Understanding the consequences of marine heatwaves for terrestrial and marine systems in Northwestern Europe.

1. Quantify changes in marine heatwaves on the NW European Shelf over the recent past and under future climate forcing.

2. Identify potential ecosystem stressors associated of marine heatwave events in shelf seas, e.g. in seawater acidity, hypoxia, or nutrient stress. This will include a novel focus on the assessment of marine habitat viability, considering (1) biologically relevant thresholds for acidification and other stressors and (2) species specific impact metrics (e.g. Aerobic Growth Index).

3. Investigate the potential impact of recent high-category marine heatwave events on summer heatwaves or heat stress conditions over the UK.