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In 2010 the Conference of the Parties (COP) for the Convention on Biological Diversity revised and updated a Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, which included the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Here a group of early career researchers mentored by senior scientists, convened as part of the 4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, reflects on the accomplishments and shortfalls under four of the Aichi Targets considered highly relevant to marine conservation: target 6 (sustainable fisheries), 11 (protection measures), 15 (ecosystem restoration and resilience) and 19 (knowledge, science and technology). We conclude that although progress has been made towards the targets, these have not been fully achieved for the marine environment by the 2020 deadline. The progress made, however, lays the foundations for further work beyond 2020 to work towards the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity. We identify key priorities that must be addressed to better enable marine biodiversity conservation efforts moving forward.

The Marchica lagoon is the single lagoon on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Beside its ecological and socio-economic values, the lagoon is under pressure of a complex mixture of human-mediated stressors (urbanization, pollution, overfishing, tourism, etc.). Nowadays, many institutional efforts have been undertaken to establish a sustainable management plan of the lagoon in the context of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) approach. Thus, understanding how these stressors impact upon ecological status and ecosystem services is a sound step for any efficient integral management. Based on sampling performed on June 2014, the present work aimed at assessing the ecological quality status (ES) of the northern part of the lagoon using Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson meadows and benthic macrofauna. 16 stations (11 with C. nodosa and 5 on bare sediment) were sampled using a Van Veen grab. Preliminary results showed differences between stations. Shoots biomass fluctuated between 8.02 and 61.2 g dw m -2 while the roots-rhizomes biomass oscillated between 10.8 and 235.5 g dw m -2 . The root-rhizome and leaf biomass ratio revealed high values (up to 10.8) in the central sector suggesting a potential nutrient enrichment. Benthic macrofauna revealed the presence of 90 species belonging to six zoological groups and dominated by crustaceans, molluscs and polychaetes. The assessment of the ecological quality status, based on benthic macrofauna, was evaluated using Biotic Indices (AMBI, M-AMBI, Benthix, BITS). The results showed partial agreement between single index-derived ES and underlined the dependency of these biotic indices on the habitat characteristics, on the one hand, and the necessity to define specific reference conditions to the Marchica lagoon.PeerJ PrePrints | https://dx.doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.1082v1 | CC-BY 4.0 Open Access |

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Seagrass meadows exist in most shallow, sheltered, soft-bottomed marine coastlines and estuaries throughout the world and rank among the most productive systems in the ocean. Zostera noltei Hornemann is a small seagrass largely widespread in intertidal areas of Western Europe and North-West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and in the Black Sea. In Morocco, intertidal Zostera noltei meadows were identified at six coastal ecosystems across c.a. 2500 km of its Atlantic coast (Tahaddart estuary, Moulay Bousselham, Sidi Moussa, Oualidia, Khnifiss lagoons and Dakhla Bay). The present work aimed at assessing the spatial and latitudinal variation of Z. noltei meadows by measuring the density of shoots, leaf biomass, root-rhizome biomass, number of leaf /shoot and the average length and width of leafs. Samples were conducted between December 2014 and January 2015, using a hand PVC corer (12.5 of diameter). When possible, a downstream and upstream comparison is performed in each site. Density of shoots fluctuated between 1972 and 9833 shoots m-2. Leaves biomass varied between 32 and 259 gDW/m2 and root-rhizome biomass oscillated between 21 and 314 gDW/m2. Number of leaves per shoot fluctuated between 2.47 and 3.4 leaf per shoot, the leaf length between 4.9 and 30.8 cm and the leaf width 0.6 and 2 mm. These results showed, on the one hand, a clear spatial variation across a downstream-upstream gradient in each site and, on the other hand, a latitudinal pattern in the biomass and morphometry of the Z. noltei meadows across the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Significant differences were evidenced for all variables (ANOVA, p<0.05). The root-rhizome biomass and density of shoots are higher southward while the number of leaves per shoot, leaf biomass and the average length and width of the leaves are greater northward. These results are compared with literature data from the distribution range of Z. noltei. Further analysis regarding the genetics, the associated benthic invertebrates and the sediment contamination are being performed and will increase the knowledge on such ecosystems and help in understanding their interaction with environment conditions.

The Marchica lagoon is the single lagoon on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Beside its ecological and socio-economic values, the lagoon is under pressure of a complex mixture of human-mediated stressors (urbanization, pollution, overfishing, tourism, etc.). Nowadays, many institutional efforts have been undertaken to establish a sustainable management plan of the lagoon in the context of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) approach. Thus, understanding how these stressors impact upon ecological status and ecosystem services is a sound step for any efficient integral management. Based on sampling performed on June 2014, the present work aimed at assessing the ecological quality status (ES) of the northern part of the lagoon using Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson meadows and benthic macrofauna. 16 stations (11 with C. nodosa and 5 on bare sediment) were sampled using a Van Veen grab. Preliminary results showed differences between stations. Shoots biomass fluctuated between 8.02 and 61.2 g dw m -2 while the roots-rhizomes biomass oscillated between 10.8 and 235.5 g dw m -2 . The root-rhizome and leaf biomass ratio revealed high values (up to 10.8) in the central sector suggesting a potential nutrient enrichment. Benthic macrofauna revealed the presence of 90 species belonging to six zoological groups and dominated by crustaceans, molluscs and polychaetes. The assessment of the ecological quality status, based on benthic macrofauna, was evaluated using Biotic Indices (AMBI, M-AMBI, Benthix, BITS). The results showed partial agreement between single index-derived ES and underlined the dependency of these biotic indices on the habitat characteristics, on the one hand, and the necessity to define specific reference conditions to the Marchica lagoon.PeerJ PrePrints | https://dx.doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.1082v1 | CC-BY 4.0 Open Access |