Integrating molecular approaches for standardised monitoring of North Sea biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics

Abstract

The North Sea is among the largest and most productive shallow marine ecosystems, heavily influenced by historical and ongoing exploitation. Monitoring of North Sea biodiversity is vital for a better understanding of ecosystem responses to ongoing anthropogenic pressures and for informing effective management and conservation strategies. Molecular techniques provide a cost and time-efficient alternative to traditional biodiversity assessment methods and are increasingly employed in marine monitoring. In this narrative review, we explore the current molecular-based monitoring approaches used to assess marine biodiversity in the North Sea, including species-specific assays and eDNA metabarcoding, by highlighting their opportunities and areas for improvement. Furthermore, we address the potential for integrating novel DNA and RNA-based methods, such as metagenomics, epigenetics, and metatranscriptomics, into standardised monitoring for marine conservation and restoration. We propose that further integration of a broader omics-based approach may enhance the overall understanding of ecosystem structure, function, and health. We then move beyond molecular tools and examine the challenges and opportunities associated with curation and archiving of metadata and nucleotide reference databases. We further address how to improve the harmonisation and standardisation of marine biodiversity data. Finally, we provide three suggestions for integrating molecular methods in a standardised manner to enhance the assessment of North Sea ecosystem biodiversity, dynamics, and functioning.