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 26 - 50 of 60 items
Distinguish temperature and eutrophication impacts on oxygen dynamics close to the seafloor
ID Number: E02.02
Knowledge gap description: Insufficient understanding of the relative importance of biological and physical processes and of impacts of climate change in controlling near-bed oxygen dynamics, oxygen deficiency and consumption to distinguish between the effects of nutrient enrichment and changes in seawater temperature as a result of climate change.
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Common indicator assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D5C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Concentrations of Dissolved Oxygen Near the Seafloor in the Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast
Distinguish temperature and eutrophication impacts on benthic ecology
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: In coastal ocean regions, anthropogenic eutrophication via continental run-off and atmospheric nutrient deposition, and ocean warming, are very likely to be the main drivers of deoxygenation. Future work should aim to decouple, where possible, the impacts of eutrophication on benthic ecology.
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Eutrophication Thematic Assessment
Large scale cumulative effects from offshore renewable energy developments
ID Number: A3.02
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for evidence on the potential impacts of large scale offshore renewable energy developments, and their cumulative effects on the marine environment.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage, 5. cumulative effects & integration, 7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Cumulative effects from offshore renewable energy developments
ID Number: A3.02a
Knowledge gap description: Knowledge gaps around cumulative effects of offshore renewable energy, especially at large scale.
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
no MSFD Descriptor/Criterion
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Links between changes in the physical and chemical ocean climate
ID Number: A3.03
Knowledge gap description: Improved understanding of the fundamental links between changes in the physical and chemical ocean climate, the marine ecosystem, and human activities in the marine environment. Causal links between these changes and other OSPAR receptors (species, habitats, hazardous substances, marine litter, eutrophication, radioactive substances) are unknown, including the complex interactions between these.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Impacts of climate change and ocean acidification
ID Number: A3.04
Knowledge gap description: A lack of distinction of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification from those of other processes that are either primary or managed drivers. This includes how indicators change in response to these multiple stressors.
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Improve methods for understanding impacts of climate change on ecosystem services
ID Number: A3.12
Knowledge gap description: The impact of climate change on the ecosystem services in the OSPAR Maritime Area remains knowledge gap. This is the case for specific services, for example that of the provision of genetic material, but also more broadly interms of quantifying what these impacts are and which ecosystem services are at greatest risk. The Quality Status Report (QSR)2023 approached this by surveying experts, but a larger participant pool across a greater range of expertise would improve such an assessment. Other quantitative methods to improve our understanding of climate change impacts on ecosystem services are needed.
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Change in carbonate chemistry in coastal waters
ID Number: A1.02
Knowledge gap description: Advances in knowledge on drivers of change in carbonate chemistry in coastal waters are needed
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification monitoring
ID Number: A1.03
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for capacity in Europe for carbonate system CRM production to support OA monitoring
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification process-based models for coastal environment
ID Number: A1.04
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for down-scaled process-based models for the near-shore, coastal and shelf environment
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Biological impacts from ocean acidification
ID Number: A1.05
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for better insight in biological impact and responses. More field observations are needed, and experiments should work with more realistic conditions (as opposed to unrealistically extreme)
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Collaboration between modelling communities to improve models and monitoring
ID Number: A1.06
Knowledge gap description: Collaboration between modelling communities and (physicochemical and biological) observation communities is needed to inform and improve both models and monitoring programmes
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Methods to disentangle stressor impacts in a multistressor environment
ID Number: A1.07
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for methods to disentangle individual stressor impact in a multistressor environment
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Evolutionary adaptations to climate change and ocean acidification
ID Number: A1.08
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for better understanding of mechanisms and rates of evolutionary adaptations to climate change and ocean acidification
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Indicators of biological impact of climate change and ocean acidification
ID Number: A1.09
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for development of indicators of biological impact of climate change and ocean acidification that operate on the OSPAR regional scale
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Risk and impacts of mitigation strategies
ID Number: A1.10
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for more knowledge on the risks and impacts of climate change and ocean acidification mitigations strategies
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Climate change and ocean acidification projections to support planning in OSPAR regions
ID Number: A1.11
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for enhanced capabilities to produce climate change/OA projections appropriate scenarios and time scales to support risk assessments and adaptation planning in OSPAR regions
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
A federated data system for projections
ID Number: A1.12
Knowledge gap description: There is a need for a federated data system for projections with regional models to faciliate availability of products supporting OSPAR assessments
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Ocean Acidification
Climate modelling to quantify risk of introduction and spread of non-indigenous species
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate change-induced change in marine environmental conditions is anticipated to affect the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species (NIS), but more climate modelling is required to quantify this risk.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Non-Indigenous Species Thematic Assessment
Climate change effects on marine litter
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Improve understanding of the effects of climate change (including extreme weather events) on marine litter and 2) improve understanding of measures to prepare and respond to these effects.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Marine Litter Thematic Assessment
Climate change affecting human activities
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Knowledge gaps around how climate change affects human activities in the OSPAR Maritime Area, including assessing current effects and adaptations.
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Human Activities Thematic Assessment
Future trends in fish stocks
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Fisheries: Improve understanding of future trends, including impacts of climate change on fish stocks and the ecosystem, and instabilities caused by tensions over fisheries management or new fisheries.
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Human Activities Thematic Assessment
Potential impacts of increased shipping activities on recreation sector in the Arctic
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: It is unknown whether increased shipping activities (expected from climate change) could interfere with the recreation sector in the Arctic.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Recreation and Tourism in the North-East Atlantic
Impact of human induced pressures on Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Need to better understand and address the issue of by-catch. while the occurrence and impact of plastics on the species, as well as the influence of climate change, should also be addressed.
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C1, D1C2, D10C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
(Future) impacts of climate change on benthic habitats
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: There are some uncertainties in the climate change predictions, which will require additional research in order to increase accuracy on the future impacts of benthic habitats, particularly along the coastline.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment