Priority research questions to generate decision‐grade data to enable coastal ecosystems to mitigate the climate and nutrient crises

Watson, Gordon J.; Aldridge, John; Anderson, Louise; Attrill, Martin J.; Austin, William E.N.; Bahr, Keisha D.; Beaumont, Nicola; Broszeit, Stefanie; Burden, Annette; Delgado‐Gargiulo, Estela; Drakou, Evangelia G.; Elliott, Mike; Filbee‐Dexter, Karen; Fulweiler, Robinson W.; Garbutt, Angus; Hancock, Boze; Hardege, Joerg D.; Harley, Joanna; Hendy, Ian W.; Hillman, Jenny R.; Jickells, Tim D.; Lillebø, Ana I.; Lima, Mariana D.A.C.; Macreadie, Peter I.; Martinetto, Paulina; Mellan, Jackie; Norkko, Alf; Parker, Ruth; Perring, Michael P.; Pogoda, Bernadette; Pollack, Jennifer B.; Preston, Joanne; Ragazzola, Federica; Saunders, Justine; Serrano, Oscar; Smale, Dan A.; Smith, Gemma; Thornton, Ann; Thrush, Simon; Tillin, Heidi; Unsworth, Richard K.F.; van der Schatte Olivier, Andrew; von der Heyden, Sophie; Watson, Stephen C.L.; Williamson, Phil; Woulds, Claire; Zu Ermgassen, Philline S.E.

NORA

Priority research questions to generate decision‐grade data to enable coastal ecosystems to mitigate the climate and nutrient crises

Watson, Gordon J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8274-7658; Aldridge, John; Anderson, Louise; Attrill, Martin J.; Austin, William E.N.; Bahr, Keisha D.; Beaumont, Nicola; Broszeit, Stefanie; Burden, Annette ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7694-1638; Delgado‐Gargiulo, Estela; Drakou, Evangelia G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4404-629X; Elliott, Mike; Filbee‐Dexter, Karen; Fulweiler, Robinson W.; Garbutt, Angus ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9145-9786; Hancock, Boze; Hardege, Joerg D.; Harley, Joanna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3861-9127; Hendy, Ian W.; Hillman, Jenny R.; Jickells, Tim D.; Lillebø, Ana I.; Lima, Mariana D.A.C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5277-6391; Macreadie, Peter I.; Martinetto, Paulina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9845-5817; Mellan, Jackie; Norkko, Alf ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9741-4458; Parker, Ruth; Perring, Michael P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8553-4893; Pogoda, Bernadette; Pollack, Jennifer B.; Preston, Joanne; Ragazzola, Federica; Saunders, Justine; Serrano, Oscar; Smale, Dan A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4157-541X; Smith, Gemma; Thornton, Ann; Thrush, Simon; Tillin, Heidi; Unsworth, Richard K.F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0036-9724; van der Schatte Olivier, Andrew; von der Heyden, Sophie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9166-976X; Watson, Stephen C.L.; Williamson, Phil; Woulds, Claire; Zu Ermgassen, Philline S.E.. 2026 Priority research questions to generate decision‐grade data to enable coastal ecosystems to mitigate the climate and nutrient crises. Journal of Applied Ecology, 63 (4), e70373. 12, pp. 10.1111/1365-2664.70373

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Abstract

Nature‐Based Solutions, green‐finance instruments and policies are now routinely constructed around carbon sequestration/storage (CSS) and nutrient bioremediation (NB). This integration builds on how Market‐Based Instruments (e.g. payments‐for‐ecosystem‐services) are regularly used in policies focused on terrestrial ecosystems. In marine and coastal systems poor understanding of CSS/NB biophysical processes and impacts of ecosystem quality/stressors, combined with methods and governance framework knowledge gaps, generate substantial uncertainty in outcomes. Reductions in output confidence preclude integration into Nature‐Based Solutions, stifling market‐based investment centred on conserving and restoring temperate coastal ecosystems.
To navigate this complex, rapidly evolving area, researchers from six continents engaged in a Priority Setting Exercise to generate 25 questions that, if answered within 10 years, will increase robustness, scalability and applicability of CSS/NB data across regions and ecosystems. We then used a modal analysis across five categories (time, geographic scale, technology complexity, cost and policy relevance) to expedite research‐investment decisions.
Questions (numbers in brackets) were organised across six themes as follows: maps/quantitative evidence/long‐term data (3), Processes/variability (6), Connectivity (2), Anthropogenic impacts (4), Methods/standards (6), Governance/conservation (4).
Questions under methods/standards and governance/trading schemes themes were generally identified to be the cheapest to answer and quickest to complete, whilst still having considerable geographic and policy relevance.
Policy implications : Identifying the enabling conditions for more efficient and successful approaches will greatly improve our understanding of ecosystem services. Together, these answers will then deliver the decision‐grade data necessary to strengthen green‐finance opportunities and address urgent climate and pollution (nutrient) crises.

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