Long-term Ecology WG

Long-term observations are recurring measurements that are carried out over years or decades and serve to record ongoing changes in ecosystems. Long-term ecological observations of the North Sea and the Wadden Sea have been collected and analysed at the marine stations on Helgoland and Sylt of the Alfred Wegener Institute since 1962 and 1974, respectively (https://www.awi.de/en/expedition/stations/translate-to-english-meeresstationen-helgoland-und-sylt/translate-to-english-oekologische-langzeitdatenforschung.html).

The long-term data series 'Sylt Roads’ is one of the most important tools for understanding long-term responses and interactions of the North Sea and the adjacent Wadden Sea to anthropogenic and natural changes, not only for employees of the Coastal Ecology Section, but also for researchers worldwide. The continuation, maintenance and further development of ‘Sylt Roads’ is therefore an important and responsible task, especially in times of climate change. For example, the long-term data of the marine stations has shown that the North Sea and the Wadden Sea have become significantly warmer than the mean global temperature increase over recent decades (https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/press/single-view/temperaturrekord-in-der-nordsee-auch-die-deutsche-bucht-ist-so-warm-wie-noch-nie.html; Figure 1).