title / RAMBLERS (Rapid Assessment of Marine Biodiversity linked to
Environmental Degradation and Remediation Studies)
/ DEFRA
project code / CDEP 84/5/29
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs CSG 15
Research and Development
Final Project Report
(Not to be used for LINK projects)
Two hard copies of this form should be returned to:Research Policy and International Division, Final Reports Unit
DEFRA, Area 301
Cromwell House, Dean Stanley Street, London, SW1P 3JH.
An electronic version should be e-mailed to
Project title / RAMBLERS (Rapid Assessment of Marine Biodiversity linked to
Environmental Degradation and Remediation Studies)
DEFRA project code / CDEP 84/5/29
Contractor organisation and location / Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH
Total DEFRA project costs / £ 185,835
Project start date / 15/09/00 / Project end date / 04/03/04
Executive summary (maximum 2 sides A4)
To tab in this section press the tab key and the Control key together
Press the DOWN arrow once to move to the next question.
CSG 15 (Rev. 6/02) 3
Projecttitle / RAMBLERS (Rapid Assessment of Marine Biodiversity linked to
Environmental Degradation and Remediation Studies)
/ DEFRA
project code / CDEP 84/5/29
The overall objective of the programme was to develop and validate techniques for the rapid assessment of biodiversity at different spatial and temporal scales, and to incorporate these into statistical software, capable of wide dissemination to Defra personnel and other organisations, for biodiversity prediction. We intended to establish biodiversity assessment protocols which are relevant to Defra's strategic requirements for much of the OSPAR candidate list of human activities: e.g. aggregate extraction, navigational dredging, oil and gas exploration, introduced alien species, land reclamation etc. Ideally we hoped to distinguish between biodiversity changes that are due to anthropogenic pressures rather than to natural environmental variability.
The research is closely linked to the objectives of the European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS), which is a forum for scientists and policy makers striving to promote strategically important biodiversity research with concern for reduction of biodiversity loss, conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable use of the components of biodiversity.
Specific objectives were:
1. Investigation of the extent to which certain components of the biota, e.g. large conspicuous species and death assemblages (e.g. of molluscs), can be used as surrogates for total biodiversity.
2. Investigations of the ability to extrapolate from methods of surveying benthic biodiversity on large spatial scales (e.g. acoustic sensing and video), and predicting benthic conditions from hydrodynamic models on large spatial scales.
3. Further development of biodiversity indices that are not strongly dependent on sampling effort (e.g. taxonomic distinctness), so that results from historical, rapid and more detailed surveys can be compared.
Objective 1.
Techniques for the rapid assessment of biodiversity need to be calibrated in order to ascertain how representative they are of a full biodiversity inventory. To this end we have begun to establish an All Taxon Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) for a pristine UK inshore environment. We selected a well-studied location, the Isles of Scilly, where a large proportion of the taxa had already been enumerated and we have supplemented published information with data on the more “difficult” and less well-studied taxa. Our strategy has been to bring established taxonomic experts in the less studied groups of organisms to the islands, to do their own collecting and to take material back to their own laboratories for analysis. Many of the species found in our surveys, especially the smaller meiobenthic animals, proved to be new records for the Islands, for the British Isles and some new to science.
The biodiversity of death assemblages of molluscs, i.e. shells washed up on sandy beaches, proved to be a valid surrogate or proxy for the biodiversity of the regional living species pool and we have shown that the use of taxonomic distinctness indices, developed with Defra funding, is approproiate for predicting climate-change effects on marine biodiversity, by comparison of recent and fossil death-assemblages. We have also shown that the surface-features created by bioturbating organisms are valid surrogates for macrofaunal diversity and community structure, by comparing ROV survey data with ground-truth grab sampling. On the other hand, we have shown that patterns of overall biodiversity of macrobenthos are not reflected in patterns of biodiversity of the main individual groups of animals, so that these individual groups are not a valid surrogate for overall biodiversity. Our results suggest that the observed overall pattern may result from a shift in the proportions of higher taxa within the assemblage, and if so this suggests that different taxa have different expected values of taxonomic distinctness as a result of their internal taxonomic hierarchy, which we have demonstrated to be the case. We have also shown that extrapolation of biodiversity between different size groups of organisms is not simple, in that the size spectrum of biodiversity is not fractal.
Objective 2.
We have compared abundance estimates of megafaunal biotic sediment features obtained from diver and remotely operated vehicle-mapping techniques. Results show strong agreement between estimates of total feature and conspicuous feature abundance, providing assurance that remote observation techniques are not subject to systematic errors in estimation of feature abundance. We have also used this ROV to survey deep hard-bottom sites at our ATBI site on the Isles of Scilly and demonstrated that that this methodology for biodiversity assessment is fairly free from observer variability or bias. We have used the self organising map algorithm to develop a topology for offshore benthic habitats in UK coastal waters, which will enable us to conduct detailed analyses of empirical links between benthic biodiversity, hydrodynamics and fluxes.
In a large-scale study of Norwegian benthos, we have shown that taxonomic distinctness shows clear and smooth variation over large spatial scales, responding to changes in environmental conditions in a monotonic fashion. This is in marked contrast to species numbers which, for example, have a hump-shaped relationship with maximum numbers occurring at intermediate depths. Therefore it is likely that changes in biodiversity as measured using such an index are more amenable to modelling than changes in species numbers, which tend to be relatively complex and difficult to predict.
Objective 3.
We have further developed and rigorously tested new biodiversity indices and methods for the analysis of biodiversity data, which have been incorporated in a new version of the software package PRIMER (i.e. PRIMER-6). In seeking to extrapolate biodiversity-based measures of community structure to larger spatial scales, and thus empower their use in wider monitoring of human-induced change, a number of statistically-based analytical and programming challenges have been resolved with respect to beta diversity (similarity between locations), and gamma diversity (regional). An example of the former is a taxonomic similarity measure. This measures the extent to which the taxa found at one location match that at another location, not just in terms of whether they have the same species but whether they have closely-related species. It allows samples from disparate geographical locations, and thus potentially with no species in common, to be displayed on the same ordination (MDS) plot, so that patterns of change in similarities and dissimilarities in biological communities over wide space scales or long time scales can be assessed. With respect to regional diversity, in addition to average taxonomic distinctness (D+), now quite widely exploited, we have developed an index of variation in taxonomic distinctness (L+), measuring the evenness in the observed taxonomic hierarchy. This addresses a hitherto neglected aspect of biodiversity in which certain groups of organisms may become over- or under-represented, as for example in the North Sea where polycheates are increasing in proportion to other more sensitive taxa such as molluscs and echinoderms, as a result of fishing pressure. The biodiversity assessment protocols that we have developed have been tested in collaboration with other agencies and organisations on a wide range of organism groups (macrobenthos, meiobenthos, hard-bottom epibenthos) and locations (mostly within the UK but also in Norway, Southern Africa, California, New Zealand, Thailand). Taxonomic distinctness measures of biodiversity have proved to be meaningful indicators of environmental health. They appear to be less sensitive to natural environmental variability than traditional measures based on species richness such as Shannon diversity (H'), whist being sensitive to anthropogenic perturbations, and may demonstrate environmental deterioration in some situations where species richness measures are misleading. They are also useful in detecting both local short term and regional long term changes in biodiversity, and have potential for determining conservation policy objectives and providing a mechanism for their delivery.
CSG 15 (Rev. 6/02) 3
Projecttitle / RAMBLERS (Rapid Assessment of Marine Biodiversity linked to
Environmental Degradation and Remediation Studies)
/ DEFRA
project code / CDEP 84/5/29
Scientific report (maximum 20 sides A4)
To tab in this section press the tab key and the Control key together
Press the DOWN arrow once to move to the next question.
CSG 15 (Rev. 6/02) 3
Projecttitle / RAMBLERS (Rapid Assessment of Marine Biodiversity linked to
Environmental Degradation and Remediation Studies)
/ DEFRA
project code / CDEP 84/5/29
Introduction and Objectives
Mankind needs to use the resources and opportunities offered by the marine environment while protecting ecological processes and ecosystems. This is the foundation for sustainable development, which can only be achieved by adopting an appropriate management approach. Whether internationally or at a regional scale, successful management of marine ecosystems needs to be based on a scientifically robust approach to monitoring environmental change. Within such a framework the conservation of marine biological diversity is problematic, as many conventional measures of diversity are not appropriate for measuring the types of change that require management. New indicators are required. A major challenge, particularly of speciose groups, is the need to develop firmer estimates of biodiversity, and better estimation procedures. This is particularly so for the marine environment. One important approach to biodiversity estimation is extrapolation from taxon to taxon, focal group to inclusive group, site to site and sample to inventory, across spatial scales. To calibrate the basis for such an approach requires the establishment of sites with an All-Taxon Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). To date this has not been achieved, certainly for marine taxa, at any site in the world. Yet ‘surrogacy’ methods, based on extrapolating information from intensively studied sites, will become the norm in site assessment, because of the impracticality of routinely attempting comprehensive surveys. This project has attempted to validate the utility of a range of ‘biodiversity predictors’ as surrogates for biodiversity in general, and apply them to environmental issues of concern to Defra. The overall objective of the programme was to develop and validate techniques for the rapid assessment of biodiversity at different spatial and temporal scales, and ideally to distinguish between biodiversity changes that are due to anthropogenic pressures rather than natural environmental variability. Specific objectives were:
1. Investigation of the extent to which certain components of the biota, e.g. large conspicuous species and death assemblages (e.g. of molluscs), can be used as surrogates for total biodiversity.
2. Investigations of the ability to extrapolate from methods of surveying benthic biodiversity on large spatial scales (e.g. acoustic sensing and video), and predicting benthic conditions from hydrodynamic models on large spatial scales.
3. Further development of biodiversity indices that are not strongly dependent on sampling effort (e.g. taxonomic distinctness), so that results from historical, rapid and more detailed surveys can be compared.
This work intended to establish biodiversity assessment protocols which are relevant to Defra's strategic requirements for much of the OSPAR candidate list of human activities: e.g. aggregate extraction, navigational dredging, oil and gas exploration, introduced alien species, land reclamation etc. A goal of this programme was to develop software, capable of wide dissemination to Defra personnel and other organisations, for biodiversity prediction.
Collection of the field data for the exploration and testing of the utility of the above methods has involved sampling both intertidally and from small inshore vessels (there was no large research vessel requirement, but data from Defra/CEFAS, EA and other cruises have been utilised by negotiation). Samples and data provided by other researchers have also been utilised. The nature of the programme has involved collection of data (species abundances and lists) on a wide range of organism types: macrobenthos, meiobenthos, plankton, fish, corals, and also video surveying techniques for the benthos. Faunistic samples have been analysed in Plymouth using the standard procedures for enumerating species that are appropriate to each taxon. Data analysis have utilised both existing software already developed by PML (partly under MAFF contract AE1113) and new routines specifically devised for the project.
Objective 1.
All Taxon Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI)
In order to calibrate and validate the rapid assessment procedures, it was considered timely to start to produce a comprehensive biodiversity audit by conducting intensive site-specific studies to provide complete coverage of all taxa and to obtain a picture of the phylogenetic structure of biodiversity in a pristine UK inshore environment. We selected a well-studied location, the Isles of Scilly, where a large proportion of the taxa had already been enumerated (inventories for 16 taxa have been published in the series ‘Flora and fauna of the Isles of Scilly’ in the J. nat. Hist), and we have supplemented published information with data on the more “difficult” and less well-studied taxa.
In addition to samples collected intertidally and by SCUBA diving, we have also used a drop-down video camera and ROV to record epifauna from deeper waters. We have sampled poorly studied habitats from rocky shores, and also from St Martin’s flats and seagrass beds, concentrating on smaller (meiofaunal) taxa. Our strategy has been to bring taxonomic experts in the less studies groups of organisms to the islands, to do their own collecting and to take material back to their own laboratories for analysis. The following scientists have participated so far:
Dr. B. Picton (Ulster Museum): sponges, ascidians, nudibranch molluscs
Dr. C. Morrow (Ulster Museum): sponges
Dr K. Hiscock (MARLIN): sublittoral hard-bottom epifauna
Dr. B. Hextall (Private consultant): sublittoral hard-bottom epifauna