OSPAR Science Agenda Knowledge Gap Portal

Welcome to the OSPAR Science Agenda knowledge gap portal. The page showcases important scientific questions and evidence needs identified by OSPAR to help protect and sustainably manage the North-East Atlantic. Use the filters and search options below to explore knowledge gaps by topic, category, region, and status, or browse visually to discover areas where new research, data, or collaborations are needed. The aim is to make it easy for anyone - scientists, funders, and policy makers to understand the current priorities, access key details, and get involved in helping to close these important gaps for a healthier ocean future.

Showing 526 - 539 of 539 items
Export Results
Impacts of hazardous substances on ecosystem services
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There are possible, but uncertain, impacts on many ecosystem services.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Hazardous Substances Thematic Assessment
View source
Balancing the number of indicators and substances
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There is a balance between the number of indicators included and the outcome of HELCOM CHASE. When more indicators get developed, the balance between number of e.g., metals vs organic substances or individual vs sums will need careful balancing.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
2. thresholds & references
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status and Trend Hazardous Substances using CHASE
View source
Improve method for additivity toxicity
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Combined effects of additive toxicity are implicitly included, but a more rigorous inclusion method should be developed, and the fact that CS>1 is possible even with all CRi<1 has to be accepted and discussed.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
2. thresholds & references
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status and Trend Hazardous Substances using CHASE
View source
Further development of Environmental Quality Standards
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Denmark has reservations regarding the OSPAR Environmental Assessment Criteria (EAC) and Effects Range-Low (ERL) values used in the HELCOM CHASE assessment, and future implementation should preferably be based on EQS (Environmental Quality Standards) values.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
2. thresholds & references
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status and Trend Hazardous Substances using CHASE
View source
Improve the assessment of biological effects of hazardous substances
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: In a future assessment of chemical exposure in the ocean and the Marine strategy framework directive, an evolution of the monitoring of biological effects could be carried out (i) by integrating new sentinel species (ii) in developing new bioassays to assess sediment and water toxicity (iii) and integrating new analytical methodologies in ecotoxicology and chemistry for the assessment of biological effects of the chemical contaminants on marine populations.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Integrated biological effects and chemical contaminants approach: a case study
View source
Causes of observed toxicological effects in a site close to Fjällbackaare
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Determine whether observed effects of the supposedly low exposed site of Fjällbackaare (regarding health status of the eelpout) are caused by unknown contaminants (emerging contaminants not already monitored) or known contaminants (already monitored in other contaminated sites) that are not monitored currently.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Integrated biological effects and chemical contaminants approach: a case study
View source
Combined effects of TBT and other pressures on European shrimp
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Integration: It is questionable whether tribuyltin (TBT) is an important indicator for health status of European shrimp. The species is also threatened by other pressures. Thus, the reference case study of TBT and European shrimp indicates the necessity of long-term monitoring of ecosystem influences and the need for pragmatic integrations of unrelated drivers.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Integrated biological effects and chemical contaminants approach: a case study
View source
End user risks
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: The risks for the end user of potential false positives and negatives need to be reduced.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Clean sampling techniques
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Contamination needs to be eliminated from sampling.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Improve the power of assessment
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There needs to be improved assessment power.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Improve sampling techniques for the marine environment
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There needs to be development of marine focussed common sampling methodologies.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Improve ecotoxicological thresholds for the marine environment
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Also required: focussed ecotoxicological (marine) threshold values. There is currently a high focus on water based predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) and modelled thresholds.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Improve confidence of ecotoxicological thresholds for the marine environment
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Building on water based predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) and modelled thresholds into higher confidence risk/prioritisation models is a longer term aim.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Wide-scope target and suspect screening of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in marine biota samples from the North-East Atlantic
 
Combined effects of diseases and hazardous substances in marine mammals
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Effects of diseases and infections and the effects of hazardous substances.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2020 - Blue Whale
View source