Common use of Gaps Clause in Contracts

Gaps. The assessment of ecological status using multimetric indices such as AMBI and especially M- AMBI*(n) needs increasing sampling effort and sampling strategy for each habitat, especially when it has a widespread. A small number of samples within such habitat with various substrates or intensity of different ecological pressures is unlikely to produce a correct assessment. A better sampling strategy (spatial coverage) must be conceived for the future. − It is necessary to pay more attention to species classification in ecological groups. For the Black should be taken into account. Therefore, inclusion of the dominant species in one or the other ecological category should be reconsidered using statistical tools orto be based on expert - Lack of reference/baseline conditions. - Need for further common thresholds for un-i or multivariate indices used for ecological quality assessment of unassigned habitats. - Need for combining in situ sampling, acoustic backscatter and habitats modelling. This would help to better assess the habitats size distribution (one of the MSFD requirements). - Better coordination of monitoring efforts at national and sub-regional level in order to take advantage of shared infrastructure and expertise. - Inter-calibration/comparison of the taxonomic expertise and the methodological standardsin order to achieve comparable results between the countries in the Black Sea region under MSFD reporting in the future. - Commonmethodologyfor the Black Sea region for identification and classification of benthic habitats for elaboration of habitats distribution maps and planning of monitoring activity within each type of habitats. - A necessity of increasing the competence in samples collection and analysis (taxonomic expertise), which weighed much in the quality of the results obtained. - Set the reference values for good environmental status based on true historical data (statistical analysis of time series data and selection of best threshold values) or on expert judgement. - All current threshold values should beadapted/improved once that new and better data will be obtained.

Gaps. The assessment of ecological status using multimetric indices such as AMBI and especially M- AMBI*(n) needs increasing sampling effort and sampling strategy for each habitat, especially when it has a widespread. A small number of samples within such habitat with various substrates or intensity of different ecological pressures is unlikely to produce a correct assessment. A better sampling strategy (spatial coverage) must be conceived for the future. − It is necessary to pay more attention to species classification in ecological groups. For the Black should be taken into account. Therefore, inclusion of the dominant species in one or the other ecological category should be reconsidered using statistical tools orto be based on expert - Lack of reference/baseline conditions. - Need for further common thresholds for un-i or multivariate indices used for ecological quality assessment of unassigned habitats. - Need for combining in situ sampling, acoustic backscatter and habitats modelling. This modellin.gThis would help to better assess the habitats size distribution (one of the MSFD requirements). - Better coordination of monitoring efforts at national and sub-regional level in order to take advantage of shared infrastructure and expertise. - Inter-calibration/comparison of the taxonomic expertise and the methodological standardsin order to achieve comparable results between the countries in the Black Sea region under MSFD reporting in the future. - Commonmethodologyfor the Black Sea region for identification and classification of benthic habitats for elaboration of habitats distribution maps and planning of monitoring activity within each type of habitats. - A necessity of increasing the competence in samples collection and analysis (taxonomic expertise), which weighed much in the quality of the results obtained. - Set the reference values for good environmental status based on true historical data (statistical analysis of time series data and selection of best threshold values) or on expert judgement. - All current threshold values should beadapted/improved once that new and better data will be obtained.