DiverSea develops novel marine observation and monitoring technology by combining: 1a) The new DNA-based identification approach “DNA-marks”: This approach will harnesses low coverage/cost genomic data to document genetic diversity and discriminate beyond species, to the population and individual level. This opens revolutionary possibilities, both for environmental samples (eDNA) and for monitoring species key biological parameters beyond simple identification, and, 1b) The experimentation required to quantify uncertainties in marine eDNA/eRNA interpretation, while developing general indictor methods with novel approaches harnessing new approaches and theory on mechanisms of molecular shedding and degradation; 2) emerging molecular techniques and approaches integrated with autonomous systems satellite remote sensing, citizen science, existing monitoring program data collection and, covering EOVs/EBVs, for comprehensive mapping of important marine habitats; 3) A novel data integration processing and interrogation AI-ML architecture that processes incoming biological, physical and biogeochemical data from diverse data platforms and from case studies in (2). The analysis module overarching framework will combine EOVs/EBVs for spatial and temporal biodiversity prediction, gap analysis identifying urgent data needs and investigating causal links/feedbacks between abiotic cycles, multiple stressors, biodiversity dynamics and biogeochemical cycles 5) An interactive platform to communicate the scientific outcomes of DiverSea to policy makers, stakeholders and the general public, the “Biodiversity Services Dashboard”. The dashboard visualizes key environmental and socio-economic indicators with quantified scenarios for societal and functional biodiversity interaction, connections of biodiversity to ecosystem functions and services. This will facilitate evaluating and comparing policy and planning alternatives considering the requirements of different target stakeholders.

The project MERCES is focused on the restoration of different degraded marine habitats, with the aim of: 1) assessing the potential of different technologies and approaches; 2) quantifying the returns in terms of ecosystems services and their socio-economic impacts; 3) defining the legal-policy and governance frameworks needed to optimize the effectiveness of the different restoration approaches. Specific aims include: a) improving existing, and developing new, restoration actions of degraded marine habitats; b) increasing the adaptation of EU degraded marine habitats to global change; c) enhancing marine ecosystem resilience and services; d) conducting cost-benefit analyses for marine restoration measures; e) creating new industrial targets and opportunities. To achieve these objectives MERCES created a multi-disciplinary consortium with skills in marine ecology, restoration, law, policy and governance, socio-economics, knowledge transfer, dissemination and communication. MERCES will start from the inventory of EU degraded marine habitats (WP1), conduct pilot restoration experiments (WP2, WP3, WP4), assess the effects of restoration on ecosystem services (WP5). The legal, policy and governance outputs will make effective the potential of marine restoration (WP6) and one dedicated WP will assess the socio-economic returns of marine ecosystems’ restoration (WP7). The transfer of knowledge and the links with the industrial stakeholders will be the focus of WP8. The results of MERCES will be disseminated to the widest audience (WP9). The project will be managed through a dedicated management office (WP10). MERCES will contribute to the Blue Growth by: i) improving the EU scientific knowledge on marine restoration, ii) contributing to EU Marine Directives; iii) implementing the Restoration Agenda, iv) enhancing the industrial capacity in this field, v) increasing the competitiveness of EU in the world market of restoration, and vi) offering new employment opportunities.