Developments of Indicators to improve monitoring of MSFD descriptors 6 and 7. Final Report
Fettweis, M.; Toorman, E.; Verney, R.; Chapalain, M.; Legrand, S.; Lurton, X.; Montereale Gavazzi, G.; Roche, M.; Shen, X.; Van den Eynde, D.; Van Lancker, V. (2020). Developments of Indicators to improve monitoring of MSFD descriptors 6 and 7. Final Report. (BRAIN-be - (Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks)). Belgian Science Policy Office: Brussels. 54 pp.
To protect the marine environment more effectively, the European Union adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in 2008, aiming to achieve the Good Environmental Status (GES) of the EU's marine waters by 2020 and to protect the resource base upon which marine-related economic and social activities depend. A major challenge in the implementation of the MSFD is to achieve the necessary scientific knowledge on the marine environment, its processes and the methods to monitor them. The focus of INDI67 is on the evaluation and development of indicators to monitor GES of descriptor 6 and 7. Seafloor integrity (descriptor 6) refers to the structure and functions of the benthic ecosystems. It relates to the comprises physical, chemical and biological properties as well as to spatial and temporal connectedness, avoiding artificial fragmentation of habitats or temporal sealing due to ephemeral sediment deposits or armouring. Hydrographic conditions (descriptor 7) imply that the nature and scale of any long-term changes to the prevailing hydrographical conditions resulting from anthropogenic activities (individual and cumulative), do not lead to significant negative impacts on the benthic and pelagic habitats, functioning or on hydro-geomorphological impacts on the seabed.
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