Alice Newton

Implementing and Innovating Marine Monitoring Approaches for Assessing Marine Environmental Status

Marine environmental monitoring has tended to focus on site-specific methods of investigation. These traditional methods have low spatial and temporal resolution and are relatively labor intensive per unit area/time that they cover. To implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European Member States are required to improve marine monitoring and design monitoring networks. This can be achieved by developing and testing innovative and cost-effective monitoring systems, as well as indicators of environmental status. Here, we present several recently developed methodologies and technologies to improve marine biodiversity indicators and monitoring methods. The innovative tools are discussed concerning the technologies presently utilized as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use in routine monitoring. In particular, the present analysis focuses on: (i) molecular approaches, including microarray, Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and metagenetic (metabarcoding) tools; (ii) optical (remote) sensing and acoustic methods; and (iii) in situ monitoring instruments. We also discuss their applications in marine monitoring within the MSFD through the analysis of case studies in order to evaluate their potential utilization in future routine marine monitoring. We show that these recently-developed technologies can present clear advantages in accuracy, efficiency and cost.

Bridging the Gap between Policy and Science in Assessing the Health Status of Marine Ecosystems

Human activities, both established and emerging, increasingly affect the provision of marine ecosystem services that deliver societal and economic benefits. Monitoring the status of marine ecosystems and determining how human activities change their capacity to sustain benefits for society requires an evidence-based Integrated Ecosystem Assessment approach that incorporates knowledge of ecosystem functioning and services). Although there are diverse methods to assess the status of individual ecosystem components, none assesses the health of marine ecosystems holistically, integrating information from multiple ecosystem components. Similarly, while acknowledging the availability of several methods to measure single pressures and assess their impacts, evaluation of cumulative effects of multiple pressures remains scarce. Therefore, an integrative assessment requires us to first understand the response of marine ecosystems to human activities and their pressures and then develop innovative, cost-effective monitoring tools that enable collection of data to assess the health status of large marine areas. Conceptually, combining this knowledge of effective monitoring methods with cost-benefit analyses will help identify appropriate management measures to improve environmental status economically and efficiently. The European project DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) specifically addressed these topics in order to support policy makers and managers in implementing the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Here, we synthesize our main innovative findings, placing these within the context of recent wider research, and identifying gaps and the major future challenges.

Steps toward a shared governance response for achieving Good Environmental Status in the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean region is of fundamental importance to Europe given its strategic position. The responsibility for its overall ecosystem integrity is shared by European Union Member States (EU-MS) and other Mediterranean countries. A juxtaposition of overlapping governance instruments occurred recently in the region, with the implementation of both the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for EU-MS and the Ecosystem Approach Strategy (ECAP) for all Mediterranean countries, including EU-MS. Both MSFD and ECAP are structured around vision-driven processes to achieve Good Environmental Status and a Healthy Environment, respectively. These processes have clear ecosystem-based, integrated policy objectives to guarantee the preservation and integrity of Mediterranean marine ecosystem goods and services. However, adoption of these instruments, especially those related to the new EUMS directives on marine policy, could result in a governance gap in addition to the well-known economic gap between the EU and the non-EU political blocs. We identify two complementary requirements for effective implementation of both MSFD and ECAP that could work together to reduce this gap, to ensure a better alignment between MSFD and ECAP and better planning for stakeholder engagement. These are key issues for the future success of these instruments in a Mediterranean region where discrepancies between societal and ecological objectives may pose a challenge to these processes.

A typology of stakeholders and guidelines for engagement in transdisciplinary, participatory processes

This paper presents a typology of stakeholders for effective participatory processes and co-design of solutions to complex social-environmental issues and a roadmap stepwise methodology for balanced and productive stakeholder engagement. Definitions are given of terminology that is frequently used interchangeably such as “stakeholders”, “social actors” and “interested parties”. Eleven research questions about participative processes are addressed, based on more than 30 years of experience in water, estuarine, coastal and marine management. A stepwise roadmap, supported by illustrative tables based on case-studies, shows how a balanced stakeholder selection and real engagement maybe achieved. The paper brings these together in the context of several up-to-date concepts such as complex, nested governance, the 10 tenets for integrated, successful and sustainable marine management, the System Approach Framework and the evolution of DPSIR into DAPSI(W)R(M) framework. Examples given are based on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, the Framework for Marine Spatial Planning Directive, as well as for Regional Sea Conventions. The paper also shows how tools that have been developed in recent projects can be put to use to implement policy and maximize the effectiveness of stakeholder participation.

In situ validation of MERIS marine reflectance off the southwest Iberian Peninsula: assessment of vicarious adjustment and corrections for near-land adjacency

Water-leaving reflectance (ρw) data from the European Space Agency ocean colour sensor Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) was validated with in situ ρw between October 2008 and November 2011, off Sagres on the southwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The study area is exceptional, since Stations A, B, and C at 2, 10, and 18 km offshore are in optically deep waters at approximately 40, 100, and 160 m, respectively. These stations showed consistently similar bio-optical properties, characteristic of Case 1 waters, enabling the evaluation of adjacency effects independent of the usual co-varying inputs of coastal waters. Using the third reprocessing of MERIS with the standard MEGS 8.1 processor, four different combinations of procedures were tested to improve the calibration between MERIS products and in situ data. These combinations included no vicarious adjustment (NoVIC), vicarious adjustment (VIC), and, for mitigating the effects of land adjacency on MERIS ρw, the improved contrast between ocean and land (ICOL) processor (version 2.7.4) and VIC + ICOL. Out of approximately 130 potential matchups for each station, 38–77%, 74–86%, and 88–90% were achieved at Stations A, B, and C, respectively, depending on which of the four combinations were used. Analyses of ρw comparing these various procedures, including statistics, scatter plots, histograms, and MERIS full-resolution images, showed that the VIC procedure compared with NoVIC produced minimal changes to the calibration. For example, at the oceanic Station C, the regression slope was closer to unity at all wavelengths with NoVIC compared to VIC, whereas, with the exception of wavelengths 412 and 443 nm, the intercept, mean ratio (MR), absolute percentage difference (APD), and relative percentage difference (RPD) were better with NoVIC. The differences for MR and APD indicate that there was marginal improvement for these two bands with VIC, and an over-adjustment with RPD. ICOL also showed inconsistent results for improving the retrieval of the near-shore conditions, but under some conditions, such as ρw at wavelength 560 nm, the improvement was striking. VIC + ICOL showed results intermediate between those of VIC and ICOL implemented separately. In relation to other validation sites, the offshore Station C at Sagres had much in common with the Mediterranean deep water, BOUSSOLE buoy, although the matchup statistics between MERIS ρw and in situ ρw were much better for Sagres than for BOUSSOLE. Strikingly, the matchup statistics for ρw at Sagres were very similar to those for the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower (AAOT), where the AAOT showed more scatter at 412 nm, probably because of the atmospheric correction where the aerosol optical thickness is higher at the AAOT. Conversely, Sagres showed much greater scatter at 665 nm in the red as the values were generally close to the limits of detection owing to the clearer waters at Sagres compared to the more turbid waters at the AAOT.

Standard and Regional Bio-Optical Algorithms for Chlorophyll

This study investigates standard and regional algal pigment index! (API!) estimates in the Atlantic off the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Standard API! data are those delivered by the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) orbiting sensor. Equivalent quantities are computed by applying a regional inversion scheme using as input both MERIS and in situ remote sensing reflectances (Rrs). Reference data for the development of the regional algorithm and for the analysis of tested products include field measurements of total concentration of chlorophyll a (TChla) and coincident Rrs values collected at different distances from the coast. Validation results, based on matchup analysis, identifies a systematic overestimation of standard API1 versus the reference TChla values. The additional comparison of product maps in selected regions of interest confirms this tendency and demonstrates the feasibility and relevance of using regional algorithms for investigating spaceborne products. Analogous applications are hence devised for the early-stage evaluation of the forthcoming Sentinel-3/OLCI data products.

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The spatial and temporal variation of phytoplankton pigments in the western part of Ria Formosa, Portugal, was investigated between September 2000 and July 2002. Sampling stations included the ocean boundary (Ancão inlet) and two different landward boundary situations: 1) the shallow westernmost “blind end” of the lagoon (Ponte) and 2) near a main sewage outlet (Ramalhete). Nutrient concentrations were higher during the first year of sampling but were lower than those recorded in previous studies. This decrease in the concentration of nutrients was possibly the result of the 1997 relocation of the Ancão inlet, which allowed better water circulation in the lagoon. Throughout this study, concentrations of chlorophyll a determined by high-performance liquid chromatography were consistently low. Inter-annual variability in the pattern of chlorophyll a concentration was observed in the form of a bimodal peak (spring/summer and autumn) between September 2000 and June 2001 and more uniform concentrations from September 2001 until July 2002. Principal component analysis of the concentrations of all pigments did not indicate any spatial- or tidal-related variations but did show that pigment concentrations varied over time. Partial least squares analysis corroborated this temporal shift of the phytoplankton pigment abundance and composition and showed that these shifts could be linked to certain environmental variables. Fucoxanthin was the dominant accessory pigment and was strongly correlated with chlorophyll a. Other marker pigments present in lower concentrations included chlorophyll b, 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, neoxanthin, alloxanthin, diadinoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene. PLS analysis was used to infer the dominant phytoplanktonic groups in the lagoon. This analysis established that diatoms and other algal groups with a similar pigment profile dominated the phytoplankton community throughout the year. Cryptophytes were the second most abundant group in the lagoon. The remaining groups, including dinoflagellates, cyanophytes, and chlorophytes, contributed much less to the total algal biomass (generally < 10%).

Estimates in the Atlantic off the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula

Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) was measured using single planar and two-bulb spherical light sensors. The attenuation coefficient (Kd) was found to vary significantly during the year. The highest Kd values were obtained in the station with higher influence of currents and run-off. Our data suggested a reflection of 50% of light that reaches the bottom, which is associated with a decrease in the Kd value obtained with the spherical sensor of 0.15 m-1. This means that flat sensors may underestimate PAR and that spherical sensor may underestimate Kd. This is a critical issue given that knowledge on light attenuation is essential for modeling approaches and quality assessments.

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Phytoplankton Pigments in the Western Part of Ria Formosa Lagoon, Southern Portugal

Dissemination is now acknowledged as an important component of the research process, in particular for European Union (EU) funded research projects. This article builds on the authors’ experience during the EU project DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) and aims to assist other scientists to develop a successful dissemination strategy to communicate project achievements. We provide a critical review of the different tools used for outreach to our target audiences, from the academia to the policy makers, and the general public, and try to assess their impact. An effective dissemination strategy and plan should have a clear objective, be designed before the start of the project, identify the target groups and define the methods or tools to be used according to target groups and objectives. The DEVOTES dissemination strategy included two complementary approaches of communication with stakeholders: (i) traditional (e.g. peer reviewed publications, stakeholders workshops and participation in scientific conferences), and (ii) new (e.g. social networks, smartphone applications) media tools. For each dissemination approach, we defined production targets (e.g. number of articles to be published, individual visitors on the website, etc.) to be achieved by the end of the project, and impact measurements (e.g., citation indices for peer reviewed articles) to monitor the successful implementation of DEVOTES Dissemination. This allowed us to identify which tools had been more (e.g. website) or less useful and relevant (e.g. Facebook) during the project. We conclude that impact measurements cannot be easily identified for all dissemination actions. However, for those that were possible, the DEVOTES dissemination targets were successfully achieved. Overall, the use of the tools and activities outlined in this article, combined with the constant evaluation of the dissemination goals throughout the project duration and the assessment of the effectiveness of the different tools, is essential for the achievement of an effective and timely communication of research results.

Measuring Light Attenuation in Shallow Coastal Systems

As highlighted in Estuarine Ecohydrology, throughout the world estuaries have experienced environmental degradation and present proposed remedial measures based on engineering and technological fixes have been unable to restore the ecological processes of a healthy, robust estuary, and, as such, will not reinstate the full beneficial functions of the estuary ecosystem. This story of degradation is repeated worldwide also for coastal zones. The problem is more insidious, and harder to address, because historically coastal zones were seen as having essentially infinite capacity to dilute waste from human activities and because the fisheries resources were essentially free for all. Yet, just like estuaries, coastal waters are also suffering from increasing eutrophication, increasing turbidity, harmful algae blooms, fisheries collapse, and an increasing loss of biodiversity. At the same time these waters are increasingly polluted and impacted by hydrocarbons from low-level, chronic oil spills as well as occasional and often catastrophic oil spills. Some of these coastal waters are also showing signs of impacts by climate change.