Marine forests support major ecosystem functions along the coastlines of Europe
These ecosystems, structurally formed by large brown algae such as kelp and fucoids, have undergone major range shifts that left imprints in contrasting population traits along each species range. Their expected restricted connectivity causes climate-driven range shifts to create homogeneous lower diversity along expansion zones, leaving behind in ancient presently warmer stable ranges unique diversity and traits that are increasingly threatened.
Changes in marine forest ranges and adaptive traits can affect stakeholders in many ways, from loss of entire forests and services, to loss of adaptive traits and of blue growth potential linked with genetic resources, aquaculture and other seaweed-derived industries.
MARFOR aims to understand past and predict future consequences of global change for biodiversity of marine forests
Consequences of global change for biodiversity of marine forests will be addresed below species level, by the geographical distribution of functional traits, genetic biodiversity and connectivity, and their consequences for stakeholders linked to blue-green ecosystem infrastructures formed by marine forests along European coastlines. Specifically, the project goals are:
MARFOR will study functional consequences of the ongoing and predicted spatial shifts in intra-specific biodiversity.
The project will study consequences of spatial shifts in intra-specific biodiversity from genomic to ecological and evolutionary responses of marine forest species.
These results will be used to develop models to predict the consequences of these changes for the future of European marine forest ecosystems and will outline the implications and recommendations for practical applications of biodiversity for blue growth (e.g., kelp aquaculture industries) and for coastal green infrastructures and management measures (e.g., for ecosystem restoration practices).
The MARFOR project is organizing several workshops with stakeholders from the industry to conservation and management to provide them with solid data-driven scientific basis for habitat conservation and sustainability management, and for the blue growth economic activities that depend on marine forest species. A large-scale citizen science initiative will contribute to assess the status of marine forests, while promoting European wide awareness about marine forests.
A CONSORTIUM OF 23 INSTITUTIONS, WITH CCMAR (PT) AS COORDINATOR
Project coordinator
CCMAR – Centre of Marine Sciences at the University of Algarve, Portugal
Funded partners
AWI - Alfred-Wegener Institute, Germany
CNRS UPMC Station Biologique de Roscoff, France
University of Cologne, Germany
University of Goteborg, Tjarnö Marine Station, Sweden
Aix-Marseille University, France
University of Malaga, Spain
University of Azores, Portugal
Self-funded partners
Aarhus University, Denmark
University of Bologna, Italy
Collaborative partners
IBERS at Aberystwyth University, UK
University of Trieste, Italy
Fisheries Research Institute, Kavala, Greece
CIIMAR – Marine and Environment Research Center, Portugal
University of Ghent, Belgium
IMEDEA-Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados, Spain
MBA - Marine Biological Association of the UK, UK
SAMS, Scottish Marine Institute, UK
NUIGalway, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
European Comission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
NIBIO - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Norway
University of Bremen, Germany
Ruder Bošković Institute, Croacia