Abstract
Marine environmental monitoring has tended to focus on site-specific methods of investigation. These traditional methods have low spatial and temporal resolution and are relatively labor intensive per unit area/time that they cover. To implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European Member States are required to improve marine monitoring and design monitoring networks. This can be achieved by developing and testing innovative and cost-effective monitoring systems, as well as indicators of environmental status. Here, we present several recently developed methodologies and technologies to improve marine biodiversity indicators and monitoring methods. The innovative tools are discussed concerning the technologies presently utilized as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use in routine monitoring. In particular, the present analysis focuses on: (i) molecular approaches, including microarray, Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and metagenetic (metabarcoding) tools; (ii) optical (remote) sensing and acoustic methods; and (iii) in situ monitoring instruments. We also discuss their applications in marine monitoring within the MSFD through the analysis of case studies in order to evaluate their potential utilization in future routine marine monitoring. We show that these recently-developed technologies can present clear advantages in accuracy, efficiency and cost.
Highlights
Marine ecosystems are subject to a multitude of direct human pressures, such as overexploitation, eutrophication, pollution and species introductions (Halpern et al, 2008; Hoegh-Guldberg and Bruno, 2010; Burrows et al, 2011), including the effects of global impacts, namely ocean acidification and climate change (Doney et al, 2012)
We investigate the potential applications of various innovative tools and approaches in order to evaluate their applicability to routine marine monitoring, with a special focus on three main categories, which seem to be the most promising: (i) molecular approaches; (ii) innovative systems for in situ analysis; and (iii) remote sensing
An example is the system of SmartBuoys, which house a range of instruments for measuring salinity, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll fluorescence, oxygen saturation and nitrate concentration
Summary
Marine ecosystems are subject to a multitude of direct human pressures, such as overexploitation, eutrophication, pollution and species introductions (Halpern et al, 2008; Hoegh-Guldberg and Bruno, 2010; Burrows et al, 2011), including the effects of global impacts, namely ocean acidification and climate change (Doney et al, 2012) These stressors can have synergistic effects on marine ecosystems (Mora et al, 2013; Griffen et al, 2016), altering their functioning and ability to provide goods and services (Worm et al, 2006; Crain et al, 2008). We investigate the potential applications of various innovative tools and approaches in order to evaluate their applicability to routine marine monitoring, with a special focus on three main categories, which seem to be the most promising: (i) molecular approaches; (ii) innovative systems for in situ analysis; and (iii) remote sensing
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