Approach

By improving our understanding of:

• the main flows of Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Silicon between biological components of the ecosystem
• how changes in environmental conditions, or human perturbations, may impact upon these flows

Research

• Semi-permanent in situ monitoring
• Seasonal research cruises

SmartBuoy - Monitoring in near-surface waters	Scanfish tows between the surface and the seabed	Benthic lander - monitoring the seabed

Modelling

• GIS-based
• Ecosystem models
• Trophic models

Schematic of study sites along physical gradients

This study will contribute to:

• Development of indicators of ecosystem health, productivity and diversity
• An improved evidence base to assessing impacts of environmental change, and human perturbations
• Implementation of ecosystem approach to management of marine resources (e.g. fisheries)
• Provision of sound advice in terms of predicting and managing consequences of environmental variability (e.g. climate change) and human impacts (e.g. Trawling, aggregate extraction, disposal of dredge spoils)
• Safeguarding our Seas

This is relevant to:

Defra Policy and Science Strategy; OSPAR (e.g. biodiversity, development of indicators of human impacts); EU Directives (e.g. Water Framework Directive, Habitats Directive); European Marine Strategy.