Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GES4SEAS (Achieving Good Environmental Status for maintaining ecosystem SErvices, by ASsessing integrated impacts of cumulative pressures)
Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-08-31
GES4SEAS aims to guide marine governance by minimizing human pressures on marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, while ensuring sustainable ecosystem services. The project develops an innovative toolbox for adaptive Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM), enabling authorities to assess and predict the effects of multiple stressors (including climate change) at various scales. This supports achieving Good Environmental Status (MSFD) and aligns with national, European, and global policies (e.g. Birds and Habitats Directives, European Biodiversity Strategy 2030, UN SDGs). Stakeholders and authorities are integrated into a Practitioner Advisory Board (PAB) to co-create and validate the toolbox and EBM approach. Solutions are tested at 11 Learning Sites across four regional seas (Baltic, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea), including transboundary and pan-European sites, and one in French Polynesia for internationalization and SDG relevance. More info: www.ges4seas.eu.
• WP1: The PAB, comprising national authorities, regional conventions, and international organizations, actively co-created tools and deliverables, shaping the EBM and toolbox needs.
• WP2: New methods for addressing HABs, jellyfish outbreaks, invasive species, and top predator decline were developed and tested at learning sites, contributing to the toolbox.
• WP3: Methods for ecosystem services assessment, tipping points, scenario modeling, and capacity building were applied to case studies and learning sites, including multiple pressure and climate change scenarios.
• WP4: Tikta software version 2.1 was released, featuring Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) and Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT) modules, with improved functionalities. It is being tested at learning sites.
• WP5: Data management plans were updated, and learning sites prepared scenarios for testing Tikta and other approaches. Methods for monitoring HABs, invasive species, and jellyfish blooms were reviewed and tested, including biologging and molecular strategies for top predators. Tools developed include Pressure2Eco, SCAIRM, Tikta, EasySat Indicators, GES4HABs, MAMBO, CIMPAL+, and SEAS4GES, supporting status and pressure assessments and decision-making.
• WP2: New methods for addressing HABs, jellyfish outbreaks, invasive species, and top predator decline were developed and tested at learning sites, contributing to the toolbox.
• WP3: Methods for ecosystem services assessment, tipping points, scenario modeling, and capacity building were applied to case studies and learning sites, including multiple pressure and climate change scenarios.
• WP4: Tikta software version 2.1 was released, featuring Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) and Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT) modules, with improved functionalities. It is being tested at learning sites.
• WP5: Data management plans were updated, and learning sites prepared scenarios for testing Tikta and other approaches. Methods for monitoring HABs, invasive species, and jellyfish blooms were reviewed and tested, including biologging and molecular strategies for top predators. Tools developed include Pressure2Eco, SCAIRM, Tikta, EasySat Indicators, GES4HABs, MAMBO, CIMPAL+, and SEAS4GES, supporting status and pressure assessments and decision-making.
• GES4HABS & MAMBO: Novel decision-support tools for HABs management, streamlining reporting and prioritization for managers and scientists, especially for MSFD D5 (eutrophication).
• SEAS4GES: Expert-designed scoring system to help managers select the most suitable tool for ecosystem-based management decisions.
• SCAIRM: Spatially explicit cumulative impact assessment method for evaluating human activities’ effects on ecosystems and services.
• CIMPAL: Additive model for cumulative impacts of invasive alien species, with a new software facilitating use under MSFD D2 (non-indigenous species).
• ECOfast: Integrative ecological evaluation index for shallow reef communities, intended for MSFD D6 (sea-floor integrity).
• EasySat Indicators: Shiny app for satellite-based marine variable extraction and indicator calculation, aiding WFD and MSFD D5 assessments.
• Press2Eco: Shiny app linking human activities, pressures, and ecosystem components, supporting data preparation for Tikta.
• Tikta: Comprehensive software for cumulative pressure effects, environmental status, and ecosystem service supply assessment. It is flexible for MSFD, WFD, and Habitats Directive reporting, currently at TRL 4-5 and aiming for TRL 6. Training and funding plans are in place for broader adoption and sustainability.
These tools, developed with sister projects and through workshops/publications, address specific marine challenges (e.g. HABs, invasive species, top predator decline) and facilitate work for non-experts (e.g. satellite data via EasySat). Tikta stands out for integrating risk and status assessment in a single robust tool for multiple legislative frameworks.
SFD working groups, Regional Seas Conventions, among others. For that, we have prepared a strategic plan of training, in which the help of the Commission is necessary to ensure a successful implementation. Also, we are trying to ensure additional funds, after the end of the project, to have Tikta active, working, updated and adaptable to the potential end-users.
• SEAS4GES: Expert-designed scoring system to help managers select the most suitable tool for ecosystem-based management decisions.
• SCAIRM: Spatially explicit cumulative impact assessment method for evaluating human activities’ effects on ecosystems and services.
• CIMPAL: Additive model for cumulative impacts of invasive alien species, with a new software facilitating use under MSFD D2 (non-indigenous species).
• ECOfast: Integrative ecological evaluation index for shallow reef communities, intended for MSFD D6 (sea-floor integrity).
• EasySat Indicators: Shiny app for satellite-based marine variable extraction and indicator calculation, aiding WFD and MSFD D5 assessments.
• Press2Eco: Shiny app linking human activities, pressures, and ecosystem components, supporting data preparation for Tikta.
• Tikta: Comprehensive software for cumulative pressure effects, environmental status, and ecosystem service supply assessment. It is flexible for MSFD, WFD, and Habitats Directive reporting, currently at TRL 4-5 and aiming for TRL 6. Training and funding plans are in place for broader adoption and sustainability.
These tools, developed with sister projects and through workshops/publications, address specific marine challenges (e.g. HABs, invasive species, top predator decline) and facilitate work for non-experts (e.g. satellite data via EasySat). Tikta stands out for integrating risk and status assessment in a single robust tool for multiple legislative frameworks.
SFD working groups, Regional Seas Conventions, among others. For that, we have prepared a strategic plan of training, in which the help of the Commission is necessary to ensure a successful implementation. Also, we are trying to ensure additional funds, after the end of the project, to have Tikta active, working, updated and adaptable to the potential end-users.