The Baltic Health Index (BHI): Assessing the social–ecological status of the Baltic Sea

Abstract. Changes in the phenology of physical and ecological variables associated with climate change are likely to have significant effect on many aspects of the Baltic ecosystem. We apply a set of phenological indicators to multiple environmental variables measured by satellite sensors for 17–36 years to detect possible changes in the seasonality in the Baltic Sea environment. We detect significant temporal changes, such as earlier start of the summer season and prolongation of the productive season, in several variables ranging from basic physical drivers to ecological status indicators. While increasing trends in the absolute values of variables like sea-surface temperature (SST), diffuse attenuation of light (Ked490) and satellite-detected chlorophyll concentration (CHL) are detectable, the corresponding changes in their seasonal cycles are more dramatic. For example, the cumulative sum of 30 000 W m−2 of surface incoming shortwave irradiance (SIS) was reached 23 days earlier in 2014 compared to the beginning of the time series in 1983. The period of the year with SST of at least 17 °C has almost doubled (from 29 days in 1982 to 56 days in 2014), and the period with Ked490 over 0.4 m−1 has increased from about 60 days in 1998 to 240 days in 2013 – i.e., quadrupled. The period with satellite-estimated CHL of at least 3 mg m−3 has doubled from approximately 110 days in 1998 to 220 days in 2013. While the timing of both the phytoplankton spring and summer blooms have advanced, the annual CHL maximum that in the 1980s corresponded to the spring diatom bloom in May has now shifted to the summer cyanobacteria bloom in July.

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Stop the Frack! Exploring the Media’s Portrayal of the Social Representation of an Anti-Fracking Protest at the Baltic Sea

Environmental Communication ◽

10.1080/17524032.2019.1651367 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 271-286

Author(s):

Benjamin Bigl

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Social Representation ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

The Social ◽

The Baltic

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Reduction of nutrient emission from Polish territory into the Baltic Sea (1988–2014) confronted with real environmental needs and international requirements

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies ◽

10.1515/ohs-2018-0015 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 140-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marianna Pastuszak ◽

Andreas C. Bryhn ◽

Lars Håkanson ◽

Per Stålnacke ◽

Mariusz Zalewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Nutrient Concentrations ◽

Reference Period ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Vistula River ◽

Nutrient Emission ◽

Helsinki Commission ◽

Oder River ◽

The Baltic

Abstract Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea is considered a major threat to its ecological status. We present and discuss Polish riverine flow normalized loads of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) discharged into the Baltic Sea in (i)1988–2014, (ii) periods of maximum TN (1992–1994), TP (1988–1991) emission, (iii) the reference period (1997–2003) established by the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), (iv) 2012–2014, last years of our study. Despite considerable nutrient load reductions prior to the HELCOM reference period, Poland is expected to reduce TN and TP loads by 30% and 66%, respectively. In the light of our historical and up-to-date findings defining ecological status of the Baltic Sea, we suggest that the proposed TP load reduction is overestimated and its realization may lead to (i) undesirable consequences for the Baltic ecosystem, (ii) would require a decline in TP concentrations to 0.067 mg P dm-3 (the Vistula River) and 0.083 mg P dm-3 (the Oder River), values reported for pre-industrial times. The current nutrient concentrations in the Vistula and Oder safely comply with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. We also comment on the top-down and bottom-up effect resulting in quantitative and qualitative reorganization of the Baltic ecosystem, a phenomenon already observed in the Baltic Sea.

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The Good, the Bad and the Future: A SWOT Analysis of the Ecosystem Approach to Governance in the Baltic Sea Region

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131910539 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 10539

Author(s):

Savitri Jetoo ◽

Varvara Lahtinen

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Swot Analysis ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Ecosystem Approach ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Systematic Assessment ◽

Baltic Sea Region ◽

The Baltic ◽

Good Ecological Status

The ecosystem approach has been used extensively as a guiding principle in water policies of the Baltic Sea Region since the 1970s. In addition to its operationalization as a management framework in this region, it also has expansive theoretical underpinnings. However, despite extensive literature on this approach, there has not yet been any systematic assessment of the internal and external factors that influence its implementation. This kind of assessment could form the basis for improved thinking around the concept and better implementation actions. As such, this article presents a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the ecosystem approach in the Baltic Sea Region by using content analysis on Baltic Sea documents. This study found that key strengths of the principle are its interdisciplinary focus and its acceptance as a framework for conservation, whilst resource intensiveness and its operational complexity are key weaknesses. The SWOT analysis revealed that a key opportunity in the external environment is the ease of alignment with other policies whilst the key external threat is the difficulty integrating disciplines. This study showed that with a streamlined allocation of resources, more stakeholder engagement through capacity building and political leadership, the ecosystem approach could facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge pooling to achieve a good ecological status of the Baltic Sea.

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Projected change in atmospheric nitrogen deposition to the Baltic Sea towards 2020

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-11-21533-2011 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 21533-21567 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Geels ◽

K. M. Hansen ◽

J. H. Christensen ◽

C. Ambelas Skjøth ◽

T. Ellermann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Action Plan ◽

Ecological Status ◽

N Deposition ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Total N ◽

Ship Traffic ◽

Projected Change ◽

The Baltic ◽

Projected Changes

Abstract. The ecological status of the Baltic Sea has for many years been affected by the high input of both waterborne and airborne nutrients. The focus is here on the airborne input of nitrogen (N) and the projected changes in this input, assuming the new National Emission Ceilings directive (NEC-II), currently under negotiation in the EU, is fulfilled towards the year 2020. The Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model (DEHM) has been used to estimate the development in N deposition based on present day meteorology combined with present day (2007) or future (2020) anthropogenic emissions. By using a so called tagging method in the DEHM model, the contribution from ship traffic and from each of the nine countries with coastlines to the Baltic Sea has been assessed. The annual deposition to the Baltic Sea is estimated to be 203 k tonnes N for the present day scenario (2007) and 165 k tonnes N in the 2020 scenario, giving a projected reduction of 38 k tonnes N in the annual load in 2020. This equals a decline in N deposition of 19 %. The results from 20 model runs using the tagging method show that of the total N deposition in 2007, 52 % came from emissions within the bordering countries. By 2020 this is projected to decrease to 48 %. For some countries the projected decrease in N deposition arising from the implementation of the NEC-II directive will be a considerable part of the reductions agreed on in the provisional reduction targets of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. This underlines the importance of including projections like the current in future updates of the Baltic Sea Action Plan.

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Zoobenthos as Indicators of Ecological Status in Coastal Brackish Waters: A Comparative Study from the Baltic Sea

AMBIO ◽

10.1579/0044-7447(2007)36[250:zaioes]2.0.co;2 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 250-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Jens Perus ◽

Erik Bonsdorff ◽

Saara Bäck ◽

Hans-Göran Lax ◽

Anna Villnäs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Comparative Study ◽

Baltic Sea ◽

Ecological Status ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Brackish Waters ◽

The Baltic

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Toward the Baltic Sea Socioeconomic Action Plan

AMBIO ◽

10.1007/s13280-019-01264-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (11) ◽

pp. 1377-1388 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Markku Ollikainen ◽

Berit Hasler ◽

Katarina Elofsson ◽

Antti Iho ◽

Hans E. Andersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Nutrient Loading ◽

Action Plan ◽

Ecological Status ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Policy Alternatives ◽

Baltic Sea Region ◽

The Baltic ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Abstract This paper analyzes the main weaknesses and key avenues for improvement of nutrient policies in the Baltic Sea region. HELCOM’s Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), accepted by the Baltic Sea countries in 2007, was based on an innovative ecological modeling of the Baltic Sea environment and addressed the impact of the combination of riverine loading and transfer of nutrients on the ecological status of the sea and its sub-basins. We argue, however, that the assigned country-specific targets of nutrient loading do not reach the same level of sophistication, because they are not based on careful economic and policy analysis. We show an increasing gap between the state-of-the-art policy alternatives and the existing command-and-control-based approaches to the protection of the Baltic Sea environment and outline the most important steps for a Baltic Sea Socioeconomic Action Plan. It is time to raise the socioeconomic design of nutrient policies to the same level of sophistication as the ecological foundations of the BSAP.

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Voicing and Visualizing Change: Perceptions of Environmental Heritage in the Baltic Sea Region

Heritage ◽

10.3390/heritage4030087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 1566-1589

Author(s):

Savitri Jetoo ◽

Jaana Kouri

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Baltic Sea ◽

Ecological Status ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Baltic Sea Region ◽

Interdisciplinary Knowledge ◽

Complex Solutions ◽

The Baltic ◽

Good Ecological Status ◽

Human Actors

To address “wicked problems” that threaten the good ecological status of the Baltic Sea such as climate change with diverse stakeholder values and complex solutions, new interdisciplinary knowledge that incorporates citizen science is urgently needed. This paper scrutinizes environmental heritage in the Baltic Sea region by exploring what it means to persons living in the Baltic Sea environment. It asks the question, what is environmental heritage? It uses a qualitative research method using both texts and photographs—collected in an open competition—to consider humanistic viewpoints of persons living in the changing climate in the Baltic Sea Region. A thematic content analysis was utilized to identify emerging themes in the text and visual inquiry was used to decipher what meanings related to environmental change were conveyed in submitted the photographs. Some of the findings include that environmental heritage is perceived as experiences of living and interacting with the Sea and other non-human actors like animals, but also as material objects in the environment such as sustainable architecture. It also found that environmental heritage is articulated as a source of conflict, between users and uses and the traditional and new ways of life. Resolution of this conflict is important in guiding effective solutions to the challenge of climate change. It is thus important to develop interdisciplinary methods that facilitate the merging of different knowledge systems in order to generate effective solutions.

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Why fishers end up in social-ecological traps: a case study of Swedish eel fisheries in the Baltic Sea

Ecology and Society ◽

10.5751/es-11405-250121 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Emma Björkvik ◽

Wiebren J. Boonstra ◽

Jonas Hentati-Sundberg

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Social Ecological ◽

The Baltic

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Changing seasonality of the Baltic Sea

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-12-18855-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (22) ◽

pp. 18855-18882 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Kahru ◽

R. Elmgren ◽

O. P. Savchuk

Keyword(s):

Baltic Sea ◽

Chlorophyll Concentration ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Sea Surface ◽

Seasonal Cycles ◽

The Baltic Sea ◽

Satellite Sensors ◽

Multiple Variables ◽

The Baltic ◽

Increasing Trends

Abstract. Changes in the phenology of physical and ecological variables associated with climate change are likely to have significant effect on many aspects of the Baltic ecosystems. We apply a set of phenological indicators to multiple environmental variables measured by satellite sensors for 17–35 years to detect possible changes in the seasonality in the Baltic Sea environment. We detect significant temporal changes such as earlier start of the summer season and prolongation of the productive season in multiple variables ranging from basic physical drivers to ecological status indicators. While increasing trends in the absolute values of variables like sea-surface temperature (SST), diffuse attenuation of light (Ked490) and satellite-detected chlorophyll concentration (CHL) are detectable, the corresponding changes in their seasonal cycles are more dramatic. For example, the cumulative sum of 30 000 W m−2 of surface incoming shortwave irradiance (SIS) was reached 23 days earlier in 2014 compared to the beginning of the time series in 1983. The period of the year with SST of at least 17 °C has almost doubled (from 29 days in 1982 to 56 days in 2014), the period with Ked490 over 0.4 m−1 has increased from about 60 days in 1998 to 240 days in 2013, i.e. quadrupled. The period with satellite-detected CHL of at least 3 mg m−3 has doubled from approximately 110 days in 1998 to 220 days in 2013. While the timing of both the phytoplankton spring and summer blooms have advanced, the annual CHL maximum that in the 1980s corresponded to the spring diatom bloom in May has now switched to the summer cyanobacteria bloom in July.

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