2020 Volume 73 Pages 53-63
The ocean has a large capacity for environmental changes. Recent anthropogenic effects overwhelming the marine ecosystems may exceed the capacity and ecological functions to maintain its resilience. To achieve the sustainable development goals on marine environments, the practical environmental management plan which consists of standardized protocols for monitoring and assessment will be necessary. The techniques of environmental impact assessment and monitoring for biota and ecosystems, which have complexity and locality caused by diversity of species and habitats, are indispensable elements to operate the management plan. The advanced techniques, based on the molecular genetics and metagenomics and the fine technology for imaging data, have made progress in the methods of biological/microbiological study and monitoring. The application of advanced techniques will strongly support the operation of management plan and sustainable use of marine resources. It must be indispensable in the consistent environmental management for sustainability to understand the fundamental principles and technologies of advanced methods and ensure the consistency of the existing data and the assessment criteria.
