Description: At the end of their operational life time offshore wind farms need to be decommissioned. How and to what extent the removal of the underwater structures impairs the ecosystem that developed during the operational phase of the wind farm is not known. So, decision makers face a knowledge gap, making the consideration of such ecological impacts challenging when planning decommissioning. This study evaluates how complete or partial decommissioning of foundation structure and scour protection layer impacts local epibenthic macrofauna biodiversity. We assessed three decommissioning alternatives (one for complete and two for partial removal) regarding their impact on epibenthic macrofauna species richness. The results imply that leaving the scour protection layer in situ will preserve a considerable number of species while cutting of the foundation structure above seabed will be beneficial for the fauna of such foundation structures where no scour protection is installed. These results should be taken with a grain of salt, as the current data base is rather limited. Data need to be improved substantially to allow for reliable statements and sound advice regarding the ecological impact of offshore wind farm decommissioning.

Description: Amongst other factors, topographic features can influence the genetic variability among populations of marine organisms. This applies to host species but also to their parasites, which are poorly studied regarding this aspect, as well as with regard to their use as bioindicators. In the present work, the ribosomal DNA (28S rDNA) was used to assess genetic diversity of Grillotia (Cestoda, Trypanorhyncha) larvae in one of its paratenic hosts, namely Etmopterus spinax, across five different regions (off Scotland, Celtic, Alboran and Balearic Seas and off Cyprus) belonging to three major geographic areas (Northeast Atlantic, western and eastern Mediterranean). The obtained sequences revealed a total of 18 polymorphic sites and 17 haplotypes, as well as significant values of variance throughout the five different regions. Reconstructed phylogenetic trees highlighted that all Grillotia sp. sequences formed a monophyletic group, but divergent lineages split into different main clades which were in relation to the area of origin, with a consistent cluster of sequences from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as another from the Eastern Mediterranean. In contrast, low genetic differentiation was observed between samples from Balearic and Alboran Seas, and with respect to Grillotia sp. larvae from the Gulf of Naples analysed in a previous study. Geographical differences in parasite infection descriptors (prevalence, abundance, and intensity) were assessed, revealing significant differences among the sampled regions. The present study indicates that geographical distance and submarine barriers affect not only the connectivity of hosts but also their parasite infrapopulations by limiting interpopulation dispersal. It underlines the usefulness of parasites as biological tags for the study of susceptible and data-poor host species such as deep-water sharks and its potential implications for host population management and protection measures.

Description: With changing climate, the boreal forest could potentially migrate north and become threatened by droughts in the south. However, whether larches, the dominant tree species in eastern Siberia, can adapt to novel situations is largely unknown but is crucial for predicting future population dynamics. Exploring variable traits and trait adaptation through inheritance in an individual-based model can improve our understanding and help future projections. We updated the individual-based spatially explicit vegetation model LAVESI (Larix Vegetation Simulator), used for forest predictions in Eastern Siberia, with trait value variation and incorporated inheritance of parental values to their offspring. Forcing the model with both past and future climate projections, we simulated two areas – the expanding northern treeline and a southerly area experiencing drought. While the specific trait of ‘seed weight’ regulates migration, the abstract ‘drought resistance’ protects stands. We show that trait variation with inheritance leads to an increase in migration rate (∼ 3% area increase until 2100). The drought resistance simulations show that, under increasing stress, including adaptive traits leads to larger surviving populations (17% of threatened under RCP 4.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway)). We show that with the increase expected under the RCP 8.5 scenario vast areas (80% of the extrapolated area) of larch forest are threatened and could disappear due to drought as adaptation plays only a minor role under strong warming. We conclude that variable traits facilitate the availability of variants under environmental changes. Inheritance allows populations to adapt to environments and promote successful traits, which leads to populations that can spread faster and be more resilient, provided the changes are not too drastic in both time and magnitude. We show that trait variation and inheritance contribute to more accurate models that can improve our understanding of responses of boreal forests to global change.

Description: The diatom Pseudo-nitzschia H. Peragallo is perhaps the most intensively researched genus of marine pennate diatoms, with respect to species diversity, life history strategies, toxigenicity, and biogeographical distribution. The global magnitude and consequences of harmful algal blooms (HABs) of Pseudo-nitzschia are particularly significant because of the high socioeconomic impacts and environmental and human health risks associated with the production of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) among populations of many (although not all) species. This has led to enhanced monitoring and mitigation strategies for toxigenic Pseudo-nitzschia blooms and their toxins in recent years. Nevertheless, human adaptive actions based on future scenarios of bloom dynamics and proposed shifts in biogeographical distribution under climate-change regimes have not been implemented on a regional scale. In the CoCliME (Co-development of climate services for adaptation to changing marine ecosystems) program these issues were addressed with respect to past, current and anticipated future status of key HAB genera such as Pseudo-nitzschia and expected benefits of enhanced monitoring. Data on the distribution and frequency of Pseudo-nitzschia blooms in relation to DA occurrence and associated amnesic shellfish toxin (AST) events were evaluated in a contemporary and historical context over the past several decades from key northern CoCliME Case Study areas. The regional studies comprised the greater North Sea and adjacent Kattegat-Skagerrak and Norwegian Sea, eastern North Atlantic marginal seas and Arctic gateways, and the Baltic Sea. The first evidence of possible biogeographical expansion of Pseudo-nitzschia taxa into frontier eastern Arctic gateways was provided from DNA barcoding signatures. Key climate change indicators, such as salinity, temperature, and water-column stratification were identified as drivers of upwelling and advection related to the distribution of regional Pseudo-nitzschia blooms. The possible influence of changing variables on bloom dynamics, magnitude, frequency and spatial and temporal distribution were interpreted in the context of regional ocean climate models. These climate change indicators may play key roles in selecting for the occurrence and diversity of Pseudo-nitzschia species within the broader microeukaryote communities. Shifts to higher temperature and lower salinity regimes predicted for the southern North Sea indicate the potential for high-magnitude Pseudo-nitzschia blooms, currently absent from this area. Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of Pseudo-nitzschia blooms are evaluated with reference to effects on fisheries and mariculture resources and coastal ecosystem function. Where feasible, effective adaptation strategies are proposed herein as emerging climate services for the northern CoCLiME region.

Description: Zooplankton communities vary in space and time. Their composition is strongly influenced by lower trophic levels that are dependent on the availability of light and nutrients. As all marine ecosystems are relying on zooplankton as intermediate trophic step between primary production and higher trophic levels, changes in the zooplankton community composition and biomass can cascade through the food web with important impacts on fish communities and through that on fisheries yields. An intense fisheries exist around the Falkland Islands in the SW Atlantic Ocean, around 51° S, but to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has to date investigated the seasonal variation in zooplankton community composition in these waters. We show that copepods (39.2%), the larvae of the anomurid Grimothea gregaria (33.1%) and euphausiids (10.9%) dominate the local mesozooplankton community by biomass. All species showed seasonal patterns, including ontogenetic behaviour of G. gregaria migrating to deeper waters with development, which were significantly explained by temperature (p 〈 0.001). While overall biomass significantly decreased with distance from shore (p 〈 0.001), mesozooplankton diversity was highest at 30 km from shore. The presented study is the first assessment of the mesozooplankton biomass off the Falkland Islands and provides a first baseline to aid future ecosystem studies in the context of ecosystem based fisheries management in the region.

Description: The ocean plays a central role in modulating the Earth’s carbon cycle. Monitoring how the ocean carbon cycle is changing is fundamental to managing climate change. Satellite remote sensing is currently our best tool for viewing the ocean surface globally and systematically, at high spatial and temporal resolutions, and the past few decades have seen an exponential growth in studies utilising satellite data for ocean carbon research. Satellite-based observations must be combined with in-situ observations and models, to obtain a comprehensive view of ocean carbon pools and fluxes. To help prioritise future research in this area, a workshop was organised that assembled leading experts working on the topic, from around the world, including remote-sensing scientists, field scientists and modellers, with the goal to articulate a collective view of the current status of ocean carbon research, identify gaps in knowledge, and formulate a scientific roadmap for the next decade, with an emphasis on evaluating where satellite remote sensing may contribute. A total of 449 scientists and stakeholders participated (with balanced gender representation), from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Sessions targeted both inorganic and organic pools of carbon in the ocean, in both dissolved and particulate form, as well as major fluxes of carbon between reservoirs (e.g., primary production) and at interfaces (e.g., air-sea and land–ocean). Extreme events, blue carbon and carbon budgeting were also key topics discussed. Emerging priorities identified include: expanding the networks and quality of in-situ observations; improved satellite retrievals; improved uncertainty quantification; improved understanding of vertical distributions; integration with models; improved techniques to bridge spatial and temporal scales of the different data sources; and improved fundamental understanding of the ocean carbon cycle, and of the interactions among pools of carbon and light. We also report on priorities for the specific pools and fluxes studied, and highlight issues and concerns that arose during discussions, such as the need to consider the environmental impact of satellites or space activities; the role satellites can play in monitoring ocean carbon dioxide removal approaches; economic valuation of the satellite based information; to consider how satellites can contribute to monitoring cycles of other important climatically-relevant compounds and elements; to promote diversity and inclusivity in ocean carbon research; to bring together communities working on different aspects of planetary carbon; maximising use of international bodies; to follow an open science approach; to explore new and innovative ways to remotely monitor ocean carbon; and to harness quantum computing. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive scientific roadmap for the next decade on how satellite remote sensing could help monitor the ocean carbon cycle, and its links to the other domains, such as terrestrial and atmosphere.

Description: Biogeochemical markers in combination with bacterial community composition were studied at two contrasting stations at the Río Negro (RN) estuary to assess the outwelling hypothesis in the Argentinian Patagonia. Inorganic nutrients and dissolved organic matter were exported clearly during the last hours of the ebb at the station Wetland. Moreover, a considerable outwelling of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particulates and microalgae was inferred by this combined approach. The exported 22:6(n-3) and 20:5(n-3) contributed very likely to sustain higher trophic levels in the coasts of the Southwest Atlantic. The stable isotopes did not evidence clearly the outwelling; nevertheless, the combination of δ13C with fatty acid bacterial markers indicated organic matter degradation in the sediments. The dominance of Desulfobacterales and Desulfuromonadales suggested sulphate reduction in the sediments, a key mechanism for nutrient outwelling in salt marshes. Marivivens and other Rhodobacterales (Alphaproteobacteria) in the suspended particulate matter were clear indicators of the nutrient outwelling. The colonization of particles according to the island biogeography theory was a good hypothesis to explain the lower bacterial biodiversity at the wetland. The copiotrophic conditions of the RN estuary and particularly at the wetland were deduced also by the dynamic of some Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia and Gammaproteobacteria. This high-resolution snapshot combining isotopic, lipid and bacterial markers offers key pioneer insights into biogeochemical and ecological processes of the RN estuary.

Description: The enhanced inertia load caused by biofouling on device components, such as the foundations of wind turbines or other structures at sea, modifies the hydrodynamic properties, and increases the stress to structures, predominantly in upper water layers with high impact from wave dynamics. This compromises the stability, functioning, operation as well as the durability of these devices especially in exposed environments. A main challenge is the quantification of the impact of hydrodynamic forces on irregular bodies being overgrown by soft- and hard-bodied biofouling organisms. Therefore, test bodies from the upper 1–5 m water depth and thus exposed to the strongest wave actions close to the surface shall be overgrown by biofouling and used in measurement trials in a wave and current flume. These measurements shall shed light on the varying roughness and its influence on the load bearing capacity of foundation piles. Consequently, the main aims of the present work were the development of two independent test stations as holding devices for artificial test bodies for the collection of biofouling organisms during field studies: a carrying unit floating at the surface in an exposed area (System A) and a sampling device with access from a land-based facility (System B). Both systems are relatively easy to access, exhibit straightforward handling, and are reasonable cost-effective. A Test Body Support Unit (TBSU, System A) was designed and mounted on a spare buoy to carry the test bodies (cylinders), which serve as substrate for the fouling. The system was sufficiently robust to withstand several periods of rough sea conditions over the first two years. This system can only be accessed by vessels. System B (MareLift) provided the robustness and functionality needed for areas exhibiting harsh conditions but can be operated from land. The here used test bodies (steel panels) exhibited a sound basis for the monitoring of succession processes in the biofouling development. System B offered the possibility to analyse two habitats (intertidal and subtidal) and revealed clear differences in the composition and development of their fouling communities. Overall, both systems provide advantages in obtaining standardized biofouling samples compared to previous approaches. Such test stations play an important role in the risk management of marine sectors as they could help characterising biofouling communities over different geographical areas. System A and B provide a sound basis for biofouling research but potentially also for other potential research approaches in exposed areas as they provide space for future developments.

Description: This article examines the politics of emerging partnerships among big-tech corporations, big international non-governmental organisations (BINGOs) and bilaterals that promote the uptake and implementation of ‘smart technologies’ in biodiversity conservation. Despite growing global recognition of Indigenous and local peoples' rights to forests, lands, and oceans as central to socially just and successful conservation, new initiatives to conserve 30% of the Earth's territory by 2030 (‘30 × 30’) under the United Nations' (UN) post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework largely continue to neglect their existing customary rights and uses of biodiverse territories. The consequences of this have become evident in new global conservation partnerships that are taking a ‘technological turn’. ‘Smart technologies’ that rely on artificial intelligence (AI) and complex hardware, such as camera traps, drones, and smartphones, enable new forms of surveillance and securitisation through and beyond conventional conservation practices. Despite their potential to exacerbate social injustices against historically marginalised groups, the situated character of smart technology impacts and outcomes often remain unquestioned by mainstream conservation actors. Our paper shows how the dominant discourses framing such technology as successful and innovative across global and local partnerships belies its potential to: 1) inflict considerable violence upon local and Indigenous peoples; and 2) neglect the main political economic drivers of biodiversity loss. Drawing on examples from Palawan Island, the Philippines, we show how these global-local governance partnerships have valorised the potential success of smart technology for biodiversity conservation in situ without considering how they may adversely impact Indigenous and local peoples' rights and livelihoods, while at the same time neglecting and depoliticising the violence of capitalist extractivist expansion.

Description: The Arctic has warmed more than twice the rate of the entire globe. To quantify possible climate change effects, we calculate wind energy potentials from a multi-model ensemble of Arctic-CORDEX. For this, we analyze future changes of wind power density (WPD) using an eleven-member multi-model ensemble. Impacts are estimated for two periods (2020–2049 and 2070–2099) of the 21st century under a high emission scenario (RCP8.5). The multi-model mean reveals an increase of seasonal WPD over the Arctic in the future decades. WPD variability across a range of temporal scales is projected to increase over the Arctic. The signal amplifies by the end of 21st century. Future changes in the frequency of wind speeds at 100 m not useable for wind energy production (wind speeds below 4 m/s or above 25 m/s) has been analyzed. The RCM ensemble simulates a more frequent occurrence of 100 m non-usable wind speeds for the wind-turbines over Scandinavia and selected land areas in Alaska, northern Russia and Canada. In contrast, non-usable wind speeds decrease over large parts of Eastern Siberia and in northern Alaska. Thus, our results indicate increased potential of the Arctic for the development and production of wind energy. Bias corrected and not corrected near-surface wind speed and WPD changes have been compared with each other. It has been found that both show the same sign of future change, but differ in magnitude of these changes. The role of sea-ice retreat and vegetation expansion in the Arctic in future on near-surface wind speed variability has been also assessed. Surface roughness through sea-ice and vegetation changes may significantly impact on WPD variability in the Arctic.