DEVOTES main research on biodiversity: progress and findings

DEVOTES main research on biodiversity: progress and findings Angel Borja 8 th February 2016, Pasaia, ICES WG Biodiversity

Introduction

Descriptors and indicators Biodiversity Foodwebs Seafloor integrity 3

Descriptors and indicators Alien Fishing 4

Overview of our work INDICATORS MONITORING CLASSIFICATION ASSESSMENT 1 1.1.1. Distributional range; 1.1.3. Area covered by the species; 1.2.1. Population abundance and biomass; 1.5.1. Habitat area; 1.6.2. Relative abundance; 1.7.1. Composition and proportion of ecosystem components SeaWifts, MERIS, MODIS, ROV, ARMS, ASU Habitat suitability modelling, metagenomics, photography New valuation approaches; Ecosystem services; Ecosystem functionality; NEAT 2 2.1.1. Trends in abundance and spatial distribution of NIS; 2.2.1. Ratio between NIS and native; 2.2.2. Impacts of NIS Ballast waters Metagenomics NEAT 3 3.1.1. Fishing mortality; 3.1.2. Catch/biomass ratio; 3.2.1. SSB 3.2.2. Biomass indices; 3.3.1. Proportion of fish larger than the mean size; 3.3.2. Mean maximum length; 3.3.3. 95% percentile of the fish length distribution observed Fleet data, captures Bootstrapping; Management measures NEAT 4 5 6 4.1.1. Performance of key predator species; 4.2.1. Large fish; 4.3.1. Abundance trends of functionally important groups/species 5.2.1. Chlorophyll concentration in the water column; 5.2.4. Species shift in floristic composition (diatom/flagellate ratio, blooms); 5.3.1. Abundance of seaweeds 6.1.2 Extent of the seabed significantly affected by human activities 6.2.1 Presence of particularly sensitive and/or tolerant species Trophic niche-space imaging; isotopic data SeaWifts, MERIS, MODIS, etc. remote sensing (multibeam), ROV, video Species: ROV, video, ARMS, ASU, grabs, etc New modelling approaches EUNIS, habitat suitability modelling, GIS Traditional identification, metagenomics, GIS NEAT NEAT, Approaches used in the WFD, extended offfshore Approaches used in Habitats Directive, NEAT Indices sensitive/opportunist (e.g. gambi), NEAT 6.2.2 Multi-metric indices assessing benthic community condition and functionality, Species: grabs, diving, ARMS, ASU Traditional identification, metagenomics Indices from WFD, Biological Trait Analysis; Signal Detection Theory, NEAT

WP1: Human pressures Deliverable 1.1 Deliverable 1.3 Deliverable 1.4 http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Collaborating in MSFD implementation Deliverable 1.5 http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Impact of human activities and climate change http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Impact of human activities and climate change Diagrams and evidences showing how climate change will affect MSFD implementation

WP2: Socio-economy International Obligations EC Directives, Policies and Strategies International Bodies Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Environmental Standards Bathing beaches Sensitive area Good Chemical Status & Good Ecological Status Protection Afforded IPPC Dir Bathing Waters Dir UWWTD Flood Risk Assessment Nitrates Dir 20% renewable energy target Renewable Energy Dir LONDON CONV. & PROTOCOL WFD (*) FRMD Sustainable use of maritime areas and resources Safer shipping navigation, pollution control and operation Control of harmful aquatic organisms / alien species Sustainable fisheries & safeguarding the marine environment 3 other climate & energy directives Various EU Regs to control shipping & pollution from ships Basic Fish Regs Strategic Environmental Assessments (*) In 2013 the WFD replaced the Dangerous Sub. Dir.; Freshwater Fish Dir.; Shellfish Waters Dir. & Groundwater Dir. MARPOL BALLAST WATER CONV. CFP SEA Dir UN FRAMEWORK CONV. ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC) KYOTO PROTOCOL ICES EIA Dir ESPOO CONV. Environmental Impact Assessments & Environmental Statements IMO CITES UNCLOS Various Regulations to control CITES fauna & flora Endangered species protection UN CONV. on BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY BERN CONV. HELCOM OSPAR UNEP -MAP ASCOBAN EU Strategy on Invasive Alien Species (IAS) RAMSAR CONV. Best practice to deal with IAS EU Biodiversity Strategy Proposed IAS Reg Framework Dir for MSP & Coastal Man (proposed) EU Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) Prevention & Management Birds Dir MSFD Habitats & Species Dir Natura 2000 sites (SAC/SPA) Favourable Conservation Status Good Environmental Status Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) International Law & EU Directives

Socio-economic implications http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

WP3: indicators Deliverable 3.1 DEVOTool software version 0.64 (for Mac and Windows) http://www.devotes-project.eu/devotool/ http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

WP3: indicators Deliverable 3.2 - Criteria for good indicators (based on ICES) - Regional seas: Baltic, Atlantic Sea, Mediterranean, Black Sea - Components and nr indicators tested: phytoplankton (4), zooplankton (3), macroalgae (8), seagrasses (7), benthic invertebrates (11), fish (1), marine mammals (1) and a biological value indicator, which includes several ecosystem components in its calculation; - Pressures tested: Aggregate extraction, Fishery, Nutrient/organic pressure (Eutrophication) and sediment disposal http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

New indicators and refinement of existing

WP4: Modelling Deliverable 4.1 http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Develop, test and validate innovative modelling tools Ecological models available for assessing the environmental status http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Develop, test and validate innovative modelling tools

WP5: Innovative monitoring Deliverable 5.3 Deliverable 6.1 20

Develop, test and validate innovative monitoring tools

Develop, test and validate innovative monitoring tools Genomic methods Many species of microbes, plankton, meiofauna and macrofauna sequenced and available at BOLD and GeneBank repositories http://www.boldsystems.org Autonomous Reef Monitoring System

Develop, test and validate innovative monitoring tools Microarrays and HABs

WP6: Integration Deliverable 6.2 http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/

Integration into a unique and holistic assessment tool NEAT (Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool) Step Action 1 Sectors 2 Habitats 3 Enter data 4 Count 5 Area 6 Quality 7 Weights 8 Status 9 Summary Options Version Info

Integration into a unique and holistic assessment tool

DEVOTES Synthesis DAPSIWORM Criteria indicators DEVOTool Indicators Models Monitoring methods Matrices P-I and Climate Change NEAT Cost-effectivenness Cumulative I Biodiversity concept End-users

Papers (nr) And 107 papers published!! Papers published by DEVOTES 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 In press http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables-and-milestones/ Papers downloadable from: https://zenodo.org/collection/user-devotes-project

Coming events

Coming events Final DEVOTES meeting: Marine Biodiversity, the key to healthy and productive seas Brussels, 17 th 19 th October 2016

Dr Ángel Borja (aborja@azti.es) Twitter: @AngelBorjaYerro ResearchGate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/angel_borja/ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=245091062&trk=tab_pro 8 th February 2016, Pasaia, ICES WG Biodiversity