H2020Индивидуална стипендия2022–2026

ECOCYST · An ECOsystem function and services approach to advance coastal conservation: CYSToseira forests in the Mediterranean basin

„Хоризонт 2020“ — Действия „Мария Склодовска-Кюри“

Период: 2022-02-01 → 2026-02-05
Финансиране от ЕС: 183 473 €
Участници: 1
Схема: MSCA-IF

Линиите свързват координатора с партньорите.

Накратко на български

Подводните гори от кафяви водорасли в Средиземноморието се сравняват с ниските алгови постели, за да се определи тяхната екологична стойност. Това помага да се разбере как деградацията на тези местообитания влияе върху биоразнообразието и услугите, от които зависят крайбрежните общности.

Този кратък обзор е генериран от изкуствен интелект

Кратко обяснение, генерирано от езиков модел по текста на CORDIS. Оригиналът е по-долу.

Резултати накратко

An ECOsystem function and services approach to advance coastal conservation: CYSToseira forests in the Mediterranean basin

Coastal rocky shorelines of the Mediterranean host marine forests formed by brown macroalgae of the Cystoseira sensu lato group. These underwater forests play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, moderating environmental stresses, and contributing to carbon storage and nutrient cycling. In recent decades, however, many of these forests have declined and been replaced by low-lying turf algae, which are associated with lower ecological quality. As climate change intensifies heatwaves and hydrodynamic stress, there is growing concern that the loss or fragmentation of forested habitats may diminish the ecosystem services on which coastal communities depend. The ECOCYST project set out to address this challenge by studying how different habitat types—intact forests of Ericaria amentacea, beds of the more tolerant Cystoseira compressa, mixed forest–turf mosaics, and turf-dominated assemblages—contribute to key ecosystem functions and services. The goals were to quantify the ecological value of each habitat type, understand how ecosystem service delivery changes as forest canopies degrade or fragment, evaluate the resilience these habitats offer under climatic stress, and explore how ecological quality assessments such as the CARLIT index could be improved by integrating ecosystem-service indicators.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз

Цел на проекта

Widespread replacement of algal forests with less-complex turf algae threaten the diversity and functioning of coastal rocky ecosystems and have prompted conservation and management efforts worldwide. Yet these initiatives target the species forming the marine forest rather than preservation of the ecosystem services these communities provide. The project ECOCYST will conduct a comparative valuation of Mediterranean rocky shore fringe communities associated with different dominant macroalgal forms that potentially represent alternative stable states: from forests of the canopy-forming genus Cystoseira to turf-forming species, considered a degraded state. The co-occurrence of these alternative fringe habitats in similar physical conditions presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the loss of function associated with algal forest decline. I will assess value by measures of diversity and ecosystem function that are linked to services of nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision. Measurements of abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, hydrodynamics) within each fringe type will determine to what extent the canopy facilitates other species by ameliorating environmental extremes. Compound-specific stable isotope signatures in each fringe type and their associated consumers will reveal differences among algal states in food web support. Pulse-chase labelling experiments will estimate rates of carbon fixation, nitrogen assimilation, carbon storage potential and contribution to coastal nitrogen cycling. In order to maximize the impact of this work toward coastal management that focuses on conservation of ecosystem services, I will hold regional meetings and a final open workshop with networks of monitoring agencies and stakeholders (disseminated via MedPAN). Together with a systematic literature review, the synthesis of these outcomes will provide a best-practice guide toward development of management frameworks that enhance coastal ecosystem value.

Оригинален текст от CORDIS (на английски).

Участници

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVA · GENOVAКоординаторИталия