Transcript Slide 1

Current environmental issues in the Baltic Sea
– assessment of conservation status of nature
values (project MARMONI)
Dr. biol. Solvita Strāķe
Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
Daugavgrīvas 8, Rīga, LV 1048
e-pasts: [email protected]
Baltic sea research history
• Beginning of regular observations in the Baltic Sea – flood
measurements in St. Petersburg
• Obtained with r/v Pommerania (Germany), Baltic Sea water
temperature and salinity data starts from 1871
• Victor Hensen – founder of plankton research, invent
plankton collection methods. Tested new equipment in the
Baltic Sea expedition in1883 – 86
•International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
founded in 1902 is the oldest intergovernmental organisation
in the world concerned with marine and fisheries science
Baltijas sea research history
• Russia expedition in the Baltic Sea 1908 – 1909,
surveys in different Baltic Sea regions
• Systematically Baltic Sea research starts after Second
World War
Baltic Sea features
• one of the world's largest
bodies of brackish water
• Semi-enclosed sea
(restricted water exchange
~35 years)
• Mean depth 52m, max
depth 459m
• Mean water salinity ~12‰
• Salinity stratification at 4070m depth, restricted
oxygen and nutrient
exchange between upper
and deeper water layers
Baltic Sea biodiversity
• >60 marine landscapes
• 150 biotopes
• ~ 100 fish species
• ~ 442 macrophytobenthoss species
• ~ 1000 zoobenthos species
• ~ 3000 plankton species
• thousands of unknown bacteria and virus
Baltic Sea plankton
• ~ 1700 species phytoplankton or microscopic algae,
diatoms and dinoflagellates are typical species for more
saline Baltic Sea subregions, cyanobacteria occur in less
saline coastal regions
• ~ 1200 zooplankton (micro-, meso-, macro-) species,
where microplankton form major part
Baltic sea benthos
• ~ 1500 species of macrozoobenthos or invertebrate
organisms living on bottom– worms, crustacens, molluscs
• ~ 600 species of meiobenthos, organisms less than 1mm,
turbellarians, nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, ostracods
• Availability of oxygen in bottom layers determine occurence
and distribution of benthic organisms in certain Baltic Sea
depth
Baltic Sea macrophytes
• ~ 450 macrophyte species
• Ratio of annual / perennial macrophytes gives information
about different Baltic Sea sub-basin quality
• Green algae (Cladophora sp.) occur in shallow coastal
waters, brown algae (Fucus sp.) around 3-7m depth, red
algae (Furcellaria sp.) around 12-15m depth. In each algae
belt dwell certain invertebrate species
Baltic Sea fish species
• ~ 100 fish species, including Kategat ~ 200 fish species
• Cod (Gadus morhua), Baltic herring (Clupea harengus
membras), sprat (Sprattus sprattus), salmon (Salmo salar),
flounder (Platichthys flesus), perch (Perca fluviatilis) u.c.
Baltic Sea mammals
• Ringed seal Phoca hispida botnica requires ice for giving birth
and does not occur in areas that are ice-free all year. In the
Baltic its main residence areas are limited to the the Bay of
Bothnia, the Gulf of Riga and eastern Gulf of Finland
• Grey seals Halichoerus grypus mainly inhabit the northern
parts of the Baltic Sea
• Harbor seal Phoca vitulina occur only in southern Sweden and
the Danish Straits
• Harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena lives in all northern
seas. Beginning of 20 century size of open Baltic Sea
population was~ 10 000 ~ 20 000 individuals, today’s
estimation are ~ 300 ~ 600 individuals
Baltic Sea biotopes
1110 Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
1130 Estuaries
1150 Coastal lagoons
1160 Large shallow inlets and bays
1170 Reefs
Reef biotope species complex
Brown algae (Fucus vesiculosus), seagrass (Zostera marina),
red algae (Furcellaria lumbricalis) beds and blue mussels
(Mytilus edulis un M. trossulus) colonies are main reef biotope
forming species. Such complex servs to other species as
hatching, hiding and feeding place
Reef biotope species complex
Fucus vesiculosus – common macrophyte species in the
Baltic Sea:
• widespread;
• high biomass;
• positive effect on biodiversity
Reef biotope species complex
Blue mussels are important
link between benthic and
pelagic part;
Within one year all colonies of
blue mussels are able to filter
amount of water comparable
with whole Baltic Sea water
volume
Baltic Sea protection – Helsinki convention
• For the first time ever, all the sources of pollution around an entire
sea were made subject to a single convention, signed in 1974 by the
then seven Baltic coastal states. New convention was signed in
1992 by all the states bordering on the Baltic Sea, and the European
Community
• The governing body of the Convention is the Helsinki Commission Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. States around
Baltic Sea implement common principles to protect Baltic Sea
environment
• Also from Latvia different organizations and experts are involved in
HELCOM work
Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007)
• The HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan is an ambitious
programme to restore the good ecological status of the
Baltic marine environment by 2021.
• A healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological
components functioning in balance, resulting in a good
ecological status and supporting a wide range of
suistainable human economic and social activities
Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007.)
Baltic Sea
unaffected by
eutrophication
Natural nutrient
levels
Clear water
Natural oxygen
levels
Favourable status of
Baltic Sea biodiversity
Baltic Sea life
undisturbed by
hazardous
substances
Natural landscapes
and seascapes
Concentrations
close to natural
levels
Thriving and balances
communities of plants
and animals
Natural level of
algal blooms
Natural
distribution and
occurrence of
plants and animals
Maritime activities
carried out in an
environmentally
friendly way
Negligible illegal
pollution
No accidents with
significant
environmental impact
Healthy wildlife
Adequate preparedness
to react to shipping
accidents
All fish safe to eat
No new introductions of
non-indigenous species
Viable populations of
species
Radioactivity at preChernobyl level
Minimum air pollution
from ships
Natural landscapes and seascapes
protect both terrestrial and submerged
ecosystems, processes and cultural
values.
Thriving and balanced communities of
plants and animals are essential for the
favourable status of the Baltic Sea
biodiversity.
Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication
Eutrophication is the enrichment of water as a result of an
increase in nutrients, which can have a negative impact on
the marine and coastal environment.
The negative effects of eutrophication on marine
ecosystems includes: algal blooms, increased growth of
macroalgae, increased sedimentation and oxygen
consumption, oxygen depletion in the bottom water and
sometimes the death of benthic animals and fish.
Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication
Reduced Secchi depth
Algal bloom frequency
Measurements of Secchi depth
in the Open Baltic
Favourable status of Baltic Sea biodiversity
(targets)
• By 2010, to have an ecologically coherent and well
managed network of coastal and offshore BSPAs,
NATURE 2000 areas
• By 2012 to have common broadscale spatial planning
principles for protection marine environment and
reconciling various interests concerning sustainable use
of coastal and offshore areas
• By 2021 to ensure that “natural” and near natural marine
landscapes are adequately protected and the degraded
areas will be restored (good ecological status)
Favourable status of Baltic Sea biodiversity
• LIFE+ programme “Innovative approaches for marine biodiversity
monitoring and assessment of conservation status of nature values
in the Baltic Sea” (MARMONI) 2010. – 2015.
• Central Baltic Programme 2007-2013. “Good environmental status
through regional cooperation and capacity building” (GES-REG)
2011. – 2013.
• LIFE+ programme "Static Acoustic Monitoring of the Baltic Sea
Harbour Porpoise” (SAMBAH) 2010. – 2014.
Baltic Sea life undisturbed by hazardous substances
• Substances or groups of substances that :
i.toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate
ii.may occur in the marine environment and are Carcinogenic, Mutagenic
or toxic to Reproduction (CMR)
iii.identified as causing probable serious effects to human health or the
environment
(HELCOM Recommendation 31E/3)
Loads and impacts of some hazardous substances have been reduced
considerably during the past 20-30 years, but concentrations of some
other substances have increased in the marine environment.
Baltic Sea life undisturbed by hazardous
substances
• Central Baltic Sea Programme 2007-2013. “Control of Hazardous
Substances in the Baltic Sea” (COHIBA) (2009. – 2012.)
- aim of the project was to analyse 11 substances and substance
groups assessed by HELCOM as priority substances.
- to contribute to the identification of sources for the 11 hazardous
substances (mercury, cadmium, organotins, phenolic substances,
endosulfans, dioxins etc.) in BSAP by performing screening in
municipal and industrial waste waters, landfill effluents and storm
waters, in all participating countries.
Thank you for attention!