Despite efforts by scientists and policymakers, marine biodiversity loss continues unabated. Marine communities are highly vulnerable to environmental and human-induced changes. Understanding the effects – that is, the "cumulative impacts" – of e.g. fishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change is essential to developing effective biodiversity conservation measures.
To assess and predict the consequences of cumulative impacts on biodiversity, innovative approaches are required. The sustainable management of oceans under climate change must be holistic, with ecosystem-based management (EBM) as the primary climate-smart policy approach. The success of EBM relies on two key factors: the continuous production of comprehensive research, and the integration of this knowledge into decision-making processes.
This session accommodates contributions on the following topics:
- State-of-the-art science and new insights into the spatio-temporal structuring of marine ecological communities' biodiversity and their drivers, including cumulative impacts.
- Novel approaches and applications of marine biodiversity indicators, from advances in their use in ecosystem assessments to different perspectives on how to operationalize them.
- Progress in biodiversity- and integrated-ecosystem assessments in relation to cumulative impacts, and their integration into climate-informed management decisions.
