RESTORESEAS

The losses of marine forests are catastrophic tipping points accelerating the degradation of ecosystem services that are essential for humanity and all species. These services include nursery, shelter and feeding grounds for many species including providers of human food security, coastal protection, and counteracting climate change by carbon sequestration, for which seagrasses are one of the most efficient ecosystems on Earth. Yet, with these habitats being out of sight and challenging to reach, below the ocean surface, marine forest restoration is both rare and difficult to monitor. RESTORESEAS studies the biological and biophysical processes at stake of the key species involved in these hypotheses in the Atlantic Ocean, and their interactions to help determine the effectiveness of restoration and conservation action. The project aims to further the scientific understanding of the role played by specific, genetic and functional diversity in marine forest ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean, with a focus on seaweed, seagrass and corals. Building upon novel hypotheses, experimentation on propagation, indicators and global models will permit the assessment of the conditions for large scale conservation and restoration approaches.