Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of the Norwegian Sea Pelagic Ecosystem

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 activities. An ecosystem in good ecological condition does not deviate substantially from this reference condition in structure, functions or productivity. This report describes the first operational assessment of the ecological condition of the pelagic ecosystem in the Norwegian Sea. The assessment method employed is the Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC1) and the current assessment has considered to what extent the Norwegian Sea pelagic ecosystem deviates from the reference condition2 by evaluating change in trajectories.Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of the Norwegian Sea Pelagic EcosystempublishedVersio

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of the North Sea Shelf Ecosystem

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 does not deviate substantially from this reference condition in structure, functions or productivity. This report describes the first operational assessment of the ecological condition of the marine shelf ecosystem in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea and Skagerrak. The assessment method employed is the Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC1) and the current assessment has considered to what extent the North Sea and Skagerrak shelf ecosystem deviates from the reference condition2 by evaluating change trajectories.Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of the North Sea Shelf EcosystempublishedVersio

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of the North Sea Shelf Ecosystem - Appendices

publishedVersio

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

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.Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition of Norwegian Barents Sea Shelf EcosystemspublishedVersio

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

publishedVersio

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

Diversity along a speciation continuum : ecology and morphology of northern European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus)

How new species are formed is still a major question in evolutionary biology. In ecological speciation, natural selection drives the evolution of slight distinctions between individuals into extensive differences between species. In this thesis, early stages of an ecologically driven speciation process are addressed using ecological and morphological data from a large number of European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) populations in northern Fennoscandia. Northern Fennoscandia is an area scattered with lakes created during the glacial retreat (~10-12 kyr BP). Many of these lakes are inhabited by one or up to three different morphs of whitefish. As many other temperate freshwater fishes, whitefish typically diverge into pelagic and littoral resource specialists, the densely rakered (DR) and the large sparsely rakered (LSR) morph, respectively. Parallel within-lake divergence is the most probable origin of these sympatric morphs. In addition, a third whitefish morph (the small sparsely rakered; SSR), specializing on profundal resources, was recently described in a few lakes in the area. The aims of this thesis were to explore and document the phenotypic diversity of whitefish in northern Fennoscandia, and to investigate some of the factors limiting the level of diversity reached within each lake. Further, the ability of LSR whitefish morphs to utilize profundal resources was explored, as this is a probable origin of profundal specialist SSR morphs. Based on the distribution of gill raker number, a temporally stable morphological trait in the studied populations, I have documented a continuum of increasing diversity in northern Fennoscandian whitefish. This whitefish diversity comprises mono (only LSR), di- (LSR and DR), and tri-morphic (LSR, DR and SSR) populations, in addition to intermediate stages between them. Within three different lakes with dimorphic whitefish populations, some individuals of the LSR morph were specialized to exploit profundal resources. This could indicate an incipient evolution towards a profundal specialist morph (SSR) in some dimorphic lakes. Ecological opportunity (lake size and productivity) is likely a prerequisite for whitefish to diverge, although limitations related to the colonization history also were present. In conclusion, there is astonishing parallel divergence in ecology, morphology and genetics along a continuum of increasing diversity in whitefish. Thus, ecologically-based natural selection is likely driving the divergence, promoting reproductive isolation and incipient ecological speciation in northern Fennoscandian whitefish populations

Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC). Technical protocol version 2

Jepsen, J.U., Arneberg, P., Ims, R.A., Siwertsson, A., Yoccoz, N.G. 2020. Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC) – Technical protocol version 2. NINA Report 1890. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC) is a new structured protocol for assessing the condition of an ecosystem relative to a given reference condition. This report describes in detail how each step of the assessment should be performed. The assessment is done by a panel of scientists with openings for stakeholder involvement. As a basis for the assessment, a set of ecosystem characteristics are defined, that together capture key aspects of structure and processes in the system and covering both biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem. The protocol consists of four phases: scoping, analysis, assessment and reporting & peer review. First, the scoping phase identifies a set of indicators used to assess the condition of each of the ecosystem characteristics. The second step is the formulation of formalized expectations (termed phenomena) describing expected directional changes in each of the indicators away from the reference condition as a result of relevant drivers in the system. Phenomena are thus the equivalent of a scientific hypothesis formulated prior to a scientific study. The validity of each phenomenon is assessed, reflecting how well we understand the links between drivers and indicator, how well the indicator reflects the condition of the ecological characteristics and the wider ecological significance of the phenomenon. Data sources are identified and data coverage in time and space are described for each indicator. The analysis phase consists of statistical analyses of the underlying data to permit an evaluation of the level of evidence for each phenomenon. In the assessment phase, the condition of each ecosystem characteristic is evaluated by taking into account phenomenon validity, evidence and data coverage across all phenomena within the characteristic. Based on this, an overall assessment for the ecosystem as a whole is done. The final step is an independent peer review of the assessment report with the aim of continuous improvements of the evidence base for phenomena and other elements of the assessment.Jepsen, J.U., Arneberg, P., Ims, R.A., Siwertsson, A., Yoccoz, N.G. 2020. Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC) – Technical protocol version 2. NINA Rapport 1890. Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Panelbasert vurdering av økologisk tilstand, også betegnet Fagpanelmetoden (engelsk: Panelbased Assessment of Ecosystem Condition (PAEC)) er en ny strukturert protokoll for å vurdere tilstanden i et økosystem sammenlignet med en gitt referansetilstand. Denne rapporten beskriver i detalj hvordan hvert steg i vurderingen skal gjøres. Vurderingen gjøres av et forskerpanel med mulighet for involvering av interessenter. Som et utgangspunkt for vurderingen blir det definert et sett av økosystemegenskaper som til sammen dekker de viktigste strukturene og prosessene i systemet og som omfatter både biotiske og abiotiske deler av økosystemet. Protokollen er bygget opp rundt fire faser: En innledende kartleggingsfase (‘Scoping’), en analysedel, en vurderingsdel, samt rapportering og ekstern fagfellevurdering av prosessen. I kartleggingsfasen blir det først identifisert et sett av indikatorer som skal brukes til å vurdere tilstand for hver av økosystemegenskapene. Det neste steget er å formulere formaliserte forventninger (kalt fenomener) som beskriver forventede retningsbestemte endringer i hver av indikatorene bort fra referansetilstanden som et resultat av relevante påvirkningsfaktorer i systemet. Fenomener tilsvarer altså vitenskapelige hypoteser som blir formulert før et vitenskapelig studium. Gyldigheten til hvert fenomen blir vurdert. Dette skal reflektere hvor godt vi forstår sammenhengen mellom indikator og påvirkningsfaktorer, hvor godt indikatoren gjenspeiler tilstanden til økosystemegenskapen den tilhører, samt den økologiske betydningen til fenomenet. Datakilder identifiseres og datadekning i tid og rom beskrives for hver indikator. I analysefasen blir det gjort statistiske analyser av dataene for å vurdere evidensen for at de ulike fenomenene har inntruffet. I vurderingsfasen blir tilstanden for hver økosystemegenskap vurdert på tvers av fenomenene innen egenskapen på bakgrunn av gyldighet, evidens og datadekning for hvert fenomen. Basert på dette gjøres det en samlet vurdering av tilstand for økosystemet som helhet. Det siste steget er en uavhengig fagfellevurdering av tilstandsrapporten, hvor målet er å bedre kunnskapsgrunnlaget for fenomenene og andre elementer av vurderingen