Tag Archives: biodiversity

A ‘strong and stable’ marine ecosystem?

Long-term monitoring time-series are most important during times of political uncertainty such as Brexit, but it is these times they are most at risk.  The UK marine environment faces an uncertain future. Cumulative pressures from human activities are being placed … Continue reading

Posted in Brexit, Knowledge Exchange, Marine Conservation, MSFD, Plankton, Policy, students | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

OSPAR Intermediate Assessment 2017 – Launched!

After seven long years of work, today marks the day that OSPAR’s Intermediate Assessment 2017 is launched! IA2017, covering both status and trends across the North-East Atlantic, presents a picture of this important marine area and includes consideration of eutrophication, … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Indicators, Marine Conservation, MSFD, OSPAR, Plankton, Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Why do policy makers need plankton taxonomy?

It might not seem intuitive, but plankton taxonomy is critically important to informing marine policy and conservation. At its most basic level, biodiversity is an inventory of the organisms present in an ecosystem. The recognition and identification of these organisms … Continue reading

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Implementing the MSFD in Europe – an OSPAR COBAM workshop

In May I attended the OSPAR Intersessional Correspondence Group for Coordinated Biodiversity and Monitoring (COBAM) workshop in Marseille, France. OSPAR COBAM is responsible for leading development and operationalisation of indicators for marine pelagic biodiversity in Europe. The workshop focused on … Continue reading

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Reflections on the science-policy interface

As a first year PhD student in Plymouth University’s Plankton and Policy research group, I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop run by OSPAR, about the integration of different biodiversity indicators into holistic ecosystem assessments. The workshop was part … Continue reading

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Time-series datasets are crucial to delivering Good Environmental Status

We are on a mission in Europe to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) for our seas (Who cares about the MSFD?). As with many marine policy or conservation efforts, good data are critical to success. When it comes to GES, … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Fisheries, HABs, Indicators, Knowledge Exchange, Marine Conservation, MSFD, OSPAR, Plankton, Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Force majeure: Will climate change prevent Good Environmental Status in pelagic communities?

North Atlantic marine species are responding to climate change in multiple ways including changes in species distributions (bioegeographical shifts), community composition and alterations to seasonal cycles.  Plankton, with their short lifespans and sensitivity to their surroundings, are particularly responsive to … Continue reading

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Who cares about the Marine Strategy Framework Directive?

Europe’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is the most important piece of marine legislation that you have never heard of (unless you’re interested marine conservation). More encompassing than the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, which is often cited in the news … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Knowledge Exchange, Marine Conservation, MSFD, OSPAR, Plankton, Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Tuna, plankton and plum wine – exploring science-policy in Japan

One of my interests is to improve and expand the use of CPR data in marine policy, not only in the UK, but globally. There is one country in particular where I’ve really wanted to learn more about the science-policy … Continue reading

Posted in biodiversity, Fisheries, Knowledge Exchange, Marine Conservation, Plankton, Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Knowledge exchange: Turning science into policy

Welcome to Plankton and Policy’s blog – although I’ve written guest posts elsewhere, this is the first post I’ve ever written for my own blog. It’s hard to know where to start, but I think a good place would be … Continue reading

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