Description: The ESPREssO Project set out to propose ways to inform more coherent national and European approaches on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). A critical step in this process is the identification of existing barriers to effective collaboration, finding new areas of common ground, and ways to enhance co-operation with regards to CCA and DRR policymaking in Europe. This is particularly important considering the potential relationships between CCA and DRR activities at the regional, national, European and global levels. Serious games have emerged as a valuable tool to communicate information and catalyse discussion in many policy arenas. The games have the power to inform, mainly by exposing strengths and weaknesses of a system but not necessarily create policy choices. This paper presents the development process and rationale behind creation of RAMSETE I, a serious game developed by and for the ESPREssO Project to elicit information from its stakeholders in aiming to inform synergies between CCA and DRR sectors. The results assess its application as a device to frame discussions during an international Think Tank workshop. The serious game focused on three particular aspects of CCA and DRR policy interactions: (1) separation of administrative responsibilities and the use of different terminology, (2) the ongoing competition for funding and political will as well as (3) difficulties regarding the top-down implementation of policies. The rules and design process are presented briefly, before going in-depth into the information gleaned during its application in the workshop.

Description: The German European lobster population of Homarus gammarus has been in decline since the 1960s and its recovery efforts with reared juveniles have yet to produce good results. Juveniles are one of the most vulnerable life stages as they depend on the availability of hard substrate that serves them as shelter, like rocks and boulders. Since the substrate in the German North Sea consists mostly of soft substrate like sand and mud, one viable habitat is the rocky island Helgoland. An increase of possible habitats could therefore increase the survivability of lobsters, wild and reared all together. Two of those new possible habitats are riffs constructed from the European oyster Ostrea edulis, with restoration attempts for rehabilitation in the North Sea already in progress. The other are the foundation of newly constructed Wind Farms, which often consists of rocks and boulders that envelope the foundation on the seabed. While this could lead to a surplus in new habitats due to the construction of several new Wind Farms over the next years, little is known about the possible effects’ exposure to the low-frequency noise produced by the Wind Turbines operation. To understand habitat selection and anti-predator responses lobsters might face in these underwater structures, the present study aimed to test noise and predator effects on shelter preference and behavioural responses in a full factorial design. Juvenile lobsters (n = 104; mean and standard deviation total length of 12,29 ± 0,97 mm) were exposed to one of the four conditions (control, noise, predator, and noise + predator) for three hours during nighttime (when they are most active), and the time spend on predetermined behaviours was analysed from video records (20 min were analysed). Measured at the beginning and at the end of the exposure was the preferred shelter selection, lobsters selected the rocks over the oyster shells most of the time, which is supported by the literature. However, as oyster reefs represent much more complex habitats than the stacked shells setting used in the experiment, the use of oyster reefs as shelter cannot be discarded yet. The behavioural analysis highlighted that lobsters exposed to noise + predation were more active (general movement, shelter behaviour and exploration). The exploration behaviour was particularly predominant in comparison with the lobsters exposed to noise only. This higher activity made the lobster more visible to its predator, which possibly indicates that noise might distract the lobsters in their usual anti-predator responses. This study has therefore shown that noise exposure from Wind Farms could potentially affect the anti-predator behaviour of juvenile H. gammarus and possibly reducing its survival. In the view of the fishery industry interests in growing lobster in the Wind Farm foundations or in the view of the conservation actions of releasing reared juveniles in these, further research is needed to observe if such disturbance in the anti-predator responses occur in the wild. If so, the efforts of sustainable exploitation or conservation for the species might be in vain.

Description: DiSSCo, the Distributed System of Scientific Collections, is a pan-European Research \nInfrastructure (RI) mobilising, unifying bio- and geo-diversity information connected to the \nspecimens held in natural science collections and delivering it to scientific communities and \nbeyond. Bringing together 120 institutions across 21 countries and combining earlier \ninvestments in data interoperability practices with technological advancements in \ndigitisation, cloud services and semantic linking, DiSSCo makes the data from natural \nscience collections available as one virtual data cloud, connected with data emerging from \nnew techniques and not already linked to specimens. These new data include DNA \nbarcodes, whole genome sequences, proteomics and metabolomics data, chemical data, \ntrait data, and imaging data (Computer-assisted Tomography (CT), Synchrotron, etc.), to name but a few; and will lead to a wide range of end-user services that begins with finding, \naccessing, using and improving data. DiSSCo will deliver the diagnostic information \nrequired for novel approaches and new services that will transform the landscape of what \nis possible in ways that are hard to imagine today. \nWith approximately 1.5 billion objects to be digitised, bringing natural science collections to \nthe information age is expected to result in many tens of petabytes of new data over the \nnext decades, used on average by 5,000 \xe2\x80\x93 15,000 unique users every day. This requires \nnew skills, clear policies and robust procedures and new technologies to create, work with \nand manage large digital datasets over their entire research data lifecycle, including their \nlong-term storage and preservation and open access. Such processes and procedures \nmust match and be derived from the latest thinking in open science and data management, \nrealising the core principles of \'findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable\' (FAIR). \nSynthesised from results of the ICEDIG project ("Innovation and Consolidation for Large \nScale Digitisation of Natural Heritage", EU Horizon 2020 grant agreement No. 777483) the \nDiSSCo Conceptual Design Blueprint covers the organisational arrangements, processes \nand practices, the architecture, tools and technologies, culture, skills and capacity building \nand governance and business model proposals for constructing the digitisation \ninfrastructure of DiSSCo. In this context, the digitisation infrastructure of DiSSCo must be \ninterpreted as that infrastructure (machinery, processing, procedures, personnel, \norganisation) offering Europe-wide capabilities for mass digitisation and digitisation-ondemand, \nand for the subsequent management (i.e., curation, publication, processing) and \nuse of the resulting data. The blueprint constitutes the essential background needed to \ncontinue work to raise the overall maturity of the DiSSCo Programme across multiple \ndimensions (organisational, technical, scientific, data, financial) to achieve readiness to \nbegin construction. \nToday, collection digitisation efforts have reached most collection-holding institutions \nacross Europe. Much of the leadership and many of the people involved in digitisation and \nworking with digital collections wish to take steps forward and expand the efforts to benefit \nfurther from the already noticeable positive effects. The collective results of examining \ntechnical, financial, policy and governance aspects show the way forward to operating a \nlarge distributed initiative i.e., the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) for \nnatural science collections across Europe. Ample examples, opportunities and need for \ninnovation and consolidation for large scale digitisation of natural heritage have been \ndescribed. The blueprint makes one hundred and four (104) recommendations to be \nconsidered by other elements of the DiSSCo Programme of linked projects (i.e., \nSYNTHESYS+, COST MOBILISE, DiSSCo Prepare, and others to follow) and the DiSSCo \nProgramme leadership as the journey towards organisational, technical, scientific, data and \nfinancial readiness continues. \nNevertheless, significant obstacles must be overcome as a matter of priority if DiSSCo is to \nmove beyond its Design and Preparatory Phases during 2024. Specifically, these include: \nOrganisational: \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Strengthen common purpose by adopting a common framework for policy \nharmonisation and capacity enhancement across broad areas, especially in respect \nof digitisation strategy and prioritisation, digitisation processes and techniques, data \nand digital media publication and open access, protection of and access to \nsensitive data, and administration of access and benefit sharing. \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Pursue the joint ventures and other relationships necessary to the successful \ndelivery of the DiSSCo mission, especially ventures with GBIF and other \ninternational and regional digitisation and data aggregation organisations, in the \ncontext of infrastructure policy frameworks, such as EOSC. Proceed with the \nexplicit aim of avoiding divergences of approach in global natural science \ncollections data management and research. \nTechnical: \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Adopt and enhance the DiSSCo Digital Specimen Architecture and, specifically as \na matter of urgency, establish the persistent identifier scheme to be used by \nDiSSCo and (ideally) other comparable regional initiatives. \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Establish (software) engineering development and (infrastructure) operations team \nand direction essential to the delivery of services and functionalities expected from \nDiSSCo such that earnest engineering can lead to an early start of DiSSCo \noperations. \nScientific: \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Establish a common digital research agenda leveraging Digital (extended) \nSpecimens as anchoring points for all specimen-associated and -derived \ninformation, demonstrating to research institutions and policy/decision-makers the \nnew possibilities, opportunities and value of participating in the DiSSCo research \ninfrastructure. \nData: \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Adopt the FAIR Digital Object Framework and the International Image \nInteroperability Framework as the low entropy means to achieving uniform access \nto rich data (image and non-image) that is findable, accessible, interoperable and \nreusable (FAIR). \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Develop and promote best practice approaches towards achieving the best \ndigitisation results in terms of quality (best, according to agreed minimum \ninformation and other specifications), time (highest throughput, fast), and cost \n(lowest, minimal per specimen). \nFinancial \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Broaden attractiveness (i.e., improve bankability) of DiSSCo as an infrastructure to \ninvest in. \n\xe2\x80\xa2 Plan for finding ways to bridge the funding gap to avoid disruptions in the critical \nfunding path that risks interrupting core operations; especially when the gap opens \nbetween the end of preparations and beginning of implementation due to unsolved \npolitical difficulties. \nStrategically, it is vital to balance the multiple factors addressed by the blueprint against \none another to achieve the desired goals of the DiSSCo programme. Decisions cannot be \ntaken on one aspect alone without considering other aspects, and here the various \ngovernance structures of DiSSCo (General Assembly, advisory boards, and stakeholder \nforums) play a critical role over the coming years.

Description: Adaptation to different ecological environments can, through divergent selection, generate phenotypic and genetic differences between populations, and eventually give rise to new species. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) has been proposed to represent an early stage of ecological speciation, driven by differential habitat adaptation through the deposition and development of larvae in streams versus ponds in the Kottenforst near Bonn (Germany). We set out to test this hypothesis of ecological speciation in an area different from the one where it was raised and we took the opportunity to explore for drivers of genetic differentiation at a landscape scale. A survey over 640 localities \ndemonstrated the species\xe2\x80\x99 presence in ponds and streams across forests, hilly terrain and areas with hedgerows (\xe2\x80\x98bocage\xe2\x80\x99). Genetic variation at 14 microsatellite loci across 41 localities in and around two small deciduous forests showed that salamander effective population sizes were higher in forests than in the bocage, with panmixia in the forests (Fst 〈 0.010) versus genetic drift or founder effects in several of the small and more or less isolated bocage populations (Fst 〉 0.025). The system fits the \xe2\x80\x98mainlandisland\xe2\x80\x99 metapopulation model rather than indicating adaptive genetic divergence in pond versus stream larval habitats. A reanalysis of the Kottenforst data indicated that microsatellite genetic variation fitted a geographical rather than an environmental axis, with a sharp transition from a western pondbreeding \nto an eastern, more frequently stream-breeding group of populations. A parallel changeover in mitochondrial DNA exists but remains to be well documented. The data support the existence of a hybrid zone following secondary contact of differentiated lineages, more so than speciation in situ.

Description: Valuing, managing and conserving marine biodiversity and a full range of ecosystem services is at the forefront of research and policy agendas. However, biodiversity is being lost at up to a thousand times the average background rate. Traditional disciplinary and siloed conservation approaches are not able to tackle this massive loss of biodiversity because they generally ignore or overlook the interactive and dynamic nature of ecosystems processes, limiting their predictability. To conserve marine biodiversity, we must assess the interactions and impacts among biodiversity and ecosystem services (BD-ES). The scaling up in complexity from single species to entire communities is necessary, albeit challenging, for a deeper understanding of how ecosystem services relate to biodiversity and the roles species have in ecosystem service provision. These interactions are challenging to map, let alone fully assess, but network and system-based approaches provide a powerful way to progress beyond those limitations. Here, we introduce a conceptual multi-layered network approach to understanding how ecosystem services supported by biodiversity drive the total service provision, how different stressors impact BD-ES and where conservation efforts should be placed to optimize the delivery of ecosystem services and protection of biodiversity. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Integrative research perspectives on marine conservation’.

Description: The recent identification of the bio-duck call as Antarctic minke whale (AMW) vocalization allows the use of passive acoustic monitoring to retrospectively investigate year-round spatial-temporal patterns in minke whale occurrence in ice-covered areas. Here, we present an analysis of AMW occurrence patterns based on a 9-year passive acoustic dataset (2008-2016) from 21 locations throughout the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean (Weddell Sea). AMWs were detected acoustically at all mooring locations from May to December, with the highest presence between August and November (bio-duck calls present at more than 80% of days). At the southernmost recording locations, the bio-duck call was present up to 10 months of the year. Substantial inter-annual variation in the seasonality of vocal activity correlated to variation in local ice concentration. Our analysis indicates that part of the AMW population stays in the Weddell Sea during austral winter. The period with the highest acoustic presence in the Weddell Sea (September-October) coincides with the timing of the breeding season of AMW in lower latitudes. The bio-duck call could therefore play a role in mating, although other behavioural functions of the call cannot be excluded to date.