see Shallow lenses of space and time Shifting baselines cloud our vision Management is often reactive after large change or extreme event Unprepared for the challenge of multiple cumulative pressures Not assisted by jurisdictional and legal frameworks

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22 Pre clear coastal ecosystems Post clear coastal ecosystems

23 State of the Environment Report 2011

24 De ath et al (2012) The 27 year decline of coral cover on the GBR and its causes. PNAS

25 Stone Island 1890 Source: GBRMPA

26 Stone Island 2012 Source: UQ

27 Reef Plan Report Card

28 The outlook for the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem is at a crossroad, and it is decisions made in the next few years that are likely to determine its long-term future Even with the recent management initiatives to reduce threats and improve resilience, the overall outlook for the Great Barrier Reef is poor, has worsened since 2009 and is expected to further deteriorate in the future

29 Repair and restoration of ecosystem services is possible restore connectivity

30 Restoration of near extinct shellfish reefs as fish habitats with benefits to water quality

31 Protection of coastal water quality will benefit future economic activity Source: CSIRO

32 Theme 4: Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health We do not try to manage what we cannot see Marine microbes are 50 90% of ocean biomass, responsible for 50% of global primary production, drive all major BCG cycles, control climate Pathogens are a significant threat to aquaculture & public health Microbes are first responders to environmental change hence their immense potential as indicators and sentinels of ecosystem health Marine microbes will undoubtedly be sources of new wealth and industries (drugs, antifoulants, remediation tools, biofuels, etc)

33 Source: CSIRO Managing ecosystems rather than components will require new tools and process understanding

34 Source: CSIRO

35 Source: CSIRO

36 Source: CSIRO

37 Theme 4: Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health Invest in integrated monitoring of continental shelf ecosystems Long term data streams are essential (change detection, feedback on actions) Exploit potential of the NRSMPA (reference sites) Realise opportunities for quick return from ecosystem repair Active rather than passive recovery to bypass the hysteresis trap Measure effectiveness of actions Create new generation of management theory and tools Decisions based on cumulative pressures, and dealing with uncertainty Plausible models for scenario evaluation (choose among options) Manage adaptively for better outcomes Validate with transdisciplinary partnerships (stakeholder buy in) Fill critical knowledge gaps on ecological processes and vulnerabilities Learn from doing