Document of bibliographic reference 367672

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Mapping marine benthic biological traits to facilitate future sustainable development

Abstract

Escalating societal demands placed on the seabed mean there has never been such a pressing need to align our understanding of the relationship between the physical impact of anthropogenic activities (e.g., installation of wind turbines, demersal fishing) and the structure and function of the seabed assemblages. However, spatial differences in benthic assemblages based on empirical data are currently not adequately incorporated into decision-making processes regarding future licensable activities or wider marine spatial planning frameworks. This study demonstrates that, through harnessing a Big Data approach, large-scale, continuous coverage maps revealing differences in biological traits expressions of benthic assemblages can be produced. We present independent maps based on a suite of response traits (depicting differences in responses to natural or anthropogenically induced change) and effects traits (reflecting different functional potential), although maps derived using single traits or combinations of a range of traits are possible. Models predicting variations in response traits expression provide greater confidence than those predicting effects traits. We discuss how such maps may be used to assist in the decision-making process for the licensing of anthropogenic activities and as part of marine spatial planning approaches. The confidence in such maps to reflect spatial variations in marine benthic trait expression may, in the future, inherently be improved through (1) the inclusion of more empirical macrofaunal assemblage field data; (2) an improved knowledge of marine benthic taxa trait expression; and (3) a greater understanding of the traits responsible for determining a taxon's response to an anthropogenic pressure and a taxon's functional potential.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001031370200001

Bibliographic citation

Bolam, S.G.; Cooper, K.; Downie, A.-L. (2023). Mapping marine benthic biological traits to facilitate future sustainable development. Ecol. Appl. 33(7): e2905. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap.2905

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true