title: Multiple stressors threatening the future of the Baltic Sea-Kattegat marine ecosystem: implications for policy and management actions.
abstract: The paper discusses the combined effects of ocean acidification, eutrophication and climate change on the Baltic Sea and the implications for current management strategies. The scientific basis is built on results gathered in the BONUS+ projects Baltic-C and ECOSUPPORT. Model results indicate that the Baltic Sea is likely to be warmer, more hypoxic and more acidic in the future. At present management strategies are not taking into account temporal trends and potential ecosystem change due to warming and/or acidification, and therefore fulfilling the obligations specified within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, OSPAR and HELCOM conventions and national environmental objectives may become significantly more difficult. The paper aims to provide a basis for a discussion on the effectiveness of current policy instruments and possible strategies for setting practical environmental objectives in a changing climate and with multiple stressors.
authors.affiliation: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Box 530 21, SE-400 14 Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: sara.jutterstrom@ivl.se.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jutterström
authors.affiliation: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Research & Development - Oceanography, SE-601 76 Norrköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: University of Gothenburg, Department of Earth Sciences, Box 460, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Omstedt
authors.affiliation: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Box 530 21, SE-400 14 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Malmaeus
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D057231:Climate Change; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005060:Europe; D005068:Eutrophication; D005843:Geography; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D011640:Public Policy; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Baltic Sea; Climate change; Eutrophication; Ocean acidification; Policy