Research seminar: THE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF URBAN MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

Humans rely on the multiple functions provided by ecosystems. However, humans have fundamentally changed most ecosystems on Earth, effectively creating what can be considered ‘novel ecosystems’. Despite being highly modified, these systems may nevertheless provide important services to society. Therefore, understanding how these novel systems function and how to manage them is crucial. Novel ecosystems are characterised by different ecological communities that result from local extinctions and/or the introduction of invasive species, as well as from major changes to the abiotic environment. This is particularly relevant in urban environments, where, increasingly, the addition of built infrastructure and other stressors, such as contamination, have resulted in whole new environments with unique characteristics. Despite humans being key drivers of change, we still have very little understanding on how these novel ecosystems function, especially in the marine realm. A key question is: Are ecological principles for novel ecosystems similar to those of natural systems, or are they somehow fundamentally different? In this context, my research aims at answering this question focusing on urbanised coasts subjected to multiple stressors. In this talk, I will discuss the impacts of coastal development on the diversity and functional properties of urban coastal systems and how management strategies such as “eco-engineering” have the potential to minimise negative impacts and maximise benefits for human societies now and into the future.

Seminario organizado por el Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), CSIC.