Towards ecosystem-based management: identifying operational food-web indicators for marine ecosystems

Abstract Modern approaches to Ecosystem-Based Management and sustainable use of marine resources must account for the myriad of pressures (interspecies, human and environmental) affecting marine ecosystems. The network of feeding interactions between co-existing species and populations (food webs) are an important aspect of all marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Here we describe and discuss a process to evaluate the selection of operational food-web indicators for use in evaluating marine ecosystem status. This process brought together experts in food-web ecology, marine ecology, and resource management, to identify available indicators that can be used to inform marine management. Standard evaluation criteria (availability and quality of data, conceptual basis, communicability, relevancy to management) were implemented to identify practical food-web indicators ready for operational use and indicators that hold promise for future use in policy and management. The major attributes of the final suite of operational food-web indicators were structure and functioning. Indicators that represent resilience of the marine ecosystem were less developed. Over 60 potential food-web indicators were evaluated and the final selection of operational food-web indicators includes: the primary production required to sustain a fishery, the productivity of seabirds (or charismatic megafauna), zooplankton indicators, primary productivity, integrated trophic indicators, and the biomass of trophic guilds. More efforts should be made to develop thresholds-based reference points for achieving Good Environmental Status. There is also a need for international collaborations to develop indicators that will facilitate management in marine ecosystems used by multiple countries.

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Using indicators for evaluating, comparing, and communicating the ecological status of exploited marine ecosystems. 2. Setting the scene

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsp294 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 67 (4) ◽

pp. 692-716 ◽

Cited By ~ 127

Author(s):

Yunne-Jai Shin ◽

Lynne J. Shannon ◽

Alida Bundy ◽

Marta Coll ◽

Kerim Aydin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Group ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Ecological Indicators ◽

Ecosystem Approach ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Comparative Approach ◽

Insufficient Data ◽

Ecosystem Drivers ◽

Selection Of

Abstract Shin, Y-J., Shannon, L. J., Bundy, A., Coll, M., Aydin, K., Bez, N., Blanchard, J. L., Borges, M. F., Diallo, I., Diaz, E., Heymans, J. J., Hill, L., Johannesen, E., Jouffre, D., Kifani, S., Labrosse, P., Link, J. S., Mackinson, S., Masski, H., Möllmann, C., Neira, S., Ojaveer, H., ould Mohammed Abdallahi, K., Perry, I., Thiao, D., Yemane, D., and Cury, P. M. 2010. Using indicators for evaluating, comparing, and communicating the ecological status of exploited marine ecosystems. 2. Setting the scene. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 692–716. Background is provided to the selection of ecological indicators by the IndiSeas Working Group, and the methodology adopted for analysis and comparison of indicators across exploited marine ecosystems is documented. The selected indicators are presented, how they are calculated is explained, and the philosophy behind the comparative approach is given. The combination of selected indicators is intended to reflect different dynamics, tracking processes that display differential responses to fishing, and is meant to provide a complementary means of assessing marine ecosystem trends and states. IndiSeas relied on inputs and insights provided by the local experts from participating ecosystems, helping to understand state and trend indicators and to disentangle the effect of other potential ecosystem drivers, such as climate variability. This project showed that the use of simple and available indicators under an ecosystem approach can achieve a real, wide-reaching evaluation of marine ecosystem status caused by fishing. This is important because the socio-economics of areas where fishing activities develop differs significantly around the globe, and in many countries, insufficient data are available for complex and exhaustive analyses.

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A framework for the development of a global standardised marine taxon reference image database (SMarTaR-ID) to support image-based analyses

10.1101/670786 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Kerry L. Howell ◽

Jaime S. Davies ◽

A. Louise Allcock ◽

Andreia Braga-Henriques ◽

Pål Buhl-Mortensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Use ◽

Image Data ◽

Marine Species ◽

Marine Ecology ◽

Reference Image ◽

Reference Standard ◽

Quality Of Data ◽

Common Reference ◽

The North ◽

Taxonomic Groups

AbstractVideo and image data are regularly used in the field of benthic ecology to document biodiversity. However, their use is subject to a number of challenges, principally the identification of taxa within the images without associated physical specimens. The challenge of applying traditional taxonomic keys to the identification of fauna from images has led to the development of personal, group, or institution level reference image catalogues of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or morphospecies. Lack of standardisation among these reference catalogues has led to problems with observer bias and the inability to combine datasets across studies. In addition, lack of a common reference standard is stifling efforts in the application of artificial intelligence to taxon identification. Using the North Atlantic deep sea as a case study, we propose a database structure to facilitate standardisation of morphospecies image catalogues between research groups and support future use in multiple front-end applications. We also propose a framework for coordination of international efforts to develop reference guides for the identification of marine species from images. The proposed structure follows the Darwin Core standard to allow integration with existing databases. We suggest a management framework where high-level taxonomic groups are curated by a regional team, consisting of both end users and taxonomic experts. We identify a mechanism by which overall quality of data within a common reference guide could be raised over the next decade. Finally, we discuss the role of a common reference standard in advancing marine ecology and supporting sustainable use of this ecosystem.

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Data, models and ecosystem services: the Marine Ecosystems Research Programme

10.7287/peerj.preprints.26749 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Paul J. Somerfield

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Food Web ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Research Programme ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Marine Food Webs ◽

Common Framework ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

Ecosystem Changes

The effects of marine ecosystem changes on ecosystem services are difficult to predict because of our limited understanding of marine food-webs, how they respond to changes in pressures, and how those changes then influence services. Biogeochemical ecosystem models do a good job of representing change in groups of organisms primarily influenced by spatio-temporal dynamics in physics and chemistry, such as phytoplankton and small zooplankton. For groups of organisms higher in the food-web, such as fish, mammals and birds, a variety of different modelling approaches are used. No particular approach attempts to model the entire system, each viewing the food-web from a different perspective. Links to services are rarely explicit. To allow us to respond appropriately to change we need to improve our understanding of, and ability to model, the marine ecosystem as a whole, and links between changes in the marine ecosystem and its ability to deliver services. The Marine Ecosystems Research Programme (www.marine-ecosystems.org.uk) provides mechanisms to bring together existing data, targeted new data, different models, and to link them to ecosystem services within a common framework. A key aim is to project effects of possible policy decisions on ecosystem services which are mediated by ecosystem processes.

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Comparative analysis of European wide marine ecosystem shifts: a large-scale approach for developing the basis for ecosystem-based management

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2010.1213 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 484-486 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Christian Möllmann ◽

Alessandra Conversi ◽

Martin Edwards

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Regime Shifts ◽

Comparative Approach ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Ecosystem Based Management ◽

The North

Abrupt and rapid ecosystem shifts (where major reorganizations of food-web and community structures occur), commonly termed regime shifts, are changes between contrasting and persisting states of ecosystem structure and function. These shifts have been increasingly reported for exploited marine ecosystems around the world from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic. Understanding the drivers and mechanisms leading to marine ecosystem shifts is crucial in developing adaptive management strategies to achieve sustainable exploitation of marine ecosystems. An international workshop on a comparative approach to analysing these marine ecosystem shifts was held at Hamburg University, Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, Germany on 1–3 November 2010. Twenty-seven scientists from 14 countries attended the meeting, representing specialists from seven marine regions, including the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Barents Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Scotian Shelf off the Canadian East coast. The goal of the workshop was to conduct the first large-scale comparison of marine ecosystem regime shifts across multiple regional areas, in order to support the development of ecosystem-based management strategies.

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Navigating the Complexity of Regional Ocean Governance Through the Large Marine Ecosystems Approach

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.645668 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Natalie Degger ◽

Andrew Hudson ◽

Vladimir Mamaev ◽

Mish Hamid ◽

Ivica Trumbic

Keyword(s):

Oil And Gas ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Practical Method ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Large Marine Ecosystems ◽

Ecosystem Based Management ◽

Ocean Governance ◽

Wide Range

Governance is a multifaceted and complex process, involving a wide range of stakeholders from numerous institutions and individuals with different interests, agendas and sets of skills. A number of barriers exist for states to work together on securing their shared coastal and marine ecosystems, with discussions often becoming clouded when disputes arise over Exclusive Economic Zones, borders, oil and gas resources, continental shelves, maritime transport, and fisheries. Over the last twenty-six years, the Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) International Waters focal area has utilized the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) approach to navigate the complex problems related to transboundary issues affecting the world’s marine ecosystems, of which forty-one out of sixty-six are shared (62%) by one or more countries. To overcome the disputes and assumptions about the intentions of neighboring states, the GEF developed the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis-Strategic Action Programme (TDA-SAP) assessment and strategic planning processes to help countries learn how to work together and build trust. This formal and inclusive process analyses all pertinent factual and scientific information to set priorities for action. This practical method for integrating science into management has provided an effective approach to inform and advance sustainable LME management and governance regimes; however, there is not a one size fits all approach. This review presents six examples from the GEF International Waters portfolio that demonstrate how the LME Approach and TDA-SAP process have helped countries find the best way to mainstream ecosystem-based management approaches into existing contexts and politics. While these examples span a wide range of different settings (geographic, political, socio-economic, temporal), they have all applied the LME Approach and TDA-SAP process to tackle complex regional ocean governance issues. Each example provides a historical perspective, the key results achieved, and their unique lessons learned/best practices. Furthermore, the review identifies some of the overall shortcomings of the process and the common lessons learned, underscoring the complex and daunting challenge of achieving effective governance for multi-country LMEs. The experience provided by these examples shows that practical ecosystem-based management of the ocean and its coasts not only requires flexibility and adaptability, but also time, associated long-term vision and commitment.

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Data, models and ecosystem services: the Marine Ecosystems Research Programme

10.7287/peerj.preprints.26749v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Paul J. Somerfield

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Food Web ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Research Programme ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Marine Food Webs ◽

Common Framework ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

Ecosystem Changes

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Selection of a Computer-Based Training Authoring System: Functional Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

10.21236/ada207141 ◽

1989 ◽

Author(s):

Ok-Choon Park ◽

Robert J. Seidel

Keyword(s):

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Functional Requirements ◽

Authoring System ◽

Computer Based Training ◽

Computer Based ◽

Selection Of

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Historical contingency impacts on community assembly and ecosystem function in chemosynthetic marine ecosystems

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-92613-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dimitri Kalenitchenko ◽

Erwan Peru ◽

Pierre E. Galand

Keyword(s):

Community Assembly ◽

Sea Water ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Metagenomic Sequencing ◽

Historical Contingency ◽

Historical Events ◽

Species Sorting ◽

Environmental Selection ◽

Microbial Community Assembly

AbstractPredicting ecosystem functioning requires an understanding of the mechanisms that drive microbial community assembly. Many studies have explored microbial diversity extensively and environmental factors are thought to be the principal drivers of community composition. Community assembly is, however, also influenced by past conditions that might affect present-day assemblages. Historical events, called legacy effects or historical contingencies, remain poorly studied in the sea and their impact on the functioning of the communities is not known. We tested the influence, if any, of historical contingencies on contemporary community assembly and functions in a marine ecosystem. To do so, we verified if different inoculum communities colonizing the same substrate led to communities with different compositions. We inoculated wood with sea water microbes from different marine environments that differ in ecological and evolutionary history. Using 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing, it was demonstrated that historical contingencies change the composition and potential metabolisms of contemporary communities. The effect of historical events was transient, dominated by environmental selection as, over time, species sorting was a more important driver of community assembly. Our study shows not only that historical contingencies affect marine ecosystems but takes the analysis a step further by characterizing this effect as strong but transient.

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Trends and Evolution in the Concept of Marine Ecosystem Services: An Overview

Water ◽

10.3390/w13152060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 2060

Author(s):

Elvira Buonocore ◽

Umberto Grande ◽

Pier Paolo Franzese ◽

Giovanni F. Russo

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Alternative Assessment ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Coastal Protection ◽

Policy Dialogue ◽

Marine Ecosystem Services

The biotic and abiotic assets of the marine environment form the “marine natural capital” embedded in the global ocean. Marine natural capital provides the flow of “marine ecosystem services” that are directly used or enjoyed by people providing benefits to human well-being. They include provisioning services (e.g., food), regulation and maintenance services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage, and coastal protection), and cultural services (e.g., tourism and recreational benefits). In recent decades, human activities have increased the pressures on marine ecosystems, often leading to ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss and, in turn, affecting their ability to provide benefits to humans. Therefore, effective management strategies are crucial to the conservation of healthy and diverse marine ecosystems and to ensuring their long-term generation of goods and services. Biophysical, economic, and sociocultural assessments of marine ecosystem services are much needed to convey the importance of natural resources to managers and policy makers supporting the development and implementation of policies oriented for the sustainable management of marine resources. In addition, the accounting of marine ecosystem service values can be usefully complemented by their mapping to enable the identification of priority areas and management strategies and to facilitate science–policy dialogue. Given this premise, this study aims to review trends and evolution in the concept of marine ecosystem services. In particular, the global scientific literature on marine ecosystem services is explored by focusing on the following main aspects: the definition and classification of marine ecosystem services; their loss due to anthropogenic pressures, alternative assessment, and mapping approaches; and the inclusion of marine ecosystem services into policy and decision-making processes.

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Evaluation and Selection of Integrated Energy System Construction Scheme Equipped with Smart Energy Management and Control Platform Using Single-Valued Neutrosophic Numbers

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052615 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2615

Author(s):

Junqing Wang ◽

Wenhui Zhao ◽

Lu Qiu ◽

Puyu Yuan

Keyword(s):

Energy Management ◽

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Energy System ◽

System Construction ◽

Interval Numbers ◽

Construction Scheme ◽

Smart Energy Management ◽

Integrated Energy System ◽

And Control ◽

Selection Of

Since application of integrated energy systems (IESs) has formed a markedly increasing trend recently, selecting an appropriate integrated energy system construction scheme becomes essential to the energy supplier. This paper aims to develop a multi-criteria decision-making model for the evaluation and selection of an IES construction scheme equipped with smart energy management and control platform. Firstly, a comprehensive evaluation criteria system including economy, energy, environment, technology and service is established. The evaluation criteria system is divided into quantitative criteria denoted by interval numbers and qualitative criteria. Secondly, single-valued neutrosophic numbers are adopted to denote the qualitative criteria in the evaluation criteria system. Thirdly, in order to accommodate mixed data types consisting of both interval numbers and single-valued neutrosophic numbers, the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method is extended into a three-stage technique by introducing a fusion coefficient μ. Then, a real case in China is evaluated through applying the proposed method. Furthermore, a comprehensive discussion is made to analyze the evaluation result and verify the reliability and stability of the method. In short, this study provides a useful tool for the energy supplier to evaluate and select a preferred IES construction scheme.

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