The role of positive species interactions in sustaining and restoring the biodiversity of temperate coasts under future climate scenarios

Activity Overview

Type: Foresight Workshop
Start Date: July 3, 2017
End Date: July 5, 2017
Venue: Department of Biology, University of Pisa
Contact: Fabio Bulleri
E-mail: fabio.bulleri [at] unipi.it

Funding Call: EuroMarine 2016 Call for Proposals
Decision Body: EuroMarine Steering Committee
Total Budget: €7,500
Funds Granted: €7,500

Manager(s): Fabio Bulleri

Scope

Coastal marine ecosystems are substantial contributors to the prosperity and well-being in Europe. Several gaps in our knowledge of the mechanisms regulating the direction and strength of species interactions along gradients of environmental stress limit our ability to predict if and to which extent biotic amelioration of environmental conditions can sustain species persistence in the face of climate change.

Topic

This project will use marine habitat-formers as a model system to evaluate whether biotic amelioration of environmental conditions can be seen as a “blue” tool for mitigating the impact of global climate changes.

Objectives

Habitat-forming species might be used as a tool to mitigate adverse effects of enhanced adversity of environmental conditions. POSTCLIMA aims to foster our understanding and management of the impacts generated by the interaction between global (e.g. warming and acidification) and regional (e.g. eutrophication, hypoxia, enhanced sedimentation rates) stressors along European coasts. The FWS will build on knowledge and experience of invited partners on the current status of habitat-forming species, marine community assembly dynamics and global climate changes.

Expected Outcomes

Advance our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of global warming and acidification on marine biodiversity along European shores, a key step towards the protection and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.
Identify the potential of facilitation cascades as a blue tool for promoting the resistance of marine biodiversity at scales relevant to address the consequences of climate changes. Main ideas and concept will be synthesized in a paper for submission to a peer-review journal.
Establish a network for the performance of coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) in order to start addressing the most pressing questions regarding the role of positive species interactions in multiple stressors scenarios. Simple, low budget field experiments replicated at different sites along the European coasts. Importantly, the connections established during this project may form the basis for long-term experimentation and, hence, contribute the set up a roadmap for future research on climate change impacts in marine environments.
Scoping and drafting a research agenda and work plan for submission as a proposal or part of a proposal to the forthcoming call “Societal challenge 5: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials” (SC5) topic SC5-6-2014: Biodiversity and ecosystem services: drivers of change and causalities

Planned involvement of EuroMarine organisations

Manager

UniPi

Key Participant

RUG - GELIFES

CCMAR

CoNISMa

CIIMAR

PML

HCMR

GEOMAR

UniBo

CNRS

SZN

UVigo

UCD

RBI

The main aim of POSTCLIMA was that of fostering our understanding and management of the impacts generated by the interaction between global (e.g. warming and acidification) and regional (e.g. eutrophication, hypoxia, enhanced sedimentation rates) stressors along European coasts. Three main objectives have been reached:

1) Identify the potential of facilitation as a blue tool for promoting the resistance of marine biodiversity at scales relevant to address the consequences of climate changes. Main ideas and concepts have been synthesized in a paper for submission to a peer-review journal (Trends in Ecology and Evolution).

2) Establish a network for the performance of coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) in order to start addressing the most pressing questions regarding the role of positive species interactions in multiple stressors scenarios. A protocol for simple, low budget field experiments replicated at different sites along the European coasts has been discussed and approved by participants. The connections established during the workshop may form the basis for long-term experimentation and, hence, contribute to the set up of a roadmap for future research on climate change impacts in marine environments.

3) Participants to POSTCLIMA have explored current opportunities for funding of research. Although it seems there are no suitable calls within the Horizon 2020 schemes, the group of researchers formed under the auspices of POSTCLIMA aims to maintain ongoing activities. Towards this goal, the idea of developing a proposal to be submitted with the COST Actions is currently under evaluation.