BSEP116B Biodiversity in the Baltic Sea - Helcom

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From an ecological point of view, available light at the seabed is one of the primary physical parameters influencing and structuring the biological communities in the marine environment as it is the driving force behind primary production. Available light was included as it distinguishes between the photic zone where primary production occurs and the non-photic zone. Salinity was divided into six categories reflecting species distribution boundaries or ecological requirements throughout the Baltic Sea. Unfortunately, no coherent data for benthic species covering the entire Baltic Sea region are available that can link species distribution and salinity. Focus was therefore placed on the known requirements of certain key species, e.g., the salinity at which bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) becomes the dominating submerged brown alga. Table 2.1.1 summarizes the reasoning for the specific categories. Other environmental parameters were considered, but they were either more relevant for detailed habitat mapping purposes, e.g., wave exposure; not relevant for the entire region, e.g., ice cover; not significantly influencing the species distribution in the Baltic Sea, e.g., temperature; or of only minor importance compared to other geographical areas, such as tidal currents. Lastly, the aim was to limit the number of marine landscapes to a manageable number (see Al-Hamdani & Reker 2007 for details). Using this approach, 60 marine landscapes were identified in the Baltic Sea (Figure 2.1.1d, Box 2.1.2). How well can we trust the maps? An essential factor in the durability of benthic marine landscape maps is that they provide a true reflection of the broad-scale species assemblages in the Baltic Sea. If they do not meet this criterion, they are of limited use for supporting a sustainable Figure 2.1.1a. Map of marine seabed sediments, as divided into five categories, in the Kattegat and Baltic Sea; compiled from sediment in formation from GEUS, GTK and SGU. 20 Figure 2.1.1b. Model results showing the distribution of areas where at least 1% of available light reaches the seabed (the photic zone) and the nonphotic zone. Data source: DHI and ICES.
management of human activities in the marine environment. The benthic marine landscapes have been validated thus far through two initiatives, which have shown that even closely related landscapes represent significantly different biological communities. In the Kattegat, 106 stations were selected for sampling of the benthic communities. The area covered three closely related ’muddy‘ marine landscapes. A statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the species assemblages present within the three marine landscapes surveyed (Al-Hamdani & Reker 2007). If marine landscapes with another dominant sediment type, e.g., photic rock, were to be compared to these marine landscapes, it can be assumed that the difference would be even more significant. However, a thorough validation and refinement process should be continued based on national monitoring data by those Contracting Parties who might wish to adopt this approach as an environmental characterization of the Baltic Sea Marine Region sensu the EU MSFD. Ideally, the marine landscape map should be supported by detailed habitat mapping applying the classification system of the EU European Nature Information System (EUNIS). The top three levels of the EUNIS system, which describe the physical environment, use an approach similar to that of the marine landscapes. To be able to map EUNIS habitats at the detailed levels 4 and 5, coherent species information, including species lists and their abundances, is needed to develop a hierarchical classification of marine habitats. Marine landscapes are used to provide a coherent, albeit coarse, broad-scale ecologically relevant map for marine areas. They are developed using the physical environmental parameters identified by the EU MSFD. These physical environmental parameters structure the distribution Figure 2.1.1c. Model results showing the bottomwater salinity (psu) field in the Baltic Sea. Data source: NERI. Figure 2.1.1d. Benthic marine landscape map of the Baltic Sea. The different colour codes of the marine landscape reflects different combinations of the three basic maps (Figures 2.1.1a, b and c) which were used to produce the marine landscape map by using map algebra. Source: BALANCE, see Al-Hamdani & Reker 2007 for details. 21
Page 1: Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings
Page 4 and 5: Published by: Helsinki Commission K
Page 6 and 7: TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE . . . . .
Page 8 and 9: 6.6 Hazardous substances . . . . .
Page 10 and 11: 1 INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 An integrated
Page 12 and 13: Box 1.1. Biodiversity The term biod
Page 14 and 15: of saline water from the North Sea
Page 16 and 17: 14 On a global scale, marine ecosys
Page 18 and 19: Box 1.2. Regime shifts in the Balti
Page 20 and 21: 2 MARINE LANDSCAPES AND HABITATS 18
Page 24 and 25: Box 2.1.2. The Baltic marine landsc
Page 26 and 27: • A coherent data set on benthic
Page 28 and 29: Denmark Estonia Finland Germany Lat
Page 30 and 31: Mud-sandflat, Greifswald Lagoon, Ge
Page 32 and 33: 3 COMMUNITIES Communities are assem
Page 34 and 35: 32 Spring bloom index 1200 1000 800
Page 36 and 37: 34 Unusual events and new species i
Page 38 and 39: 36 Depth limit (m) the Gulf of Both
Page 40 and 41: Number of species 16 14 12 10 8 6 4
Page 42 and 43: Figure 3.2.7. Left panel shows pred
Page 44 and 45: Implications for the Baltic Sea Act
Page 46 and 47: Biomass (wet weight, mg per m 2 ) B
Page 48 and 49: the other hand, is not selected by
Page 50 and 51: iomass can be used to assess enviro
Page 52 and 53: Average number of species 20 15 10
Page 54 and 55: 52 Macoma baltica where the influen
Page 56 and 57: the total BT identified for each ma
Page 58 and 59: Recruitment (thousands) 8000000 700
Page 60 and 61: Alien species Several alien fish sp
Page 62 and 63: 4 SPECIES The number of species in
Page 64 and 65: Table 4.1.1. Results of dedicated a
Page 66 and 67: Number of stranded porpoises 180 16
Page 68 and 69: is recommended to survey harbour po
Page 70 and 71: Number of individuals 12000 10000 8
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Mean blubber thickness (mm) 40 35 3
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Breeding pairs 60000 50000 40000 30
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predation on nests and nesting adul
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sites outside the Baltic, decreased
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Table 4.3.1. Development of the pop
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80 Number of breeding pairs 3000 25
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The strategic goal of the BSAP to h
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for a given site or area. The secon
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Mussel bed reef community, Jasmund,
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Table 5.3. Assessment results of th
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Aerial photo of harbours seals (Pho
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6 HUMAN PRESSURES ON BIODIVERSITY A
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Table 6.1.1. Catch range during the
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Baltic herring trawling, Bothnian B
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6.1.3 Major international framework
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100 Oil turnover (millions of tonne
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NOx emissions and sewage Macrophyte
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Communication links There are a num
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Figure 6.3.3. Left: concrete-stone
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ecommendations would contribute to
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Tourist fishing 110 cial fishery fo
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112 Figure 6.5.1. Integrated classi
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can be considered as having been a
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Although no direct, dramatic mass m
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Bearing in mind the complex hydrogr
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Box 6.7.1. Invasion status of the B
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Table 6.7.1. Examples of ecological
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munities that formerly consisted of
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6.8.2 Activities generating noise i
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128 and fish in the Baltic Sea area
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800 700 600 bag of the two German B
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Fish swarm on kelp (Laminaria sp.)
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tion of ice cover, either through r
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7 STATUS OF THE NETWORK OF MARINE A
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Box 7.1. Natura 2000 network of pro
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25 20 on how the criteria on ecolog
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estrial, nearshore marine, and offs
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144 >30 psu 18-30 psu 11-18 psu 7.5
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Permission needed Restricted Forbid
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Figure 7.8.a. MARXAN ’best portfo
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The BSPA network is relatively well
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Mammals. Among the mammals, the pop
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154 taxonomic groups and communitie
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156 provided by an ecosystem. Use o
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158 Reduction of human pressures Wh
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160 fishing on fish population dyna
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162 Baden, S., Boström, C. (2001).
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164 Season 2001-2002. Acta Zoologic
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166 Gasiūnaitė, Z.R., Cardoso, A.
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168 HELCOM & OSPAR (2003): Joint HE
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170 ICES (2008c). Report of the Bal
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172 area: density-dependent effects
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174 Noer, H., Clausager, I., Asferg
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176 Scheffer M., Carpenter S.R., Fo
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178 by passive acoustic monitoring.
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180 Warzaw, Poland Vilhunen, Jarmo,
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182 6.7 Alien speices Authors: Lepp
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ANNEX III: CONSERVATION STATUS OF T
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ANNEX IV: HABITAT OR SPECIES DISTRI
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ANNEX V: STATUS OF BREEDING AND WIN
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BSEP116B Biodiversity in the Baltic Sea - Helcom

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