Monitoring Phytoplankton Productivity from Satellite - An Aid to Marine Resources Management

An important biogeochemical quantity monitored by satellites is the concentration of chlorophyll-a, an omnipresent pigment in all phytoplankton species and, for this reason, commonly used as an index of phytoplankton biomass. In marine waters, phytoplankton biomass is a key component of the ecosystem. Phytoplankton are responsible for the conversion of carbon dioxide to organic carbon through the pro- cess of photosynthesis, i.e. primary production. Marine photosynthesis represents approximately half of the total carbon fixation in the global biosphere, making it a critical element of the Earth�s carbon budget and biogeochemical cycles. In addition, phytoplankton biomass and primary production are descriptors of the first trophic level in the marine food chain. Quantitative estimates of these variables from satel- lite could therefore provide important information on the structure and functioning of the rest of the food web, up to commercially exploited fish populations.JRC.DDG.H.3 - Global environement monitorin

Assessing the Dynamics of Ecological Provinces in the European Seas

The concept of oceanographic provinces has existed for almost a century, providing a useful framework for understanding the mechanisms controlling biological, physical and chemical processes in the ocean and their interactions. This work is an attempt to identify and map marine provinces using satellite observations related to biological processes such as phytoplankton primary production. The approach is based on fuzzy logic as a means of classifying the European Seas into objectively defined areas. The analysis has identified nine domains based on three important variables, surface chlorophyll concentration, sea surface temperature, and available radiation for photosynthesis. These domains were subsequently mapped over the European geographical window using satellite ocean colour and temperature data. The method displays correctly most important productive and unproductive zones, as well as captures the dynamic nature of the marine systems. This study has been conducted in the frame of the institutional project ECOMAR (Monitoring and Assessment of Marine Ecosystems, Action # 2121) within the Inland and Marine Unit of the Institute for Environment & Sustainabilility.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Availability of Coastal and Marine Data and Potential Applications for Development Co-operation

This report summarise the availability of coastal and marine data and highlights some of the potential applications such data may have in the context of development co-operation. The focus is on the data and the applications which already exist at the Global Environment Monitoring (GEM) Unit of the Institute of Environment and Sustainability (IES), and is not intended as a global overview of all possible use of data. The report also emphasises some potential new activities targeted to provision of information relevant for thematic policies and actions in EC and beneficiary countries and regions.JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Assessment of Global Ocean Colour Products against In-situ Datasets

Ocean colour from satellite has given over the last two decades another dimension to ecosystem studies and marine biology, providing key information on the timing and spatial distribution of phytoplankton blooms, and the magnitude of primary production. Remote observations of ocean colour from space represent therefore a major tool directly related to the marine biogeochemical distributions and associated processes. One of the goals of the European GMES Integrated Project MERSEA is to provide an accurate and consistent stream of ocean colour data, by exploiting the products made available in a number of individual missions launched by various space agencies. In this context, validation exercises, done via the direct comparison of satellite derived quantities with in situ measurements, represents a critical component in establishing the accuracy of the remotely-sensed data. In this study we present a validation of Chlorophyll-a concentration derived from SeaWiFS and MODIS sensors, against in situ measurements retrieved from three different datasets (NODC, SeaBASS, JODC). The results of this comparison are well in line with previous analysis conducted on SeaWiFS, both from the point of view of the global statistics than for most of the regional results, and the uncertainties are lower than the value of 0.35 often considered as the objective for Chlorophyll-a distributions. The SeaWiFS global average of RMS difference (for log-transformed values) shows an uncertainty of 0.29, while it is is slightly higher for MODIS (0.31), a difference likely partly due to a smaller statistical basis. The agreement is better for open ocean regions (RMSD reduced to 0.26 and 0.27 for SeaWiFS and MODIS respectively) than for coastal areas. An important objective of this work, that goes beyond the scope of the present report, was to develop the validation procedure and protocols for further analyses regularly reviewing validation results to take into account successive reprocessing and other sensors, as well as including additional in situ data sets.JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Modelling the carbonate system to adequately quantify ocean acidification

Given specific CO2 emission scenarios, predictions of future ocean carbonate chemistry are relatively certain at the global scale. However future regional ocean acidification and ocean carbonate chemistry are less well understood. A major challenge is assessing the risk of ocean acidification on marine food webs, ecosystems and ocean biogeochemistry. Due to a range of natural physical and biological processes, riverine inputs, boundary conditions and runoff, the natural variability of dissolved CO2 in sea water is relatively high in regional seas. Some species, calcifying or not, have the capacity to adapt to such conditions, others do not. Establishing the biological impacts of ocean acidification is difficult due to a range of physiological and ecological trade-offs. Including the carbonate system in such complicated regions is a challenge, and significant development will be required to adequately model this in regional seas.JRC.H.1 - Water Resource

Marine and Coastal Information Systems for Europe and Africa

Marine Information Systems for Europe (EMIS, http://emis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/) and Africa (AMIS, http://amis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/) have been recently developed at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to provide the Users with an appropriate set of bio-physical information, of importance to conduct water quality assessment, resource monitoring and climate change studies in the coastal and marine waters. These systems are simple and easy-to-use mapping tool applications, created for the publication and dissemination of African and European marine information via the web. Both systems rely mostly on Earth Observation data from optical and thermal sensors, processed according to standard (i.e., space agency-related) and in-house peer-reviewed algorithms, as well modeled data, to generate indicators for global diagnostic of the coastal state and analyses of changes in marine ecosystems. In addition, the systems supply the users with basic navigation and interrogation tools with a range of time-series and statistical analysis generated automatically in a format ready for publication / reporting, and enabling decision makers to make full and lasting use of this information.JRC.H.5-Land Resources Managemen

Near-Coastal Features of the NW Mediterranean Sea - Space and Time Heterogeneity of Atmospheric Forcing, Vertical Mixing and Algal Blooming, from Satellite Observations and Model Simulations (1997-2007)

Data derived from satellite observations and model simulations were used to assess space�time heterogeneity of atmospheric forcing, vertical mixing and algal blooming of the Ligurian-Provençal Sea, in the north-western Mediterranean basin. The ecosystem response to changing seasonal conditions in the Gulf of Lion (40.5�42.5°N, 3.5�7.5°E) was examined over 10 consecutive annual cycles (September 1997 � September 2007). In this environmental hotspot, atmospheric forcing causes deep convective processes and consequent nutrient upwelling in the water column. As phytoplankton growth in the otherwise oligotrophic basin is always nutrient-limited, the blooming triggered by these processes reflects the prevailing wind field patterns.JRC.H.3 - Global environement monitorin

Monitoring for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Requirements and Options

According to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD: 2008/56/EC) coordinated monitoring programmes should be established and implemented by Member States in order to assess the environmental status of marine waters and the achievement of environmental targets. These programmes shall be compatible within marine regions or sub regions and shall integrate and complement the monitoring requirements imposed by other EU legislation and international agreements. In this report, monitoring requirements are reviewed and overlaps and gaps (including considerations on spatial scale and temporal frequency) are highlighted. The screening of monitoring requirements is restricted to the WFD (2000/60/EC), EQS Directive (2008/105/EC), Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), Common Fisheries Policy and Regional Sea Conventions covering European seas (OSPAR, HELCOM, UNEP MAP, Black Sea Commission). Additionally, concepts of integrated monitoring and less applied monitoring approaches are discussed.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

In-Depth Assessment of the EU Member States’ Submissions for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive under articles 8, 9 and 10

According to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), in 2012 Member States had to report on the initial assessment of their marine waters (art. 8), on the determination of good environmental status (art. 9) and on the establishment of environmental targets and associated indicators (art. 10). At the request of DG Environment, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has carried out an in-depth assessment (IDA) of the reporting done by Member States. This document presents the result of this IDA, carried out on the basis of reporting from the following Member States (MS): Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. The aims of the IDA were: i) to evaluate comparability and coherence of methods and in particular their relation to the assessments under other European and international frames and the latest scientific evidence, ii) to provide recommendations for improved implementation of the MSFD in the second cycle (2018) and iii) to support the review and the possible revision of the Commission Decision (2010/477/EU). The IDA covers all MSFD descriptors expect D3 and D7 and is presented in six chapters (biodiversity: descriptors 1, 4 and 6; non indigenous species: descriptor 2; eutrophication: descriptor 5; contaminants: descriptor 8 and 9; marine litter: descriptor 10; underwater noise and other forms of energy: descriptor 11). This IDA presents a set of suggestions that can be pursued to strengthen the further implementation of the MSFD.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Marine Strategy Framework Directive - Task Group 5 Report Eutrophication

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) (MSFD) requires that the European Commis-sion (by 15 July 2010) should lay down criteria and methodological standards to allow consistency in approach in evaluating the extent to which Good Environmental Status (GES) is being achieved. ICES and JRC were contracted to provide scientific support for the Commission in meeting this obligation. A total of 10 reports have been prepared relating to the descriptors of GES listed in Annex I of the Directive. Eight reports have been prepared by groups of independent experts coordinated by JRC and ICES in response to this contract. In addition, reports for two descriptors (Contaminants in fish and other seafood and Marine Litter) were written by expert groups coordinated by DG SANCO and IFREMER respectively. A Task Group was established for each of the qualitative Descriptors. Each Task Group consisted of selected experts providing experience related to the four marine regions (the Baltic Sea, the North-east Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea) and an appropriate scope of relevant scien-tific expertise. Observers from the Regional Seas Conventions were also invited to each Task Group to help ensure the inclusion of relevant work by those Conventions. This is the report of Task Group 5 Eutrophication.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource