Authors

Chiara Piroddi, European Commission Joint Research CentreFollow
Ekin Akoglu, Middle East Technical University (METU)
Eider Andonegi, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
Jacob W. Bentley, United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Igor Celić, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale
Marta Coll, CSIC - Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)
Donna Dimarchopoulou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
René Friedland, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Kim de Mutsert, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Raphael Girardin, IFREMER Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
Elisa Garcia-Gorriz, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Bruna Grizzetti, European Commission Joint Research Centre
P. Y. Hernvann, IFREMER Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
Johanna J. Heymans, European Marine Board IVZW
Bärbel Müller-Karulis, Stockholms universitet
Simone Libralato, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale
Christopher P. Lynam, Centre for the Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Diego Macias, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Svetla Miladinova, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Fabien Moullec, Universität Hamburg
Andreas Palialexis, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Ove Parn, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Natalia Serpetti, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale
Cosimo Solidoro, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale
Jeroen Steenbeek, Ecopath International Initiative Research Association
Adolf Stips, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Maciej T. Tomczak, Stockholms universitet
Morgane Travers-Trolet, IFREMER Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
Athanassios C. Tsikliras, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-23-2021

Department

Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

School

Ocean Science and Engineering

Abstract

Eutrophication is one of the most important anthropogenic pressures impacting coastal seas. In Europe, several legislations and management measures have been implemented to halt nutrient overloading in marine ecosystems. This study evaluates the impact of freshwater nutrient control measures on higher trophic levels (HTL) in European marine ecosystems following descriptors and criteria as defined by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We used a novel pan-European marine modeling ensemble of fourteen HTL models, covering almost all the EU seas, under two nutrient management scenarios. Results from our projections suggest that the proposed nutrient reduction measures may not have a significant impact on the structure and function of European marine ecosystems. Among the assessed criteria, the spawning stock biomass of commercially important fish stocks and the biomass of small pelagic fishes would be the most impacted, albeit with values lower than 2.5%. For the other criteria/indicators, such as species diversity and trophic level indicators, the impact was lower. The Black Sea and the North-East Atlantic were the most negatively impacted regions, while the Baltic Sea was the only region showing signs of improvement. Coastal and shelf areas were more sensitive to environmental changes than large regional and sub-regional ecosystems that also include open seas. This is the first pan-European multi-model comparison study used to assess the impacts of land-based measures on marine and coastal European ecosystems through a set of selected ecological indicators. Since anthropogenic pressures are expanding apace in the marine environment and policy makers need to use rapid and effective policy measures for fast-changing environments, this modeling framework is an essential asset in supporting and guiding EU policy needs and decisions.

Publication Title

Frontiers in Marine Science

Volume

8

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