MARFOR . BiodivERsA

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:

  Quantification of the variability in functional genetic diversity and differentiation of seaweed populations along environmental gradients across European coastlines.

  Discovery of ecological, ecophysiological and functional genomic differences between populations and species with contrasting biogeographic affinities, population structure and microevolutionary history.

  Prediction of changes in marine forest diversity and function under possible future climate scenarios.

  Identification of critical features of marine forests along European rocky shorelines and their implications for stakeholders.

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.