A blueprint for integrating scientific approaches and international communities to assess basin-wide ocean ecosystem status
Ocean ecosystems are at the forefront of the climate and biodiversity crises, yet we lack a unified approach to assess their state and inform sustainable policies. This blueprint is designed around research capabilities and cross-sectoral partnerships. We highlight priorities including integrating basin-scale observation, modelling and genomic approaches to understand Atlantic oceanography and ecosystem connectivity; improving ecosystem mapping; identifying potential tipping points in deep and open ocean ecosystems; understanding compound impacts of multiple stressors including warming, acidification and deoxygenation; enhancing spatial and temporal management and protection. We argue that these goals are best achieved through partnerships with policy-makers and community stakeholders, and promoting research groups from the South Atlantic through investment and engagement. Given the high costs of such research (€800k to €1.7M per expedition and €30–40M for a basin-scale programme), international cooperation and funding are integral to supporting science-led policies to conserve ocean ecosystems that transcend jurisdictional borders.
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Roberts, J. M., Devey, C. W., Biastoch, A., Carreiro-Silva, M., Dohna, T., Dorschel, B., Gunn, V., Huvenne, V. A. I., Johnson, D., Jollivet, D., Kenchington, E., Larkin, K., Matabos, M., Morato, T., Naumann, M. S., Orejas, C., Perez, J. A. A., Ragnarsson, S. Á., Smit, A. J., Sweetman, A., Unger, S., Boteler, B., & Henry, L.-A. (2023). A blueprint for integrating scientific approaches and international communities to assess basin-wide ocean ecosystem status. Communications earth & environment, 4(1): 12. doi:10.1038/s43247-022-00645-w.