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The FORCIS database: A global census of planktonic Foraminifera from ocean waters
No full textPlanktonic Foraminifera are unique paleo-environmental indicators through their excellent fossil record in ocean sediments. Their distribution and diversity are affected by different environmental factors including anthropogenically forced ocean and climate change. Until now, historical changes in their distribution have not been fully assessed at the global scale. Here we present the FORCIS (Foraminifera Response to Climatic Stress) database on foraminiferal species diversity and distribution in the global ocean from 1910 until 2018 including published and unpublished data. The FORCIS database includes data collected using plankton tows, continuous plankton recorder, sediment traps and plankton pump, and contains ~22,000, ~157,000, ~9,000, ~400 subsamples, respectively (one single plankton aliquot collected within a depth range, time interval, size fraction range, at a single location) from each category. Our database provides a perspective of the distribution patterns of planktonic Foraminifera in the global ocean on large spatial (regional to basin scale, and at the vertical scale), and temporal (seasonal to interdecadal) scales over the past century
European marine omics biodiversity observation network: a strategic outline for the implementation of omics approaches in ocean observation
No full textMarine ecosystems, ranging from coastal seas and wetlands to the open ocean, accommodate a wealth of biological diversity from small microorganisms to large mammals. This biodiversity and its associated ecosystem function occurs across complex spatial and temporal scales and is not yet fully understood. Given the wide range of external pressures on the marine environment, this knowledge is crucial for enabling effective conservation measures and defining the limits of sustainable use. The development and application of omics-based approaches to biodiversity research has helped overcome hurdles, such as allowing the previously hidden community of microbial life to be identified, thereby enabling a holistic view of an entire ecosystem’s biodiversity and functioning. The potential of omics-based approaches for marine ecosystems observation is enormous and their added value to ecosystem monitoring, management, and conservation is widely acknowledged. Despite these encouraging prospects, most omics-based studies are short-termed and typically cover only small spatial scales which therefore fail to include the full spatio-temporal complexity and dynamics of the system. To date, few attempts have been made to establish standardised, coordinated, broad scaled, and long-term omics observation networks. Here we outline the creation of an omics-based marine observation network at the European scale, the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). We illustrate how linking multiple existing individual observation efforts increases the observational power in large-scale assessments of status and change in biodiversity in the oceans. Such large-scale observation efforts have the added value of cross-border cooperation, are characterised by shared costs through economies of scale, and produce structured, comparable data. The key components required to compile reference environmental datasets and how these should be linked are major challenges that we address
MALAYSIA AND SELANGOR MANGROVE POLICY MAPPING AND ANALYSIS
Get PDFExecutive Summary
Purpose of the report
• This report presents an overview of a policy mapping activity which considers local, state, federal and international plans, laws, policies, and directives that influence the conservation and management of mangroves in Malaysia.
• The key actors that play an important role in mangrove policy creation and delivery are also mapped.
• To reflect Malaysia’s federal system of government, the state of Selangor in Peninsula Malaysia is used as a case study to show how mangrove policies and actors span these decision-making levels.
• The report identifies policy gaps and makes recommendations on how the policy landscape can be modified to support the sustainable management of mangroves within state and federal levels in Malaysia.
Method
• Relevant policy instruments and policy actors are identified through application of a Rapid Policy Network Mapping (RPNM) approach.
• This approach enables visualisation of the mangrove policy landscape through the creation of policy instrument and policy actor maps.
• The policy instrument map plots instruments by policy domain (international, regional, national, or local (state) scales), and policy category (cross-sectoral, forestry, fisheries, tourism, other environmental and non-environmental).
• The policy actor map plots actors by policy domain and policy role (Influencer, Owner/Decision-Maker, Influencer/Deliverer, Deliverer.
• A database of instruments and actors was also generated to record characteristics of both elements, which can become a resource for future policy assessments.
Results
• Forty-one policy instruments and forty-six policy actors are identified from this approach as influencing mangrove management to the state level.
• The highest policy instrument activity occurs at the national level and within a crosssectoral context (i.e., biodiversity). Only five instruments are identified at the state level.
• No fisheries/aquaculture instruments are featured through this process.
• The highest number of policy actors operate at national level and are equally distributed across the roles of Influencer, Owner/Decision-maker, and Influencer/Deliverer.
Policy gaps and key recommendations
• To recognise the importance of mangroves in providing multiple benefits to a range of parties across sectors, and to the environment, existing influential policies (i.e.
National Forestry Policy, National Biodiversity Policy), as well as those in the process of review (i.e. National Climate Policy, National Wetland Policy), should be strengthened with regard to the explicit priority afforded mangroves, enabling:
o Appropriate resource allocations.
o Potential economies of scale through harmonisation of policy priorities that deliver co-benefits.
o Greater understanding of the role mangroves can play in nature-based solutions for major global and national environmental threats, including climate change pressures, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission
reductions and achievement of nationally determined contributions (NDC) targets.
• A National Mangrove Policy would offer a significant statement in federal recognition of the importance of this specific forest (wetland) habitat. Alternatively, the creation of a National Blue Carbon Policy could present a more coordinated and broader-looking directive for developing programmes and projects that address the environmental challenges listed above.
• A more explicit connection is needed between forestry and fishery policies to reduce the chances of mangrove (and mangrove-dependent resource) management falling
through cracks of responsibility.
• State authorities could publish policy implementation plan updates more frequently to show more transparency on progress against targets.
• Further mapping exercises should be developed that comprehensively capture emerging federal and state circumstances to update these policy maps to improve
their accuracy and relevance.
• To capture variation in policy interpretation and implementation across these substate administration units, it is recommended that policy instruments of decisions
made at this level are also mapped and analysed in order to improve consistency of application across the state
Reproducible and relocatable regional ocean modelling: fundamentals and practices
Get PDFIn response to an increasing demand for bespoke or tailored regional ocean modelling configurations, we outline fundamental principles and practices that can expedite the process to generate new configurations. The paper develops the principle of reproducibility and advocates adherence by presenting benefits to the community and user. The elements of this principle are reproducible workflows and standardised assessment, with additional effort over existing working practices being balanced against the added value generated. The paper then decomposes the complex build process, for a new regional ocean configuration, into stages and presents guidance, advice and insight for each component. This advice is compiled from across the NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) user community and sets out principles and practises that encompass regional ocean modelling with any model. With detailed and region-specific worked examples in Sects. 3 and 4, the linked companion repositories and DOIs all target NEMOv4. The aim of this review and perspective paper is to broaden the user community skill base and to accelerate development of new configurations in order to increase the time available for exploiting the configurations
Revised spectral optimization approach to remove surface-reflected radiance for the estimation of remote-sensing reflectance from the above-water method
Get PDFThe effective sea-surface skylight reflectance (ρ) is an important parameter for removing the contribution of surface-reflected radiance when measuring water-leaving radiance (Lw) using the above-water approach (AWA). Radiative simulations and field measurements show that ρ varies spectrally. To improve the determination of Lw (and then remote sensing reflectance, Rrs) from the AWA, we further developed a wavelength-dependent model for ρ to remove surface-reflected radiance, which is applied with a spectral optimization approach for the determination of Rrs. Excellent agreement was achieved between the AWA-derived and skylight-blocked approach (SBA)-obtained Rrs (coefficient of determination > 0.92, mean absolute percentage deviation 0.0005 sr−1 ), even during high wave conditions. We found that the optimization approach with the new ρ model worked very well for a wide range of water types and observation geometries. For developing remote sensing algorithms and evaluating satellite products, it would be beneficial to apply this approach to current and historical above-water in situ measurements of Rrs to improve the quality of these data. In addition, this approach could also increase the number of useable spectra where previously rendered unusable when processed with a traditional schem
Spatiotemporal variability in population demography and morphology of the habitat-forming macroalga Saccorhiza polyschides in the Western English Channel
No full textBackground and Aims
Large brown macroalgae serve as foundation organisms along temperate and polar coastlines, providing a range of ecosystem services. Saccorhiza polyschides is a warm-temperate kelp-like species found in the northeast Atlantic, which is suggested to have proliferated in recent decades across the southern United Kingdom (UK), possibly in response to increasing temperatures, physical disturbance, and reduced competition. However, little is known about S. polyschides with regard to ecological functioning and population dynamics across its geographical range. Here we examined the population demography of S. polyschides populations in southwest UK, located within the species’ range centre, to address a regional knowledge gap and to provide a baseline against which to detect future changes.
Methods
Intertidal surveys were conducted during spring low tides at three sites along a gradient of wave exposure in Plymouth Sound (Western English Channel) over a period of 15 months. Density, cover, age, biomass, and morphology of S. polyschides were quantified. Additionally, less frequent sampling of shallow subtidal reefs was conducted to compare intertidal and subtidal populations.
Key Results
We recorded pronounced seasonality, with fairly consistent demographic patterns across sites and depths. By late summer, S. polyschides was a dominant habitat-former on both intertidal and subtidal reefs, with maximum standing stock exceeding 13,000 g wet weight m-2.
Conclusions
S. polyschides is a conspicuous and abundant member of rocky reef assemblages in the region, providing complex and abundant biogenic habitat for associated organisms and high rates of primary productivity. However, its short-lived pseudo-annual life strategy is in stark contrast to dominant long-lived perennial Laminarian kelps. As such, any replacement or reconfiguration of habitat-forming macroalgae due to ocean warming will likely have implications for local biodiversity and community composition. More broadly, our study demonstrates the importance of high-resolution cross-habitat surveys to generate robust baselines of kelp population demography, against which the ecological impacts of climate change and other stressors can be reliably detected
Artificial light at night alters predation on colour-polymorphic camouflaged prey
Get PDFArtificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts biological processes across taxa and at all levels of organisation. Despite
growing interest in this globally pervasive sensory pollutant, its impact on colour-guided processes remains
largely unexplored. This is especially concerning given the rapid transition in recent years away from narrowspectrum lighting and towards broad-spectrum options such as white LEDs, which are rich in the short wavelengths of light to which many taxa are particularly sensitive. Camouflage is particularly likely to be disrupted by
broader spectra of ALAN due to changes in conspicuousness in background matching prey, which may alter prey
recognition in visually guided predators. We simulated natural intensities of moonlight with and without ALAN,
using both broad-spectrum (‘white’) ALAN and ALAN filtered to remove the characteristic short (blue) wavelength peak of broad-spectrum LEDs to test whether filtering might mitigate their effects. We tested how
exposure to these light treatments impacted predator-prey interactions, using the intertidal crab Carcinus maenas
and contrasting colour morphs of the colour-polymorphic snail Littorina obtusata as a model system. Exposure to
broad-spectrum ALAN reduced overall predation and reversed the pattern of colour-based prey selection
observed under control conditions. Snails were 55 % less likely to be attacked under broad-spectrum ALAN than
in control conditions, with likelihood decreasing over 70 % for yellow snails. Yellow snails were over 26 % more
likely to be attacked than brown ones under control conditions, but brown snails were over 40 % more likely to
be attacked than yellow ones under broad-spectrum ALAN. Exposure to filtered ALAN removed any significant
colour-based difference in prey recognition. Our results demonstrate that spectral composition is a crucial aspect
of ALAN as a sensory pollutant, capable of instigating profound changes in predator-prey interactions that could
drive changes in population demography and increase morphological homogeneity in species that depend on
colour polymorphism for camouflage
Silicon Isotopes Highlight the Role of Glaciated Fjords in Modifying Coastal Waters
Get PDFGlaciers and ice sheets are experiencing rapid warming under current climatic change and there is increasing evidence that glacial meltwaters provide key dissolved and dissolvable amorphous nutrients to downstream ecosystems. However, large debate exists around the fate of these nutrients within complex and heterogenous fjord environments, where biogeochemical cycling is still often poorly understood. We combine silicon (Si) concentration data with isotopic compositions to better understand silicon cycling and export in two contrasting fjordic environments in south-west Greenland. We show that both fjords have isotopically light dissolved silicon (DSi) within surface waters, despite an apparently rapid biological drawdown of DSi with increasing salinity. We hypothesize that such observations cannot be explained by simple water mass
mixing processes, and postulate that an isotopically light source of Si, most likely glacially derived amorphous
silica (ASi), is responsible for further modifying these coastal waters within the fjords and beyond. Fjord to
coastal exchange is likely a relatively slow process (several months), and thus is less impacted by short-term
(<seasonal) changes of glacial meltwater input into the fjord, which has implications when considering the
role of glacial meltwaters on nutrient export beyond the shelf break. We highlight the need for isotopic studies
combined with dissolved and particulate nutrient concentration analysis to provide a more detailed analysis into the biogeochemical cycles within these highly dynamic fjord environments
Modelling terrigenous DOC across the north west European Shelf: Fate of riverine input and impact on air-sea CO2 fluxes
Get PDFTerrigenous carbon in aquatic systems is increasingly recognised as an important part of the global carbon cycle.
Despite this, the fate and distribution of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (tDOC) in coastal and oceanic
systems is poorly understood. We have implemented a theoretical framework for the degradation of tDOC across
the land to ocean continuum in a 3D hydrodynamical-biogeochemical model on the North West European Shelf.
A key feature of this model is that both photochemical and bacterial tDOC degradation rates are age dependant
constituting an advance in our ability to describe carbon cycling in the marine environment. Over the time period
1986-2015, 182±17 Gmol yr− 1 of riverine tDOC is input to the shelf. Results indicate that bacterial degradation
is by far the most important process in removing tDOC on the shelf, contributing to 73±6 % (132±11 Gmol yr− 1
)
of the total removal flux, while 21±3 % (39±6 Gmol yr− 1
) of riverine tDOC was advected away from the shelf
and photochemical degradation removing 5±0.5 % of the riverine flux. Explicitly including tDOC in the model
decreased the air-sea carbon dioxide (CO2) flux by 112±8 Gmol yr− 1 (4±0.4 %), an amount approximately
equivalent to the CO2 released by the UK chemical industry in 2020. The reduction is equivalent to 62 % of the
riverine tDOC input to the shelf while approximately 17 % of riverine input is incorporated into the foodweb.
This work can improve the assumptions of the fate of tDOC by Earth System Models and demonstrates that the inclusion of tDOC in models can impact ecosystem dynamics and change predicted global carbon budgets for the
ocean
The Role of Citizen Science in Promoting Ocean and Water Literacy in School Communities: The ProBleu Methodology
Get PDFHuman activities continue to degrade oceanic, coastal and inland waters. The generational change in the role of society in actively looking after the health of water resources can be achieved through the expansion of ocean and water literacy in schools. The Network of European Blue Schools established under the EU4Ocean Coalition for Ocean Literacy has improved ocean and water literacy; however, this Network needs to grow and be supported. Here, we present ProBleu, a recently funded EU project that will expand and support the Network, partly through the use of citizen science. The core of the proposed methodology is facilitating school activities related to ocean and water literacy through funding calls to sustain and enrich current school activities, and kick-start and support new activities. The outcomes of the project are anticipated to have widespread and long-term impacts across society, and oceanic, coastal and inland water environments