Convening the Northeast region’s ocean monitoring projects together under one banner
Established in 2019, the ISMN facilitates the monitoring of sentinel indicators–plankton biodiversity, key species, ecosystem processes and functions– and how they respond to changes in the Northeast region’s rapidly shifting marine environment. Sentinel indicators are the proverbial canary in the coal mine, and by advancing the observation, synthesis and communication of observed changes, the ISMN provides decision makers with relevant analysis that can inform their actions.
The Integrated Sentinel Monitoring Network (ISMN) is working to accomplish three key tasks:
- Finding and filling gaps in present ecosystem observing activities
- Facilitating integration, data sharing, and communication among existing monitoring efforts
- Synthesizing results to make everyone’s findings more impactful
Why we need the ISMN
A multitude of programs and projects independently monitor coastal and marine ecosystems in the U.S. Northeast region. The ISMN is working towards its vision to provide a regional hub that catalogs and offers synthesis products integrating these many observing efforts. In this way ISMN can serve its stakeholders by organizing access to observing activities and data, as well as communicating assessment of ecosystem changes, vulnerabilities and uncertainties to inform future responses.
