Common use of Gaps Clause in Contracts

Gaps. Different periods of observations and differences in monitoring methodology negatively affect the comparability of datacollected in different years and in different regions of the Black Sea. – Monitoring in a limited period, for example, only in the warm season does not allow evaluation and comparing annual cycles of phytoplankton. Variations in seasonal dynamics in different regions of the Black Sea exacerbate this problem. – Different histories and level of knowledge of phytoplankton studies in various Black Sea regions, limited availability of data for the reference period (historical data,)as well as changes in sampling and processing methods make it difficult to assess long-term trends in phytoplankton. – The lack of harmonised interoperable databasescontaining data on primary processing of samples limits the use of various structural and integral phytoplankton indicators for assessing the ecological and environmental status of various regions of the Black Sea. – Assessment of phytoplankton biodiversity in different regions is associated with both the objective and subjective difficulties. One of them is the complexity of taxonomic identification of phytoplankton species.The varying amounts of sample material collected during monitoring also can affect the accuracy of estimates of biodiversity in the region. – Based on the importance of regular studies of phytoplankton in the Black Sea, it can be assumed that at present the main gap in our knowledge is insufficient understanding of the physical processes that affect phytoplankton and biological productivity. Without fundamental understanding of the natural mechanisms governing the growth of phytoplankton in the dee-pwater basin and shelf waters, it is impossible to separate the effects of climate change, eutrophication and pollution from natural changes in the ecosystem.