The primary responsibility of the marine and freshwater solutions unit is to develop new ways of achieving good marine and freshwater status and sustainable use of water resources.
The following groups are under the Marine and freshwater solutions unit:
Development managers of the societal change unit
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The duties of the groups under the Marine and freshwater solutions unit
Water resources group
- manages the coordination, development and quality assurance of national hydrological monitoring,
- manages the maintenance and development of information systems and databases required by hydrological monitoring,
- produces information about the state of water resources and participates in the water situation service, reporting of water resources and the operation of the Flood Centre,
- studies the effects of the hydrological cycle, water resources and climate change, and develops the research infrastructure in the sector,
- develops hydrological measurement methods with national and international observation networks.
The group includes the Hydrometry team.
Hydrometry team
- manages the national coordination, development and quality assurance of monitoring of background stations and frost of groundwaters, and research into groundwaters.
Changing Baltic Sea group
- produces information for evaluating effects of changes in the state of the Baltic Sea and human activity,
- manages monitoring and evaluation of the state of the Baltic Sea, which includes development of indicators and assessment tools,
- supports Finnish cooperation, e.g., for achieving the information-related objectives of HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action Plan and the EU's marine policy.
Ecosystem functions group
- studies the impact of climate change and other pressures on biocoenoses and ecosystems in seas and inland waters,
- applies research on bio-eco chemical cycles of seas and inland waters for developing new restoration measures,
- develops nature-based solutions and innovations that promote the blue bioeconomy for improving the state of the sea and inland waters.
Catchments group
- produces information and develops methods and means towards sustainable solutions in water management and use of water resources from catchments to coastal waters,
- studies solutions in reduction of dispersed loads from agriculture and forestry as well as in water management and loading in water bodies, focusing on comprehensive management of processes with a focus on catchments,
- supports planning of freshwater and marine management performed at other units and groups, management of flood and drought risks, and model development of dispersed loads,
- participates in the development of monitoring and measurement methods and research infrastructures.
Pollution effects group
- produces information about amounts and impacts of debris, microplastics and hazardous substances in seas and water systems, and develops related monitoring, evaluation and restoration methods.
The group includes the Aquatic microplastics -team.
Aquatic microplastics
- Develops methods for processing and analysing microplastic samples
- Develops citizen science tools for supporting microplastic monitoring
- Is responsible for reporting the microplastics monitoring results
- Carries out research and produces information on the impacts of microplastics in aquatic environments
- Participates into the work of marine litter expert groups internationally as Finnish delegates.
Modelling group
- develops water and sea model systems for simulating hydrology, nutrient loading, water quality, carbon processes, spread of harmful substances and bio-eco chemical cycles and ecosystem functions, covering the entire chain from catchments to the sea,
- manages maintenance of model systems and updating of initial data and process descriptions,
- develops partial models connected to model systems, evaluation of the uncertainty of model results and practices in good modelling, and usability of model systems,
- uses the model system to assess combined effects of the changing climate, changes in human activities and measures aimed at improving the state of water systems on the state of inland waters and marine areas.
Freshwater and marine management group
- produces and synthesizes information about sustainable procedures and solutions for achieving a good state of seas and water systems, as part of the range of means in the sustainability transformation at the systemic level,
- coordinates expert work related to freshwater and marine management in Finland, and promotes the international strategy in the Finnish water sector, implementation of the Finnish marine policy and Baltic Sea cooperation, and promotes societal interaction.
The group includes the international projects team.
International projects team
- develops, coordinates and implements national and international research and expert projects associated with the marine and water environment.