Wadden Sea Long-term Ecological Research (LTER)
It is getting warmer, sea levels are rising and the Wadden Sea ecosystems are changing rapidly (Figure 1). At the Wadden Sea station of Sylt we have one of the most detailed and species rich marine time series in the world.
The so-called Sylt Roads (SR) time series is stationed in the Wadden Sea near List on the Island of Sylt. It includes data on environmental parameters, phyto- and zooplankton abundances in high taxonomic resolution and frequency, fish data more recently data on the larvae of crustaceans and other invertebrates. This provides data for coastal modelling including the effects of seal-level rise, warming and also, very importantly- enabling us to address questions related to global, regional and local change including nutrient overloading changes in hydrography and the shifts in biodiversity. Much of the research carried out at the Wadden Sea station including the development habitats such as seagrass meadows, the oxygen status of the sediment water body and shifts in hydrography and sediment transport use this long-term data as a fundament. Some of the organisms which are expected to benefit from global change, and especially microbial organisms, jelly fish and Wadden Sea fish and shrimp are by far not well enough studied and understood. Thus, we are presently introducing these species into our monitoring on the long term also using new methods of sampling and analyses.
Our overarching aim is to understand and predict processes in the complete North Sea. We extend our observational capacity using for example the ferry box systems on our research ships and passenger ships of opportunity. We have intensified and modified the number of parameters that are collected on the monthly cruises, and are in close contact with other national and international institutions sampling other parts of the North Sea. We also envisage extending this observational power by remote sensing or other optical methods that will allow a higher spatial coverage of the North Sea. We strive to sample all relevant biota in the ecosystem efficiently and quantitatively, and in future we will have developed ways to combine the different methods in such a way that it will allow proper estimates of the functional and taxonomical biodiversity of the North Sea, as well as the computation of flows of energy and nutrients through the system also via models.
We aim to integrate the different data sets using modelling approaches, such as the newly developed coastal model FESOM-C. We are currently concentrating on near-coastal processes, for example, on the effects and extent of sea level rise on intertidal habitats (e.g., seagrass) and hydrographic current shifts related to sediment transport and species dispersion in a warmer environment.
We take the observations from the time series observations and develop hypothesis to explain what we see and then also test these in small (in vitro) to large-scale (Mesocosmen) experiments. The LTO data forms a strong fundament for this Long Term Ecological Research (LTER). In recent years, much of the work on the LTER has focused on key species and their role in habitat stability and species function. The demise of and introduction of species especially in the context of resilience and adaptation to bigger environmental shifts are of great importance to future generations and their sustainability.
Ultimately, our aim is to understand and predict processes in the Wadden Sea in the context of the whole North Sea. We aim to extend our observational capacity using for example the ferry box systems on our research ships and passenger ships of opportunity. We have intensified and modified the number of parameters that are collected on the monthly cruises, and are in close contact with other national and international institutions sampling other parts of the North Sea. We also envisage extending this observational power by remote sensing or other optical methods that will allow a higher spatial coverage of the North Sea. We aim to integrate the different data sets using modelling approaches, such as the newly developed coastal model FESOM-C. We are currently concentrating on near coastal processes, for example on the effects and extent of sea level rise on intertidal habitats (e.g. seagrass) and hydrographic current shifts related to sediment transport and species dispersion in a warmer environment.
As indicated above, the LTER data from SR serve as a backdrop, inspiration, as well as testbed for our scientific work. As such, SR data are important infrastructure to achieve our Wadden Sea research goals: in the context of climate and environmental change. We place emphasis on specific themes:
1. To understand the long-term responses and interactions of the North Sea and adjacent Wadden Sea to anthropogenic and natural changes, both affected by regional drivers (riverine inputs, coastal armouring and construction) as well as by global drivers (temperature change, acidification).
2. To find more complete and effective ways of assessing and monitoring biodiversity in difficult offshore environments, including microorganisms, for example, using molecular, optical or other methods and identify ways to combine different approaches in an effective way.
3. To understand the synergistic effects of multiple stressors ranging from, e.g., underwater which would allow the assessment of those drivers that alone or in combination affect the ecosystem most, and the identification of those pressures, where mitigation measures would be most promising.
4. To reliably model food webs in relation with changing physical environments. Here, we have begun to apply our highly flexible new FESOM-C hydrographic models to understand, for example, the effects and extent of sea level rise on intertidal habitats (e.g., seagrass) and hydrographic current shifts related to sediment transport and species dispersion in a warmer environment.
5. To integrate knowledge and information on natural and restoration options of coastal seas and investigate their potential in carbon storage.
6. To network with colleagues and provide advice and information on management and mitigation in the Blue economy and multi-use framework of the North Sea.
We use our long term data to answer questions of global importance and input these into global networks. We work with our local, regional and global partners and stakeholders, working together towards a sustainable future, especially with regard to the Wadden Sea.
