Functional roles and redundancy of demersal Barents Sea fish: Ecological implications of environmental change

When facing environmental change and intensified anthropogenic impact on marine ecosystems, extensive knowledge of how these systems are functioning is required in order to manage them properly. However, in high-latitude ecosystems, where climate change is expected to have substantial ecological impact, the ecosystem functions of biological species have received little attention, partly due to the limited biological knowledge of Arctic species. Functional traits address the ecosystem functions of member species, allowing the functionality of communities to be characterised and the degree of functional redundancy to be assessed. Ecosystems with higher functional redundancy are expected to be less affected by species loss, and therefore less sensitive to disturbance. Here we highlight and compare typical functional characteristics of Arctic and boreal fish in the Barents Sea and address the consequences of a community-wide reorganization driven by climate warming on functional redundancy and characterization. Based on trait and fish community composition data, we assessed functional redundancy of the Barents Sea fish community for the period 2004–2012, a period during which this northern region was characterized by rapidly warming water masses and declining sea ice coverage. We identified six functional groups, with distinct spatial distributions, that collectively provide a functional characterization of Barents Sea fish. The functional groups displayed different prevalence in boreal and Arctic water masses. Some functional groups displayed a spatial expansion towards the northeast during the study period, whereas other groups showed a general decline in functional redundancy. Presently, the observed patterns of functional redundancy would seem to provide sufficient scope for buffering against local loss in functional diversity only for the more speciose functional groups. Furthermore, the observed functional reconfiguration may affect future ecosystem functioning in the area. In a period of rapid environmental change, monitoring programs integrating functional traits will help inform management on ecosystem functioning and vulnerability.publishedVersio

Supporting Self-Management of Cardiovascular Diseases Through Remote Monitoring Technologies:Metaethnography Review of Frameworks, Models, and Theories Used in Research and Development

Background: Electronic health (eHealth) is a rapidly evolving field informed by multiple scientific disciplines. Because of this, the use of different terms and concepts to explain the same phenomena and lack of standardization in reporting interventions often leaves a gap that hinders knowledge accumulation. Interventions focused on self-management support of cardiovascular diseases through the use of remote monitoring technologies are a cross-disciplinary area potentially affected by this gap. A review of the underlying frameworks, models, and theories that have informed projects at this crossroad could advance future research and development efforts. Objective: This research aimed to identify and compare underlying approaches that have informed interventions focused on self-management support of cardiovascular diseases through the use of remote monitoring technologies. The objective was to achieve an understanding of the distinct approaches by highlighting common or conflicting principles, guidelines, and methods. Methods: The metaethnography approach was used to review and synthesize researchers' reports on how they applied frameworks, models, and theories in their projects. Literature was systematically searched in 7 databases: Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library, and Cochrane Library. Included studies were thoroughly read and coded to extract data for the synthesis. Studies were mainly related by the key ingredients of the underlying approaches they applied. The key ingredients were finally translated across studies and synthesized into thematic clusters. Results: Of 1224 initial results, 17 articles were included. The articles described research and development of 10 different projects. Frameworks, models, and theories (n=43) applied by the projects were identified. Key ingredients (n=293) of the included articles were mapped to the following themes of eHealth development: (1) it is a participatory process; (2) it creates new infrastructures for improving health care, health, and well-being; (3) it is intertwined with implementation; (4) it integrates theory, evidence, and participatory approaches for persuasive design; (5) it requires continuous evaluation cycles; (6) it targets behavior change; (7) it targets technology adoption; and (8) it targets health-related outcomes. Conclusions: The findings of this review support and exemplify the numerous possibilities in the use of frameworks, models, and theories to guide research and development of eHealth. Participatory, user-centered design, and integration with empirical evidence and theoretical modeling were widely identified principles in the literature. On the contrary, less attention has been given to the integration of implementation in the development process and supporting novel eHealth-based health care infrastructures. To better integrate theory and evidence, holistic approaches can combine patient-centered studies with consolidated knowledge from expert-based approaches

Omfang av penge- og dataspillproblemer i Norge 2019

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Klimapåvirkning på viktige kystvannsarter

Vi beskriver statistisk nedskalering av det marine fysisk-biologiske klimaet for norskekysten under tre klimagassutslippscenarioer (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5). Resultatene inngår i beregningene for fremtidig habitatskvalitet for fem utvalgte marine arter langs norskekysten: kysttorsk, kongekrabbe, Atlantisk laks, stortare og drøbakkråkebolle. Resultatene indikerer at kongekrabbe vil hovedsakelig finnes i Nord-Norge, men habitatkvalitet vil synke frem til 2100. Kysttorsk vil kunne finnes langs hele norskekysten frem mot år 2100, men en nedgang i habitatkvalitet forventes uavhengig av klimascenario. For Atlantisk laks vil økte havtemperaturer gi redusert habitatskvalitet, men uavhengig av klimascenario vil kystsonen forbli egnet habitat. Habitatskvaliteten for stortare forventes å holde seg stabil i sørlige kystområder og øke i nordlige områder, men med en sterkere økning i temperatur mot slutten av århundret kan vi forvente nedgang eller lokal utryddelse i Sør-Norge avhengig av scenario. Habitatet for drøbakkråkebolle vil holde seg stabilt under utslippsscenarioene SSP1-2.6 og SSP2-4.5, men under SSP5-8.5 vil forsuring føre til sterk reduksjon i utbredelse. Disse resultatene kan gi forvaltningen bedre innsyn i hvordan kystsonen vil påvirkes forskjellig fra de åpne havområdene. En mer helhetlig tilnærming til forvaltning av kystsonen og havområdene vil kunne gi bedre mulighet til å fange opp endringer som skyldes klima og innføre tiltak som kan begrense den negative effekten av klimaendringer. Dette kan inkludere bærekraftig fiskeriforvaltning og opprettelse av marine verneområder.publishedVersionpublishedVersio

Klimapåvirkning på viktige kystvannsarter

Prosjektleder Trond KristiansenVi beskriver statistisk nedskalering av det marine fysisk-biologiske klimaet for norskekysten under tre klimagassutslippscenarioer (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5). Resultatene inngår i beregningene for fremtidig habitatskvalitet for fem utvalgte marine arter langs norskekysten: kysttorsk, kongekrabbe, Atlantisk laks, stortare og drøbakkråkebolle. Resultatene indikerer at kongekrabbe vil hovedsakelig finnes i Nord-Norge, men habitatkvalitet vil synke frem til 2100. Kysttorsk vil kunne finnes langs hele norskekysten frem mot år 2100, men en nedgang i habitatkvalitet forventes uavhengig av klimascenario. For Atlantisk laks vil økte havtemperaturer gi redusert habitatskvalitet, men uavhengig av klimascenario vil kystsonen forbli egnet habitat. Habitatskvaliteten for stortare forventes å holde seg stabil i sørlige kystområder og øke i nordlige områder, men med en sterkere økning i temperatur mot slutten av århundret kan vi forvente nedgang eller lokal utryddelse i Sør-Norge avhengig av scenario. Habitatet for drøbakkråkebolle vil holde seg stabilt under utslippsscenarioene SSP1-2.6 og SSP2-4.5, men under SSP5-8.5 vil forsuring føre til sterk reduksjon i utbredelse. Disse resultatene kan gi forvaltningen bedre innsyn i hvordan kystsonen vil påvirkes forskjellig fra de åpne havområdene. En mer helhetlig tilnærming til forvaltning av kystsonen og havområdene vil kunne gi bedre mulighet til å fange opp endringer som skyldes klima og innføre tiltak som kan begrense den negative effekten av klimaendringer. Dette kan inkludere bærekraftig fiskeriforvaltning og opprettelse av marine verneområder.MiljødirektoratetpublishedVersio

Klimapåvirkning på viktige kystvannsarter

Vi beskriver statistisk nedskalering av det marine fysisk-biologiske klimaet for norskekysten under tre klimagassutslippscenarioer (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5). Resultatene inngår i beregningene for fremtidig habitatskvalitet for fem utvalgte marine arter langs norskekysten: kysttorsk, kongekrabbe, Atlantisk laks, stortare og drøbakkråkebolle. Resultatene indikerer at kongekrabbe vil hovedsakelig finnes i Nord-Norge, men habitatkvalitet vil synke frem til 2100. Kysttorsk vil kunne finnes langs hele norskekysten frem mot år 2100, men en nedgang i habitatkvalitet forventes uavhengig av klimascenario. For Atlantisk laks vil økte havtemperaturer gi redusert habitatskvalitet, men uavhengig av klimascenario vil kystsonen forbli egnet habitat. Habitatskvaliteten for stortare forventes å holde seg stabil i sørlige kystområder og øke i nordlige områder, men med en sterkere økning i temperatur mot slutten av århundret kan vi forvente nedgang eller lokal utryddelse i Sør-Norge avhengig av scenario. Habitatet for drøbakkråkebolle vil holde seg stabilt under utslippsscenarioene SSP1-2.6 og SSP2-4.5, men under SSP5-8.5 vil forsuring føre til sterk reduksjon i utbredelse. Disse resultatene kan gi forvaltningen bedre innsyn i hvordan kystsonen vil påvirkes forskjellig fra de åpne havområdene. En mer helhetlig tilnærming til forvaltning av kystsonen og havområdene vil kunne gi bedre mulighet til å fange opp endringer som skyldes klima og innføre tiltak som kan begrense den negative effekten av klimaendringer. Dette kan inkludere bærekraftig fiskeriforvaltning og opprettelse av marine verneområder.publishedVersio

Autonomous Surface and Underwater Vehicles as Effective Ecosystem Monitoring and Research Platforms in the Arctic—The Glider Project

Effective ocean management requires integrated and sustainable ocean observing systems enabling us to map and understand ecosystem properties and the effects of human activities. Autonomous subsurface and surface vehicles, here collectively referred to as “gliders”, are part of such ocean observing systems providing high spatiotemporal resolution. In this paper, we present some of the results achieved through the project “Unmanned ocean vehicles, a flexible and cost-efficient offshore monitoring and data management approach—GLIDER”. In this project, three autonomous surface and underwater vehicles were deployed along the Lofoten–Vesterålen (LoVe) shelf-slope-oceanic system, in Arctic Norway. The aim of this effort was to test whether gliders equipped with novel sensors could effectively perform ecosystem surveys by recording physical, biogeochemical, and biological data simultaneously. From March to September 2018, a period of high biological activity in the area, the gliders were able to record a set of environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, and oxygen, map the spatiotemporal distribution of zooplankton, and record cetacean vocalizations and anthropogenic noise. A subset of these parameters was effectively employed in near-real-time data assimilative ocean circulation models, improving their local predictive skills. The results presented here demonstrate that autonomous gliders can be effective long-term, remote, noninvasive ecosystem monitoring and research platforms capable of operating in high-latitude marine ecosystems. Accordingly, these platforms can record high-quality baseline environmental data in areas where extractive activities are planned and provide much-needed information for operational and management purposes

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of Norwegian Barents Sea Shelf Ecosystems - Appendices

Source at https://hi.no/hi

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of Norwegian Barents Sea Shelf Ecosystems - Appendices

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Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of Norwegian Barents Sea Shelf Ecosystems

The System for Assessment of Ecological Condition, coordinated by the Norwegian Environment Agency, is intended to form the foundation for evidence-based assessments of the ecological condition of Norwegian terrestrial and marine ecosystems not covered by the EU Water Framework Directive. The reference condition is defined as “intact ecosystems”, i.e., a condition that is largely unimpacted by modern industrial anthropogenic activities. An ecosystem in good ecological condition is defined as a system that does not deviate substantially from this reference condition in structure, functions or productivity. This means that, in practice, what is assessed here is the extent to which an ecosystem is impacted by anthropogenic drivers. This report describes the first operational assessment of the ecological condition of Norwegian Arctic and Sub-Arctic marine shelf ecosystems in the Barents Sea. The assessment method employed is the Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC1), and the current assessment has considered to what extent the Barents Sea shelf ecosystems deviate from the reference condition2 by evaluating change trajectories