WP3 - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Tools

• Develop analytical and conceptual tools to better understand rules on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across seascapes and the physico-chemical factors that shape them, in order to clarify patterns and processes across taxa and environments and through time, spanning surface, water column and seafloor.
• Develop tools to enable prediction of the impacts of multiple human activities, future scenarios and management options on ecosystem biodiversity, structure, function and production of ecosystem services.
• Develop new methods and toolboxes to better inventory and monitor seascape biodiversity, ecological functioning and ecosystem services.

WP3 develops and appraises a suite of tools for assessing ecosystems - physical conditions, biogeochemical cycles, habitats and biodiversity from primary producers to apex predators. WP3 will work closely with WP2 to test the tools in the BBTs, WP4 in order to connect biodiversity and ecosystem function to ecological, social and economic value, WP5 to transfer tools synthesis and WP6 to out-scale tools to wider geographies. 

Task 3.1: Geo-physical drivers of biodiversity across seascapes 
Activity 3.1a. Guidelines for assessing seascape geochemistry and physical conditions
Activity 3.1b Improving biogeochemical models 
Activity 3.1c. Data flow to global models 

Task 3.2: Tools for exploring ecological phenomena 
Activity 3.2a. Guidelines for assessing seascape ecosystem organisation and function
Activity 3.2b. Techniques for modelling ecological phenomena
Activity 3.2c: Metric of habitat function

Task 3.3 Impacts of multi-pressures on ecological systems 
Activity 3.3a. Methods for appraising ecological vulnerability
Activity 3.3b. The viability of indicators of functional change
Activity 3.3c: Tools for modelling trade-offs in ecosystem service provision

Task 3.4 Innovation in biodiversity inventory and monitoring
Activity 3.4a. State-of-the-art remote monitoring 
Activity 3.4b. Novel genetic and genomic approaches 
Activity 3.4c. New tools for the inventory of ecological function
Activity 3.4d. Exploring the potential of citizen science to support BBTs