Biological indicators across heterogenous datasets Abigail Mc QuattersGollop

Biological indicators across heterogenous datasets Abigail Mc. Quatters-Gollop

Outline • Ecological indicator use and selection • Indicators in the context of the MSFD • Examples of applied ecological indicators

The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) • Plankton ecologically important • Unchanged methodology (80 years) • Longest, most spatially extensive oceanic monitoring program in the world • ~ 1 million samples • 500 plankton taxa + indicator of phyto biomass • Microplastics • Water sampler

An indicator approach

Determining indicators • Policy relevance • Spatio-temporal representivity • Data

Marine Strategy Framework Directive Objective: to achieve Good Environmental Status (GEn. S) of Europe’s seas by 2020 • Regional seas approach to Ecosystem Based Management • Adaptive management • Consistency and comparability in monitoring programmes • Importance of natural variability • 11 qualitative descriptors of GEn. S

Descriptors of GEn. S 1. Biodiversity 2. Non-indigenous species 3. Fisheries 4. Marine food webs 5. Eutrophication 6. Benthic ecosystems Milestones 7. Hydrographical conditions 8. Pollution 9. Contaminants 10. Marine litter 11. Energy and noise Criteria and methodological standards decided • Initial assessment • Determination of GEn. S • Establishment environmental targets & associated indicators Establish and implement monitoring programme Programme of measures to achieve or maintain GEn. S 2010 2012 2014 by 2015 DATE EVA ROTH &TIM O’HIGGINS Entry into operation of the programme of measures by 2016 Achieve GEn. S 2020 now. Seas

Indicators in MSFD • • Used to monitor towards environmental targets/GEn. S Descriptors -> criteria -> indicator(s) One criterion – multiple indicators One indicator – multiple measures MSFD Descriptor Eutrophication Criteria for GEn. S Water transparency Chlorophyll concentration Algal spp. shift Indicator Secchi depth Phytop. Colour Index Diatom: dino

One criterion – multiple indicators Eutrophication Algal spp. shift HABs Diatom: dino

One indicator – multiple measures Eutrophication Chlorophyll concentration Phytoplankton Colour Index North Atlantic Chl indicators

Representivity: An issue of scale

Representivity: An issue of scale • Spatial: Many time-series are localized • Temporal: Many time-series are short Edwards, M. et al (2010) TREE

Data • MSFD flexible -> heterogenous datasets (measures) for indicators • Broadly applicable approach • Best use of available data Policy issue Indicator Dataset 1 Dataset 2

Indicators from heterogenous datasets ICES CPR 1902 - 1912 • many methods of sample collection • varying depths • inconsistent taxonomic resolution • inconsistent measures (#, p/a, rr) • patchy seasonal coverage 1948 - present • consistent methodology • consistent tow depth • consistent taxonomic resolution • consistent measures • monthly tow frequency

ICES CPR No. samples ICES Total in DB 13, 000 Comparable study areas 9, 191 Comparable depths 2, 619 Comparable seasonality CPR ~1 M 97, 093 32, 454

Taxonomic challenges • Differences in measures • Differences in taxonomic detail ICES No. taxa 1824 No. species 1395 Chaetoceros 51 Foraminfera 87 CPR ~500 ~300 2 Not spp.

Taxonomic challenges • Species name changes/ synonyms

Taxonomic challenges • Taxonomic identification

HABs

HABs - Noctiluca ICES 1900 s CPR 2000 s CPR 1980 s CPR 1990 s

Climate change – C. hyperboreous ICES 1900 s CPR 1960 s CPR 1970 s CPR 1990 s CPR 1980 s CPR 2000 s

Ocean acidification Mc. Q-G, Edwards, Beaugrand SAHFOS

Eutrophication A. Mc. Quatters-Gollop, M. Edwards

Sea. Wi. FS+CPR = new dataset! Sea. Wi. FS – Chl-a CPR - PCI Mc. Quatters-Gollop L&O

Biogeographical shifts G. Beaugrand

Diversity (simple) Number of dinoflagellate species per sample

Biodiversity (Complex) G. Beaugrand & M. Edwards PNAS (bottom) & GCB (top)

ICES (1902 -1912) Protoperidinium spp. Ceratium tripos Ceratium furca Ceratium longipes Ceratium fusus Chaetoceros( Hyalochaete ) spp. Dinophysis spp. Chaetoceros( Phaeoceros ) spp. Ceratium macroceros Rhizosolenia hebetata semispina Coscinodiscus concinnus Thalassiosira spp. Rhizosolenia styliformis Unidentified Coscinodiscus spp. Ceratium horridum Leptocylindrus danicus Proboscia alata Lauderia annulata Ceratium lineatum Rhizosolenia imbricata Cerataulina pelagica Pseudo-nitzschia seriata Paralia sulcata Gymnodinium spp. Gonyaulax spp. Guinardia flaccida Ceratium arietinum Dactyliosolen fragilissimus Thalassionema nitzschioides Prorocentrum spp. Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima Cylindrotheca closterium Asterionellopsis glacialis Guinardia striata Gyrosigma spp. Ditylum brightwellii Navicula spp. Actinoptychus spp. Odontella mobiliensis Skeletonema costatum Thalassiothrix longissima Glenodinium spp. Noctiluca scintillans Eucampia zodiacus Podosira stelliger Dissodinium pseudolunula Pronoctiluca pelagica Odontella aurita Odontella sinensis Rhizosolenia setigera Thalassionema frauenfeldii Ebria tripartita Aulacodiscus argus Rhizosolenia spp. (other) % 82. 78 62. 22 61. 11 59. 44 58. 89 57. 84 55. 56 55. 14 41. 67 38. 38 37. 84 36. 76 32. 97 30. 27 28. 33 27. 03 22. 70 22. 16 20. 56 18. 92 17. 84 16. 76 16. 67 15. 00 14. 05 13. 89 13. 51 13. 33 11. 89 10. 81 8. 65 8. 11 7. 03 6. 49 5. 56 5. 41 3. 24 2. 78 2. 70 2. 16 1. 67 1. 62 May % 36. 95 35. 64 35. 11 33. 41 32. 00 26. 00 22. 30 21. 94 16. 01 15. 89 14. 34 12. 88 12. 83 11. 81 10. 97 10. 73 9. 54 9. 39 7. 62 7. 15 6. 91 6. 69 6. 45 4. 68 3. 56 3. 44 3. 18 2. 75 2. 70 2. 44 2. 41 2. 39 2. 34 2. 27 2. 22 2. 17 2. 06 1. 65 1. 53 1. 48 1. 36 1. 24 1. 20 1. 17 1. 05 CPR (1958 -2008 ) Chaetoceros( Phaeoceros ) spp. Thalassiosira spp. Ceratium fusus Protoperidinium spp. Chaetoceros( Hyalochaete ) spp. Ceratium furca Rhizosolenia hebetata semispina Ceratium tripos Ceratium longipes Rhizosolenia styliformis Ceratium horridum Paralia sulcata Thalassionema nitzschioides Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima complex Ceratium macroceros Rhizosolenia imbrica. shrubsolei Pseudo-nitzschia seriata complex Ceratium lineatum Dinophysis spp. Unidentified Coscinodiscus spp. Odontella sinensis Proboscia alata Asterionellopsis glacialis Skeletonema costatum Cylindrotheca closterium Fragilaria spp. Odontella regia Navicula spp. Gonyaulax spp. Coscinodiscus concinnus Ditylum brightwellii Coscinodiscus wailesii Gyrosigma spp. Scrippsiella spp. Thalassiothrix longissima Eucampia zodiacus Proboscia inermis Guinardia delicatula Noctiluca scintillans Guinardia striata Lauderia annulata Bacillaria paxillifer Rhaphoneis amphiceros Odontella rhombus Odontella aurita Prorocentrum spp. ('Exuviaella' type) Dactyliosolen fragilissimus Taxa not in CPR DB Community changes Taxa not in ICES DB

Non-natives

Consider. . • • Policy relevance Appropriateness of scale Synchronize heterogenous datasets Validation / verification