Bridging the gap: integrating models and observations for better ecosystem understanding

Morten D. Skogen; Johanna M. Aarflot; Luz María García-García; Rubao Ji; Manuel Ruiz-Villarreal; Elin Almroth-Rosell; Andrea Belgrano; Déborah Benkort; Ute Daewel; Moa Edman; René Friedland; Shuang Gao; Mariana Hill-Cruz; Solfrid Sætre Hjøllo; Martin Huret; Julie B. Kellner; Sonja van Leeuwen; Ane Lopez de Gamiz-Zearra; Marie Maar; Erik Askov Mousing; Myron A. Peck; Ane Pastor Rollan; Sévrine F. Sailley; Sofia Saraiva; Cassie Speakman; Tineke Troost; Veli Çağlar Yumruktepe

doi:10.3354/meps14616

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MEPS 739:257-268 (2024) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14616

OPINION PIECE
Bridging the gap: integrating models and observations for better ecosystem understanding

Morten D. Skogen^1,*, Johanna M. Aarflot¹, Luz María García-García², Rubao Ji³, Manuel Ruiz-Villarreal², Elin Almroth-Rosell⁴, Andrea Belgrano^5,6, Déborah Benkort⁷, Ute Daewel⁷, Moa Edman⁴, René Friedland⁸, Shuang Gao¹, Mariana Hill-Cruz⁹, Solfrid Sætre Hjøllo¹, Martin Huret¹⁰, Julie B. Kellner³, Sonja van Leeuwen¹¹, Ane Lopez de Gamiz-Zearra¹², Marie Maar¹³, Erik Askov Mousing¹, Myron A. Peck¹¹, Ane Pastor Rollan¹⁴, Sévrine F. Sailley¹⁵, Sofia Saraiva⁴, Cassie Speakman¹⁴, Tineke Troost¹⁶, Veli Çağlar Yumruktepe¹⁷

¹Ecosystemprocesses Group, Institute of Marine Research, Pb.1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
²Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO, CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña, 15001 A Coruña, Spain
³Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
⁴Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, 601 76 Norrköping, Sweden
⁵Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Turistgatan 5, 453 30 Lysekil, Sweden
⁶Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment (SIME), University of Gothenburg, Box 260, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
⁷Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Systems-Analysis and Modelling, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
⁸Leibniz-Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestrasse 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany
⁹GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany
¹⁰DECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability), IFREMER, INRAE, Institut Agro, Brest, Pointe Du Diable, 29280 Plouzané, France
¹¹Coastal Systems Department, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg (Texel), the Netherlands
¹²AZTI, Marine Research Division, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Txatxarramendi Ugartea z/g, 48395, Sukarrieta, Spain
¹³Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
¹⁴School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
¹⁵Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK
¹⁶Deltares, PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, the Netherlands
¹⁷Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Jahnebakken 3, 5007, Bergen, Norway

*Corresponding author: morten.skogen@hi.no

ABSTRACT: Our understanding of complex marine ecosystem dynamics is often hindered by significant uncertainties and issues of representativeness associated with models and observations. Both observations and models provide a limited view of real-world complexities depending on what is specifically measured or simulated. When used together, they provide the ability to gain a broader understanding of important ecological processes. How to properly integrate models and observations while utilizing the advantages of both approaches remains a challenge. In this paper, we draw attention to commonly overlooked limitations of both observations and models, and use examples to illustrate potential strategies to mitigate bias, properly interpret results, and help improve both models and observations. We emphasize that proper validation of all data sources (models and observations) is necessary in all marine ecosystem studies, with a careful assessment of the spatio-temporal scales that the data represent.

KEY WORDS: Marine ecosystems · Models · Observations · Representativity · Validation

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Cite this article as: Skogen MD, Aarflot JM, García-García LM, Ji R and others (2024) Bridging the gap: integrating models and observations for better ecosystem understanding. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 739:257-268. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14616

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MEPS 739:257-268 (2024) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14616

OPINION PIECE Bridging the gap: integrating models and observations for better ecosystem understanding

OPINION PIECE
Bridging the gap: integrating models and observations for better ecosystem understanding