The BONUS BALTICAPP project studies both the supply and demand of marine ecosystem services across the entire Baltic Sea region in the coming 80-100 years.

Long term strategies with modelling

The BONUS BALTICAPP project uses a new combination of existing state-of-the-art modelling tools and recently collected data. The models create a link between nutrient loading, fishing, human wellbeing and the sea ecosystem and help to evaluate the effects of agriculture and fisheries policies on human welfare.

The project identifies long-term strategies to safeguard the many ecosystem services the Baltic Sea provides us. The strategies take into account the anticipated climate and socio-economic developments.

Mobile app connects citizens and researchers

The BONUS BALTICAPP project utilizes the concept of ‘Citizen Science’ and recent developments in information technology to experiment innovative, low-cost methods to acquire data on the demand of cultural ecosystem services like recreation.

The project pilots a mobile application that allows the users to share up-to-date information on the environmental conditions of the marine environment and their own use of the Baltic Sea. This provides researchers valuable, spatially explicit data on routes, places and hotspot areas of recreational activity in the Baltic Sea.

The information gained from the app fills in knowledge gaps related to those ecosystem services that are particularly important for well-being.

BONUS BALTICAPP project builds on and complements previous work done in BalticSTERN network and BONUS ECOSUPPORT and BONUS RECOCA projects.

Coordinator

Prof Kari Hyytiäinen, University of Helsinki
kari.hyytiainen[at]helsinki.fi