Marine Spatial Planning

The research to be undertaken by the Marine Spatial Planning research group will focus on the following five themes:

1. Strategic strengthening and analysis of knowledge on the spatial and seasonal distribution of marine biodiversity features in coastal, benthic and pelagic environments (where biodiversity features are defined as species, habitats and ecosystem processes);
2. Evaluation of ecosystem services (ecological infrastructure) and developing accounting techniques for the marine environment;
3. Sourcing and collating available baseline biodiversity information to evaluate marine management strategies;
4. Development of predictive spatial models of the outcomes of environmental, and anthropogenic, drivers of change in the marine environment;
5. Using outputs from themes 1 to 4 in a Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) framework to inform policy and management (particularly with regard to marine conservation strategies and adaptive management approaches).