Functionality and Ecological Connectivity of Man-Made Structures (FuECoMMS)

随着越来越多的能源相关基础设施（石油和天然气平台，风力涡轮机，电缆）安装在北海，有必要了解这些人造结构（MMS）在海洋生态系统中发挥的作用。目前的退役法规禁止以任何形式将设施留在原地，这意味着在不再生产时完全拆除。然而，在这些MMS对海洋生态系统功能的影响方面存在重大知识空白。我们对北海生态MMS的理解的核心是更好地了解生态系统过程变化的背景（基线或平衡位置）。最近的一些研究确定了MMS作为人工鱼礁结构的作用，但很少有研究探讨MMS对周围最大的栖息地-海底，其相关的生物多样性及其提供的生态系统服务的影响。陆架沉积物，如在北海发现的沉积物，主要是桑迪渗透性沉积物，最近根据NERC陆架海洋生物地球化学方案进行的研究确定，这种陆架沉积物中含有很大比例的“蓝碳”。这些沉积物提供各种生态系统服务，包括营养物、碳和氧的生物地球化学循环;生物多样性（大型动物、微生物）;污染物沉积;提供生境;以及产生无机营养物以支持地表水生产力，支撑海洋食物网和商业渔业。MMS的存在和安装可以保护海床免受其他人类活动的影响，例如拖网和疏浚，保护海床免受物理干扰，并有效地提供非官方的“海洋保护区”（MPA）。MMS的碳氢化合物提取活动影响当地的生物多样性，特别是改变底栖微生物多样性作为对相关污染物的存在和浓度的反应，这些微生物在降解沉积物中的碳氢化合物方面发挥着至关重要的作用。虽然这些沉积物的稳定性及其固碳能力尚不确定，但MMS的退役和物理清除可能会破坏这些长期的碳储存，并影响底栖生态系统过程。根据目前的奥斯陆-巴黎（OSPAR）法规，完全清除MMS可能会影响局部范围内的水动力学和营养循环，对周围沉积物的生物多样性、碳固存和生态系统过程产生负面影响。此外，陆架沉积物可能通过石油渗漏/管道泄漏或含油钻屑的再悬浮而暴露于额外的碳氢化合物污染物，其最终扰动和更广泛的影响相对未知。因此，MMS的存在和随后的去除不仅可能影响沉积物的生物地球化学，而且可能影响海洋生物多样性和生态系统功能。该项目通过新技术（自主水下航行器）和环境DNA“eDNA”解决了这一知识差距，并将环境数据与行业数据（INSITE Interactive和我们的行业合作伙伴）建模，以确定MMS对关键海洋生态系统过程的作用。我们拥有强大的项目合作伙伴团队，他们来自行业（壳牌、雷普索尔、英力士、DNV-GL）和利益相关者（设得兰群岛石油码头咨询集团、SOTEAG;国家海底研究倡议、NSRI）。该项目得到了工业界和利益攸关方的大力支持，将设立一个利益攸关方咨询小组，以充分利用这一支持。最近关于英国退役决定的新闻报道引起了其他欧洲石油国家对环境可接受性的关注，因此该项目的产出预计将对未来退役产生国际兴趣和直接政策相关性。

With the increasing amount of energy-related infrastructure (oil and gas platforms, wind turbines, cables) installed in the North Sea, there is a need to understand the role these man-made structures (MMS) play in the marine ecosystem. Current decommissioning regulations prohibit leaving installations in place in any form, which means complete removal when no longer in production. However, there are significant knowledge gaps on the effect these MMS have on marine ecosystem function. Central to our understanding of MMS on the ecology of the North Sea, is having a better understanding of the background (baseline or equilibrium position) against which changes in ecosystem processes can be assessed. A few recent studies have identified the role of MMS as artificial reef structures, yet little research has examined the effect of MMS on the largest surrounding habitat - the seabed, its associated biodiversity, and the ecosystem services it provides. Shelf sediments, such as those found in the North Sea, are dominated by sandy permeable sediments, and recent research under the NERC Shelf Seas Biogeochemistry programme established that a significant proportion of 'blue carbon' is held in such shelf sediments. These sediments provide a variety of ecosystem services, from biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, carbon and oxygen; biodiversity (macrofauna, microbial); contaminant deposition; habitat provision; and production of inorganic nutrients to support surface water productivity, underpinning marine food webs and commercial fisheries. The presence and installation of MMS provides protection of the seabed from other human activities, such as trawling and dredging, protecting the seabed from physical disturbance and effectively providing an unofficial 'Marine Protected Area' (MPA). The hydrocarbon extraction activity at MMS influences local biodiversity, particularly changing benthic microbial diversity as a response to the presence and concentration of associated contaminants, and these microorganisms play a vital role in degrading the hydrocarbons within the sediments. Whilst the stability of these sediments and their ability to sequester carbon is uncertain, the decommissioning and physical removal of MMS is likely to disrupt these long term carbon stores, and impact on benthic ecosystem processes. Complete removal of MMS, following current Oslo-Paris (OSPAR) regulations could impact on the hydrodynamics and nutrient cycling at a local scale, negatively affecting biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem processes in surrounding sediments. Furthermore, the shelf sediments may be exposed to additional hydrocarbon contaminants either via oil seeps/pipeline leaks or resuspension of oily drill cuttings, and their eventual disturbance and wider impact is relatively unknown. The presence and subsequent removal of MMS will therefore not only likely affect the sediment biogeochemistry but also the marine biodiversity and ecosystem function. This project addresses this knowledge gap through novel technologies (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) and environmental DNA 'eDNA', with modelling of environmental data alongside data from industry (INSITE Interactive and our industry partners) to identify the role of MMS on key marine ecosystem processes. We have a strong team of project partners from industry (Shell, Repsol, INEOS, DNV-GL) and stakeholders (Shetland Oil Terminal Advisory Group, SOTEAG; National Subsea Research Initiative, NSRI). This project has significant support from industry and stakeholders, and a Stakeholder Advisory Group will be established to make full use of this. Recent news reports on UK decommissioning decisions have drawn attention other European oil nations on what is environmentally acceptable, thus the outputs of this project are expected to have international interest and direct policy relevance for future decommissioning.