Coastal areas in the Baltic Sea accommodate many important habitats for a high diversity of species. There are exposed cliffs with small turf algae, kelpforests of bladderwrack, shallow bays with meadows of rooted flowering plants or red listed stoneworts. In some of the habitats there are plenty of species, in others few. Some function as nursing grounds for fish, some do not. Nature below the sea surface is as varied as it is on land. But knowledge is still lacking about which species live where, interactions among the species, ecological processes and ecosystem functions of the habitats.
Research area goal:
- Increase knowledge of the Baltic Sea ecosystems and habitats, how they are affected by human activities and climate change, and effective measures to protect them.
A few of our researchers work with improving the knowledge about coastal habitats. Some questions they focus on are: Where are the habitats located? How do animals and plants interact within the habitats? How is the environmental condition of the habitats, and how does it change over time? Where are the highest natural values? Which are the major threats? How can we protect the habitats and species? How does the existing protection work?
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