Background & Objectives

Environmental stressors include any physical, chemical or biological factor that negatively impact organisms at individual, population, community or ecosystem levels. The range of possible aquatic stressors encompass chemical (incl. oil and oilfield relates, nanoparticles, microplastics and litter), noise, electrical and light pollution as well as climate change-related parameters, such as water temperature, pH and salinity, furthermore fishery and changes in species interactions, such as predation and resource competition. Our knowledge of whether and how different stressors interact is minimal, which is a major obstacle to adequately considering multiple stressors in routine environmental risk assessments.  

• Creating and maintaining an inter- and trans- disciplinary network across the MASTS community supporting MASTS members as partners for consortium bids, while engaging with external partners.
• Providing the Scottish Government with a contact point for up-to-date advice on the impact of environmental stressors in Scottish waters to inform relevant policies.