Indicators for marine and coastal ecosystem services of the Dutch north sea

Abstract

Marine and coastal ecosystems in the North Sea provide essential ecosystem services, supporting habitat provision, erosion control, and food production for local species, while also delivering economic value to humans. However, these ecosystems are continuously disrupted by various human activities, including energy harvesting, fishing, and coastal development. As a result, restoration efforts and investments in research and protection have gained significance. To effectively monitor changes in ecosystem health and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation efforts, the identification of relevant indicators is crucial. This literature review aims to gather the most pertinent indicators for marine ecosystem services, with a specific focus on the coastal ecosystems of the Dutch North Sea. The selected key factors for analysis include Shellfish and Oyster beds, Seagrass beds, Biodiversity and species richness, Food web integrity, Carbon sequestration, Erosion control and natural hazard protection, and Waste breakdown and detoxification. Recent literature was reviewed to identify relevant indicators, which were subsequently categorized into Wildlife (Biological indicators), Sea water, Sediment, Carbon cycle, geographical, social, and economic indicators. This compilation of indicators will assist stakeholders and researchers in establishing specific monitoring parameters to assess ecosystem health effectively