AUTHOR=Danovaro Roberto , Carugati Laura , Berzano Marco , Cahill Abigail E. , Carvalho Susana , Chenuil Anne , Corinaldesi Cinzia , Cristina Sonia , David Romain , Dell'Anno Antonio , Dzhembekova Nina , Garcés Esther , Gasol Joseph M. , Goela Priscila , Féral Jean-Pierre , Ferrera Isabel , Forster Rodney M. , Kurekin Andrey A. , Rastelli Eugenio , Marinova Veselka , Miller Peter I. , Moncheva Snejana , Newton Alice , Pearman John K. , Pitois Sophie G. , Reñé Albert , Rodríguez-Ezpeleta Naiara , Saggiomo Vincenzo , Simis Stefan G. H. , Stefanova Kremena , Wilson Christian , Lo Martire Marco , Greco Silvestro , Cochrane Sabine K. J. , Mangoni Olga , Borja Angel TITLE=Implementing and Innovating Marine Monitoring Approaches for Assessing Marine Environmental Status JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science VOLUME=3 YEAR=2016 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2016.00213 DOI=10.3389/fmars.2016.00213 ISSN=2296-7745 ABSTRACT=

Marine environmental monitoring has tended to focus on site-specific methods of investigation. These traditional methods have low spatial and temporal resolution and are relatively labor intensive per unit area/time that they cover. To implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European Member States are required to improve marine monitoring and design monitoring networks. This can be achieved by developing and testing innovative and cost-effective monitoring systems, as well as indicators of environmental status. Here, we present several recently developed methodologies and technologies to improve marine biodiversity indicators and monitoring methods. The innovative tools are discussed concerning the technologies presently utilized as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use in routine monitoring. In particular, the present analysis focuses on: (i) molecular approaches, including microarray, Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and metagenetic (metabarcoding) tools; (ii) optical (remote) sensing and acoustic methods; and (iii) in situ monitoring instruments. We also discuss their applications in marine monitoring within the MSFD through the analysis of case studies in order to evaluate their potential utilization in future routine marine monitoring. We show that these recently-developed technologies can present clear advantages in accuracy, efficiency and cost.