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DEVOTES: assisting in implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Angel Borja

Brussels, 11th November 2016

DEVelopment Of innovative Tools

for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing

good Environmental Status EU FP7 project ‘Ocean of Tomorrow’

www.devotes-project.eu

Introduction

Human pressures and assessment

http://www.devotes-project.eu/deliverables

-and-milestones/

Indicators for assessment

DEVOTool software version 0.64

(for Mac and Windows)

http://www.devotes-project.eu/devotool/

Indicators for assessment

Indicators for assessment

Microbes Microbes biodiversity Genetic based benthic microbial community condition

Phytoplankton Biomass of cyanobacteria Share of cyanobacteria from total phyto biomass Chlorophyll from satellite Production of phyto Phyto community composition as food web indicator Phyto community composition based on food quality traits Phyto biodiversity Phyto evenness Seasonal progression of phyto functional groups Diatom/dinoflagellate index Spring diatom/dinoflagellate ratio

Zooplankton

Copepods biomass Mesozooplankton biomass

Macroalgae / angiosperms

Lower depth distribution

Benthos AMBI Genetic based AMBI M-AMBI BQI

Fishes

Size composition of fish communities Large Fish Indicator Mean mazimum length of demersal fish

Seabirds

Distribution of herbivores waterfowl

Non Indigenous Species

Abundance and distribution of NIS Trends in arrival of NIS Trends in arrival by pathway Cumulative Impact Index of NIS

Habitat

High resolution habitat characterization New (16) Refined (13)

Indicators for assessment

Microbes Microbes biodiversity Genetic based benthic microbial community condition

Phytoplankton Biomass of cyanobacteria Share of cyanobacteria from total phyto biomass Chlorophyll from satellite Production of phyto Phyto community composition as food web indicator Phyto community composition based on food quality traits Phyto biodiversity Phyto evenness Seasonal progression of phyto functional groups Diatom/dinoflagellate index Spring diatom/dinoflagellate ratio

Zooplankton

Copepods biomass Mesozooplankton biomass

Macroalgae / angiosperms

Lower depth distribution

Benthos AMBI Genetic based AMBI M-AMBI BQI

Fishes

Size composition of fish communities Large Fish Indicator Mean mazimum length of demersal fish

Seabirds

Distribution of herbivores waterfowl

Non Indigenous Species

Abundance and distribution of NIS Trends in arrival of NIS Trends in arrival by pathway Cumulative Impact Index of NIS

Habitat

High resolution habitat characterization New (16) Refined (13)

Indicators for assessment

Modelling to improve assessments

Innovative monitoring

Innovative monitoring

Integration and assessment

Integration and assessment

NEAT (Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool)

• Software for environmental assessment

• Integrative assessment across indicators

• Database with >600 indicators (DEVOTool)

• Customizable by the user

• Includes uncertainty

• Available free of charge for Windows and OS http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

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The NEAT method

• Nested hierarchies of pre-defined spatial assessment units (SAUs) and habitats within these SAUs

Regional Sea

Northern part

Big fjord

Big Fjord, Inner

Big Fjord, Outer

Western part

Southern Straits

South Bay

South Bay, Inner

South Bay, Outer

Little Archipelago

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The NEAT method

• Nested hierarchies of pre-defined spatial assessment units (SAUs) and habitats within these SAUs

Regional Sea

Northern part

Big fjord

Big Fjord, Inner

Big Fjord, Outer

Western part

Southern Straits

South Bay

South Bay, Inner

South Bay, Outer

Little Archipelago

Habitats

Pelagic Benthic

Mud

Sand

Reef

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The NEAT method

• Lists of pre-defined ecosystem components

Regional Sea

Western part

Southern Straits

Mud • Benthic fauna

• Benthic vegetation

• Birds

• Fish

• Mammals

• …

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The NEAT method • All indicators are assigned to a combination of:

• SAU

• Habitat

• Ecosystem component

• For each indicator you need: • Range of values (minimum/maximum)

• Target value (boundary good/not good)

• A value and a standard error

SAU Habitat Ecosystem component Indicator

Regional Sea Pelagic Fish Biomass of pelagic fish

Regional Sea Sand Benthic fauna Dominance of polychaetes

Western part Mud Benthic fauna Bivalve size classes

Little Archipelago Benthic Benthic vegetation Primary production of eelgrass

Little Archipelago Sand Fish Population size of benthic flatfish

Example:

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The NEAT method

The final NEAT value is …

• … calculated as a weighted mean of all indicator values assigned to a certain defined SAU or to a combination of SAU+habitat or SAU+ecosystem component

• … expressed as a value between 0 and 1, and belonging to one of five equi-distant status classes

1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

threshold to good environmental status

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Overview of the NEAT software

All assessments listed in their own menu

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

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Overview of the NEAT software

Pre-defined assessments to choose from

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

21

Overview of the NEAT software

Window for SAU management

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

22

Overview of the NEAT software

Window for indicators

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

23

Overview of the NEAT software

Window with assessment data

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

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Overview of the NEAT software Assessment results

Customizable options

NEAT results

http://www.devotes-project.eu/neat

Integration and assessment

DEVOTES Synthesis

DEVOTES Synthesis

Dr Ángel Borja (aborja@azti.es) Twitter: @AngelBorjaYerro ResearchGate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Angel_Borja/ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=245091062&trk=tab_pro

Brussels, 11th November 2016