MARES
MARES
Multi-method Assessment for Resilient Ecosystem Services and Human Nature System Integration
BONUS MARES is an EU-funded research project that addresses the key theme from BONUS Strategic Research Agenda 4.2:
Linking ecosystem goods and services to human lifestyles and well-being
Implemented by four partners from Finland, Estonia and Germany with the objective to identify best practices for integrating natural capital into decision-making.
Get to know the project results
The Final Workshop in Helsinki on the 13th and 14th of February 2020.
The First MARES Expert Meeting in Helsinki on the 3rd of December 2019.
Get to know to our Scientists
MARES presented in the European Marine Biology Symposium EMBS
The MARES Newsletters Vol 1 and Vol 2 and Vol 3
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN FOCUS
BONUS MARES observes and monitors ecosystem goods and services in the Baltic Sea Region, specifically of its coastal system threatened by multiple pressures and climate change. This will be done by an extensive literature review on the existing knowledge on marine ecosystem services provided by mussel reefs, submerged vegetation and seagrass beds in the Baltic Sea. BONUS MARES will create spatial models on their existence under differing future scenarios taking into account, for example, eutrophication and climate change effects.
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MONETARY AND NON-MONETARY VALUATION METHODS IN USE
BONUS MARES analyses the adequacy of existing methods to transfer this scientific knowledge for practitioners (combination of ‘ecosystem service-evaluation method’). It will review different methods for monetary and non-monetary economic evaluation of the marine ecosystem services and takes the most feasible ones for further processing. This is done by taking a highly participatory approach, i.e. involving experts, stakeholders and decision-makers to contribute, through a 2-step Delphi online procedure and workshops.
COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION AT THE CORE
BONUS MARES results will be captured in scientific articles and related policy briefs, newsletters and a final popular publication that will pull together findings, lessons learned, and gaps identified in current practices. In this way, the aim is to inform and interface with the concerned stakeholders and the general public, thereby pursuing the objective of concretely reducing the distance between the scientific community, decision making and the overall society.
One key element is the realisation of GIS based maps in an online portal where maps representing the spatial distributions of the ecosystem services provided by mussel reefs, seagrass beds and other submerged vegetation in the Baltic Sea can be generated.
ABOUT MARES ON BONUS: BONUSPORTAL and on page 6 on the BONUS in Brief
BONUS MARES has been funded from BONUS (Art. 185), funded by the EU
BONUS, the joint Baltic Sea research and development programme for years 2010-2017, was started by the BONUS member states together with the EU by a co-decision of the European Parliament and the European Council as a Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) Article 185 activity.
