Intro
The current trajectories of social and economic development are destroying the ecosystems that ultimately sustain humankind. Identifying and defining direct and indirect anthropogenic and environmental stressors and their interactions should be the first step towards correctly quantifying their effects and feeding the models (forecast).
Scope
– Develop a systemic approach for the integrated impact assessment of cumulative direct and indirect stressors on coastal and marine ecosystems processes and services
– Characterise, measure, and understand the combined impact of different types of pressures or perturbations on coastal and marine biodiversity and ecosystems condition
– Increased understanding of the biological mechanisms that determine the response of organisms and ecosystems to environmental changes
– Integrate existing and new biodiversity data and knowledge from multiple origins
– Develop technologies, methods and models that can quantify and forecast how cumulative anthropogenic perturbations that can affect ecosystem’s sustainability, productivity and resilience
– Contribution to enhancing the overall societal and public understanding of link between marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and human health
Objective
– Prediction of impacts of multiple stressors on coastal and marinebiodiversity, ecosystems functioning and all its services
– Better management and impact assessment of invasive species
– Implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by determining pressure levels
– Ecosystem based management approaches and policy measures for activities both at sea and on land to reduce pressures to ensure Good Environmental Status
