Bulletin of the SFI 3 (151) 2000 - Marine Disease, Morbidity and Mortality, Toward a Baltic Sea Ecological Disturbance Information System

Marine Disease, Morbidity and Mortality, Toward a Baltic Sea Ecological Disturbance Information System
Bulletin of the Sea Fisheries Institute 3 (151) 2000, pp. 101-117

Benjamin H. Sherman
Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA

Key words: marine ecosystems, ecosystem disturbance, ecosystem health assessment, Baltic Sea, HEED.

Abstract.
An approach is described for systematically reconstructing spatial and temporal marine disturbance regimes related to Baltic marine morbidity, mortality and disease events. The approach is compatible with the health module of the Baltic Sea's Large Marine Ecosystem initiative and consistent with implementation of the Baltic Sea Agenda 21 program. The approach is based upon a survey of disturbance events conducted in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean, known as the HEED project. Eight general disturbance indicator categories are suggested for assessment of the health of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. These general disturbance types represent over 140 distinct impact categories and may be used to examine the relationship among impact causes, effects and costs from disturbances observed for the near coastal and open waters of the Baltic Sea ecosystem.