What is an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment? Steve Murawski & Emily Menashes NOAA Ecosystem Goal Team...

What is an Integrated

Ecosystem Assessment?

What is an Integrated

Ecosystem Assessment?

Steve Murawski & Emily Menashes

NOAA Ecosystem Goal Team

March 27, 2007

SSS Summ t SSSSS Snt r t S osSst m Sss ssm ntsi eg a ed c e e e 2

Integrated Ecosystem Assessments

Overview


OverviewDefinition and Purpose of an IEA:

Support mission requirements (e.g., fisheries, sanctuaries, coastal, protected species)Enable ecosystem approaches to management (EAM)

Current and required capabilities to produce IEAsExamples of IEA componentsData requirements, modeling needsSpatial scale and resolutionRegional, national, and international dimensions

Strategies for progresscurrent effortscollaborations


What is an Ecosystem Approach to Management

(EAM)?

What is an Ecosystem Approach to Management

(EAM)?“An ecosystem approach to management is one that provides a comprehensive framework for marine and coastal resource decision making. In contrast to individual species or single issue management, EAM considers a wider range of relevant ecological, environmental, and human factors bearing on societal choices regarding resource use.”……

“Look at the whole picture, not just the

parts.” Dave Goethel

New England Fishery Management Council

SIMOR Fisheries Constituent Listening Session

- October 2006

“Ecosystem approaches to ocean resource management are not well defined and we do not know how to implement them”

UN Law of the Sea Meeting, April 2006

The #1 Myth Concerning EAM:

…IEAs enable EAM



Definition


DefinitionIntegrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA):

“A synthesis and quantitative analysis of information on relevant physical, chemical, ecological and human processes in relation to specified ecosystem management objectives”.

An IEA: Is geographically specified, Incorporates multiple indicators of the physical environment,

human factors affecting ecosystems, and the abundance and production of ecosystem goods and services,

Establishes target levels and thresholds for important ecosystem components,

Evaluates the impacts of management options and risks of not attaining target ecosystem states.

IEAs are a tool, product and a process.


IEA ProcessDriver-Pressure-State-Impact-

Response (DPSIR)

IEA ProcessDriver-Pressure-State-Impact-

Response (DPSIR)

Driver Pressure

State

Impact

Responseexample

agricultural &urban runoff

coastalnutrients

hypoxia

abundanceof LMRs

changeinputs

EcosystemIndicators

EcologicalModels

Forecasts &Risk Assessments

ManagementEvaluation

IEAs contain multiple DPSIRs


Multiple Dimensions of Ocean & Coastal

EcosystemsExamples

Multiple Dimensions of Ocean & Coastal

EcosystemsExamples

States & Impacts

Physical Human-Relatedair temperaturesea temperature*weather patternswavessalinity*pHcirculation/currents*sea level*decadal indicesupwellingwind stresssediment transportfreshwater inputsea ice cover extreme events

nutrient inputcontaminantsmicrobiological inputsradioactive inputhydrocarbonsatmos. depositionwetlands changefishing effortvessel trafficbycatch non-native species introductionsmarine debriscoastal & seabed modificationsmarine sound

Species-abundance-biomass-recruitment

fishery catchfishery revenuerecreational useAquaculture productionnon-consumptive usessocial use and Importancetransportationcommerceenergy

Conditionsextent of hypoxiaHAB eventsinvasive species interactionsprimary production*secondary productionbenthic productionspecies richnessspecies diversityprotected species status & mortalityoverfishing statustrophic balancebody burden contaminantsdistributions of biotahuman factors

Goods & Services

* = IOOS priority core variables

Drivers & Pressures


Some Components of IEAs reported by NOAA & other

Agencies

Some Components of IEAs reported by NOAA & other

AgenciesPrimary Focus:Ecosystem indicators


Ecosystem Models & Forecasts to Assess Responses &

Understand Relationships

Ecosystem Models & Forecasts to Assess Responses &

Understand RelationshipsTypes of Models Used in IEAs

Food web dynamics & species interactions (tradeoffs) N-P-Z-D Models (nutrients, phytoplankton, zooplankton,

detritus) Population dynamics models Habitat selection models (benthic habitats, ocean conditions) Spatial dynamics (hydrodynamics, movement models,

human responses) Risk assessment & management strategy evaluation

(MSE) models Models necessary to understand complex multispecies and non-

linear relationships between pressures, states and impacts Quantitative risk assessments determine the probability and

consequences of not attaining target ecosystem states Impact analyses evaluate the benefits and costs of options to

attain desired ecosystem states

IEAs being implemented Internationally (EU, Canada)


issues & challenges differ by sub-region

Nitrogen


LME Sub-Region Local AreaData systems should allow

hierarchical assessmento t n m n m nt oun i ica a d a age e r s n to ommo t da ie eed e acc da ed

Regional DimensionsDetermining the appropriate spatial

scale for IEAs

Regional DimensionsDetermining the appropriate spatial

scale for IEAs


National DimensionsComprehensive reporting

supports prioritization

National DimensionsComprehensive reporting

supports prioritization

Consistent reporting of a subset of variables will allow a national overview, viz: “Sn Snt r t Sss ssm nt eg a ed e eo t St tus o t So e a e ast n S n S osSst ms a a d cea c eo t n t St t s” e i ed a e

notIEAsas

defined

An Opportunity:

NOAA’s Regional Teams



issues & challenges differ by sub-region

Nitrogen


Partnership RolesActing in concert with

constituents & partners

Partnership RolesActing in concert with

constituents & partnersIdentify appropriate spatial scales for IEAs

Determine key ecosystem issues

Incorporate all relevant ecosystem information and to prioritize the development of indicators

[determine targets and thresholds for management-related indicators, consistent with legislative authorities]

Evaluate the relationships between pressure and status indicators using appropriate research, models and forecasts

Provide routine reporting and updates on the status of the nation’s coastal and ocean ecosystems

SES Summit 2007: Integrated Ecosystem Assessments

14

Bays & Estuaries

PrivateProperty

Watersheds

Inland Seas

Open Coasts

LocalGovt.

Governance Hierarchy & Advisory Services

Mar

ine

Eco

syst

em G

eog

rap

hy

TerritorialWaters

EEZs

LMEs

High Seas

OceanBasins

GlobalOceans

RegionalGovt.

StateGovt.

StateCompact

FederalGovt.

RMORSO

GMOsGSOs

NGOs Academia

SES Summit 2007: Integrated Ecosystem Assessments

15

Bays & Estuaries

PrivateProperty

Watersheds

Inland Seas

Open Coasts

LocalGovt.

Governance & Advisory Services

Mar

ine

Eco

syst

em G

eog

rap

hy

TerritorialWaters

EEZs

LMEs

High Seas

OceanBasins

GlobalOceans

RegionalGovt.

StateGovt.

StateCompact

FederalGovt.

RMORSO

GMOsGSOs

NGOs Academia

LME Level Mgt.

Parad

ox of S

cale

SES Summit 2007: Integrated EcosysSES Summit 2007: Integrated Ecosystem Assessmentstem Assessments

1616

Fishery Management(council, state, state

Commissions,International agreements)

Protected Resource Management

(MMPA, ESA, BirdsEtc.)

Water QualityManagement

(EPA, states, etc.)

Other management authorities for navigation, sanctuaries,food quality/safety, international agreements, climate change, etc.

Coastal & EEZModifications

(COE, MMS, etc.)

Elements of Regional Ecosystem GovernanceAsymmetric costs and benefits among sectors

interaction

Need forcoordination


Science StrategiesScience StrategiesDevelop consistent data standards and procedures among and within IEA regions to allow comparability and synthesis

Propose, develop and test suites of pressure and state indicators (some common to all regions, some unique to each)

Determine research priorities for understanding ecosystem responses to changes in physical and human pressures

Develop periodic reporting mechanisms for IEAs

Backup MaterialBackup Material


Characteristics of EAM

Characteristics of EAM

An ecosystem is a geographically specified system of organisms (including humans), the environment, and the processes that control its dynamics.

Characteristics of EAM:adaptive, collaborative,incremental,takes account of ecosystem knowledge and uncertainties, considers multiple external influences,strives to balance diverse social objectives, andgeographically specified.


Dimensions and Outcomes of IEAs

Dimensions and Outcomes of IEAs

An IEA addresses five dimensions:Status of the topic being consideredCauses and consequences of the statusForecast of future status with and without management actionCosts and benefits of possible management actionsEvaluation of past management actions’ success or failure.

A successful IA:Responds to policy relevant questionsQuantitatively identifies uncertainties in existing data and informationIncludes public participation and peer reviewIntegrates data across multiple disciplines:Uses existing high-quality data and informationForecasts future conditions and outcomes.

ScopingIdentify goals of EBM andthreats to achieving goals

Develop ecosystem indicatorsand targets

Risk Analysis

Characterization of susceptibility to

perturbation

Characterization of resiliency to perturbation

Assessment of ecosystem status relative to EBM goals

Management Actions

Data Acquisition

Monitoring of Ecosystem Indicators

ScopingIdentify goals of EAM andthreats to achieving goals

Develop ecosystem indicatorsand targets

Risk Analysis

Characterization of susceptibility to

perturbation

Characterization of resiliency to perturbation

Assessment of ecosystem status relative to EAM goals

Management Actions

Data Acquisition

Monitoring of Ecosystem Indicators


Components of an IEA

Components of an IEA

An IEA typically consists of the following components:

Assessment of ecosystem baseline conditions (States)Assessment of stressors on the ecosystem (Drivers, Pressures)Prediction of the ecosystem status with no change in management actions (status quo response)Prediction of the ecosystem status under different management strategies to meet target states (optional responses)Evaluation of the success of management actions (update states relative to targets and thresholds)

N.B. Ecosystem status reports ARE NOT integrated ecosystem assessments (DPSIRs)


Some Desirable Characteristics of

Ecosystem Indicators to Describe Ecosystem Pressures

and States

Some Desirable Characteristics of

Ecosystem Indicators to Describe Ecosystem Pressures

and StatesEasy to Understand

Responsive to Manageable Human Activities

Responses Linked in Time to Management Action

Easily and Accurately Measured

Low Responsiveness to Other Factors (e.g., multiple factors)

Measurable Over Large Portion of Area

Existing Data to Provide Historic Perspectives to inform the selection of Targets and Thresholds

Source: ICES Working Group on Ecosystem Effects of Fishing


IEA ComponentsAlaska Ecosystem Conditions

Report – Trends

IEA ComponentsAlaska Ecosystem Conditions

Report – Trends

n t s t r st SSS o u s n t r or S ed i dica e e a ge a e i e ec d e m t r r s on n r S n t o st t r r sidd e i d a e i g e a d e e i d a eon n r nS o monstr t o r tS o r t m S i g ee de a e c a iai i e i e

t u s n som s r s n n rt S s not S e a e i e e ie a e ee i e ed a ed a st rSa


Northeast Shelf Ecosystem Indicators

Northeast Shelf Ecosystem Indicators

65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Time Period

NAOGoM Temp

GB TempSNE Temp

MA Temp

GroundfishLand Elasmobranch Land

Trawl IncomeNo Vessels

Total BiomassMean Wt

Groundfish BiomassOther Biomass

Elasmobranch BiomassPelagic Biomass

Sp. RichnessSp. Evenness

PhysicalMetrics

HumanMetrics

Biotic Metrics

darker = larger/higher

Support for IEAsNOAA Ecosystem Goal TeamIntegrating Ecosystem Data,

Assessments, Models & Forecasts FY-09-13 Program Plan for EGT

Support for IEAsNOAA Ecosystem Goal TeamIntegrating Ecosystem Data,

Assessments, Models & Forecasts FY-09-13 Program Plan for EGT

NOAA’s Current Ecosystem Data Streams

Each with individual data archives

S r n se i g ecii S n m nt nc a age e ee

sd

EGT’s Vision:

Integratedregional dataprioritization,collection & archival

Enabling:Regional IntegratedEcosystemassessments

Supporting: enhancedModeling & forecasting

Regional Data Mgmt

$2M

Trophic Modeling $2M

Program Plan Investment: $8M in FY09

IEA Pilots $4M

What is an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment? Steve Murawski & Emily Menashes NOAA Ecosystem Goal Team...

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