MarinePlan
The MarinePlan project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, aims to establish a comprehensive framework for ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning (EB-MSP) and conservation across European seas. MarinePlan develops a Decision Support System (DSS) that provides tools and guidelines to help EU member states align with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 by embedding conservation targets and ecosystem restoration measures into national and transnational maritime spatial planning (MSP). Our department contributes to this initiative with specialized research on Marine Ecosystem Connectivity through Lagrangian particle tracking, which is integrated into MarinePlan's DSS to support data-driven spatial planning and prioritization.
Improving Design and Effectiveness of Spatial Conservation
MarinePlan addresses the urgent need for planning frameworks that balance ecological sustainability with socio-economic priorities. The project develops science-based tools and methodologies to support effective EB-MSP, ensuring that marine resources are managed in ways that safeguard biodiversity, maintain ecosystem health, and support the resilience of marine communities.
MarinePlan’s primary objective is to deliver actionable insights for sustainable maritime spatial planning that aligns with the EU Biodiversity Strategy, focusing on conserving marine biodiversity and mitigating the ecological impacts of human activities. By establishing a decision-support system, MarinePlan provides guidance for the integration of ecological data, conservation priorities, and spatial planning needs, laying a foundation for informed, adaptive management of European marine areas.
MarinePlan Planning Sites
Eight archetypal European MarinePlan Planning Sites have been selected to achieve a broad geographical coverage, encompassing the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Celtic Sea, Atlantic, and Mediterranean Sea. At these Planning Sites project partners will coherently apply the tools developed within the project to derive commonalities, success stories and impediments with regard to the co-development of feasible and realistic planning options to achieve EU Biodiversity strategy targets with the help of EB-MSP.
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Marine Ecological Connectivity
Marine ecological connectivity—the natural linkage of species, nutrients, and ecological materials across marine environments—is essential for biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Within MarinePlan, our department employs Lagrangian particle tracking to simulate the movement of particles, such as larvae and nutrients, across marine environments. These simulations allow us to understand how ocean currents connect habitats over spatial and temporal scales, which is vital for establishing effective, interconnected Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and ensuring ecological coherence.
Through particle tracking, our department contributes essential connectivity insights that inform MarinePlan’s objectives, ensuring that spatial planning strategies are grounded in a deep understanding of the dynamic interactions within marine ecosystems. This research not only supports MarinePlan's mission to foster sustainable marine resource use but also promotes ecosystem resilience by preserving natural connections across habitats and supporting biodiversity across European waters.
Our Contribution
- Simulating Dispersal Pathways - By tracking particles within modelled current fields, we can visualize and analyse dispersal pathways that support species migration, larval settlement, and nutrient flow. These insights are critical for identifying essential habitats and ecological corridors.
- Mapping Connectivity Hotspots - Our particle tracking data, integrated into the DSS and prioritization software, helps pinpoint areas where connectivity is strongest—such as migratory corridors and retention zones. This mapping enables MarinePlan to prioritize these regions for conservation, ensuring ecological networks that enhance species resilience.
- Supporting Adaptive Management - Through simulations that consider climate-driven changes in current patterns, our connectivity data supports adaptive MSP strategies, allowing stakeholders to respond to shifting environmental conditions.
- Decision Support System (DSS) and Prioritization Software - Our particle tracking data feeds directly into MarinePlan’s DSS and prioritization software, which translates connectivity insights into actionable recommendations for MPA planning and conservation.
- Informed MPA Design - The connectivity insights generated through Lagrangian particle tracking and integrated into the DSS guide the strategic placement of MPAs, fostering interconnected networks that maintain biodiversity and support ecosystem resilience.
Funding
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-12 under grant agreement No 101059407 and by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee grant numbers 10038951 & 10050537. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or UK Research and Innovation. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.