From ecosystems to socio-economic benefits: A systematic review of coastal ecosystem services in the Baltic Sea

Heckwolf, Melanie J.; Peterson, Anneliis; Jänes, Holger; Horne, Paula; Künne, Jana; Liversage, Kiran; Sajeva, Maurizio; Reusch, Thorsten B.H.; Kotta, Jonne

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142565

Cited by 63 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…Today, the two species Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus occur in the Baltic Sea (e.g., Koehn, 1991). Both are important foundation species which contribute significantly to benthic ecosystem function and nutrient turnover (Norling and Kautsky, 2008;Heckwolf et al, 2021). Mytilus edulis colonizes the Western Baltic (e.g., Kattegat, Belt Sea) at salinities between 12 and 25 psu and M. trossulus is found in the Eastern Baltic (e.g., Baltic Proper) at salinities between 4.5 and 8 psu (e.g., Stuckas et al, 2009Stuckas et al, , 2017Kijewski et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity Driven Selection and Local Adaptation in Baltic Sea Mytilid Mussels

et al. 2021

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Baltic blue mussels can colonise and dominate habitats with far lower salinity (<10 psu) than other Mytilus congeners. Pervasive gene flow was observed between Western Baltic Mytilus edulis living at high salinity conditions and Eastern Baltic M. trossulus living at lower salinites, with highest admixture proportions within a genetic transition zone located at intermediate salinities (Darss Sill area). Yet, we do not understand the impacts of low salinity on larval performance, and how salinity may act as an early selective pressure during passive larval drift across salinity gradients. This study tested whether larvae originating from two different populations along the natural salinity cline in the Baltic Sea have highest fitness at their native salinities. Our results suggest that Eastern Baltic M. trossulus (Usedom, 7 psu) and Western Baltic M. edulis (Kiel, 16 psu) larvae display better performance (fitness components: growth, mortality, settlement success) when reared at their respective native salinities. This suggests that these populations are adapted to their local environment. Additionally, species diagnostic markers were used for genetic analyses of transition zone (Ahrenshoop, 11 psu) mussel larvae exposed to low salinity. This revealed that low salinity selection resulted in a shift towards allele frequencies more typical for Eastern Baltic M. trossulus. Thus, salinity acts as a selective pressure during the pre-settlement phase and can shape the genetic composition of Baltic mussel populations driving local adaptation to low salinity. Future climate change driven desalination, therefore, has the potential to shift the Baltic Sea hybrid gradient westward with consequences for benthic ecosystem structure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity Driven Selection and Local Adaptation in Baltic Sea Mytilid Mussels

et al. 2021

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“…As reported in Section 2, the Eco-GAME meta-evaluation was tested by means of a number of methods: It was first applied to a systematic literature analysis of existing knowledge on the benefits the Baltic Sea provides-the so-called ecosystem services-related to the specific habitats of mussel reefs, seagrass beds and macroalgae [17]. In a following phase, it was applied in two participatory events (an expert meeting held in Helsinki on 3 December 2019 and a participatory workshop and Simulation Laboratory held in Suomenlinna on 13-14 February 2020), described in detail in the next Sections 6.3 and 6.4, have highlighted this need to address scientific integration in pursuit of a holistic understanding.…”

Section: The Application Of the Eco-game In The Bonus Mares Project And The Bottom-up Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…General outlook of relevant literature on sustainable development and evaluation (or valuation) of ecosystem services • Application of the Eco-GAME to the systematic literature analysis performed during the BONUS MARES project and under process of publication [17] (see Section 6.1) •…”

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confidence: 99%

An Eco-GAME Meta-Evaluation of Existing Methods for the Appreciation of Ecosystem Services

et al. 2020

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The isolation of science disciplines and the weak integration between science, policy and society represent main challenges for sustainable human development. If, on the one hand, the specialization of science has produced higher levels of knowledge, on the other hand, the whole picture of the complex interactions between systems has suffered. Economic and natural sciences are, on matters of sustainable development, strongly divergent, and the interface informing decision-making is weak. This downplays uncertainty and creates room for entrenched political positions, compromising evidence-based decision-making and putting the urgent need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 at risk. This article presents the heterodox Eco-GAME framework for interconnecting science through trans-disciplinary social-learning and meta-evaluation of scientific knowledge in pursuit of SDGs. The framework is tested and refined in the BONUS MARES project by systematic literature analysis, participatory workshops, and semi-structured interviews, in relation to the specific habitats of Baltic Sea mussel reefs, seagrass beds and macroalgae ecosystem services produced and methods applied. The results, acknowledging the urgency of interfacing science, policy and society, validate the Eco-GAME as a framework for this purpose and present a multi-dimensional system of indicators as a further development.

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“…Marine angiosperms, or seagrasses, are the foundation of some of the most valuable coastal marine ecosystems, seagrass beds (Hemminga and Duarte 2000). As ecosystem engineers, their presence turns sedimentary bottoms with mostly infauna into a habitat featuring a rich diversity of associated animals and plants, along with substantial ecosystem services such as nursery areas, coastal protection and local carbon sequestration (Fourqurean et al 2012;Heckwolf et al 2021). Among the many ecological services associated with seagrasses, the reduction of potentially harmful bacteria in the water column has recently been described for tropical seagrass beds (Lamb et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lower Vibrio spp. abundances in Zostera marina leaf canopies suggest a novel ecosystem function for temperate seagrass beds

et al. 2021

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Seagrasses, a polyphyletic group of about 60 marine angiosperm species, are the foundation of diverse and functionally important marine habitats along sheltered sedimentary coasts. As a novel ecological function with high societal relevance, a role of the seagrass leaf canopy for reducing potentially harmful bacteria has recently been hypothesized in tropical regions, but data for temperate regions are lacking. Here, we tested whether or not the abundance of general bacteria and more specifically, those belonging to the genus Vibrio were reduced within temperate Zostera marina (eelgrass) meadows compared to adjacent sand flats and sampled 5 sites in the south-western Baltic Sea using SCUBA. Compared to non-vegetated area, we found an average reduction of 39% for all Vibrio and 63% for the potentially harmful V. vulnificus/cholerae subtype based on robust plate counting data on Vibrio selective agar. The underlying mechanism of the reduction in bacterial load is currently elusive and clearly merits further study. Our results underline the critical importance of seagrasses in maintaining shallow water ecosystem functioning including water quality and provide further motivation for their protection and restoration.

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From ecosystems to socio-economic benefits: A systematic review of coastal ecosystem services in the Baltic Sea

Cited by 63 publications

References 84 publications

Salinity Driven Selection and Local Adaptation in Baltic Sea Mytilid Mussels

Salinity Driven Selection and Local Adaptation in Baltic Sea Mytilid Mussels

An Eco-GAME Meta-Evaluation of Existing Methods for the Appreciation of Ecosystem Services

Lower Vibrio spp. abundances in Zostera marina leaf canopies suggest a novel ecosystem function for temperate seagrass beds

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