AQUA-TRANSFORM: From Aquatic Biodiversity Monitoring to Transformative Conservation Governance

Aquatic ecosystems are experiencing increasing pressures from climate change, pollution, habitat degradation, invasive species, and unsustainable resource use. Although biodiversity monitoring generates valuable scientific information, these findings are not always effectively integrated into conservation policies, spatial planning, and natural resource management.

AQUA-TRANSFORM proposes to strengthen the connection between aquatic biodiversity science and transformative conservation governance by providing reliable ecological evidence, measurable biodiversity indicators, and spatial decision-support tools.

Our proposed contribution includes six interconnected research directions:

1. Integrated aquatic biodiversity assessment

Developing and applying complementary methods for assessing species diversity, community composition, and ecological changes in freshwater and marine ecosystems, including conventional hydrobiological surveys, molecular identification, and DNA barcoding.

2. Biodiversity indicators for evaluating transformative change

Developing measurable ecological indicators to assess biodiversity trends, ecosystem condition, resilience, and the outcomes of conservation and restoration interventions. These indicators can support the evaluation of nature-positive transitions and provide an ecological evidence base for interdisciplinary assessments.

3. Assessment of environmental pressures and biodiversity responses

Investigating the effects of climate change, pollution, habitat modification, and other anthropogenic pressures on aquatic organisms and communities, with an emphasis on identifying ecological vulnerabilities and conservation priorities.

4. Spatial analysis and conservation planning

Applying GIS-based habitat mapping, biodiversity distribution analysis, and spatial modelling to identify ecologically valuable areas, vulnerable habitats, and priority locations for conservation and restoration.

5. Linking ecological evidence with conservation governance

Supporting the integration of biodiversity monitoring results into conservation planning, protected area management, and adaptive environmental decision-making. In collaboration with governance specialists and relevant stakeholders, the project will examine how scientific evidence can inform changes in management practices and conservation priorities.

6. Interdisciplinary assessment of nature-positive transitions

Contributing ecological datasets, biodiversity indicators, and monitoring methodologies to interdisciplinary research involving environmental governance, socio-economic analysis, and stakeholder participation. This will support the development and evaluation of scenarios for systemic transformation in aquatic ecosystem management.

Expected Contribution to the Consortium

Our research team can contribute expertise and research capacity in aquatic biodiversity assessment, hydrobiology, molecular taxonomy, DNA barcoding, ecological monitoring, biodiversity indicator development, GIS-based spatial analysis, and scientific evaluation of conservation measures.

We are particularly interested in participating in work packages addressing biodiversity monitoring, ecological indicators, ecosystem vulnerability, spatial conservation planning, and the integration of ecological evidence into transformative governance frameworks.

Proposed consortium role: Scientific partner contributing to aquatic biodiversity research, ecological assessment methodologies, biodiversity indicators, spatial analysis, and evidence-based evaluation of systemic conservation strategies.

AQUA-TRANSFORM will help connect ecological knowledge with interdisciplinary approaches to transformative change, supporting more effective and scientifically informed biodiversity conservation in freshwater and marine ecosystems.