Assessing the changing biodiversity of exploited marine ecosystems

Marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning have changed and are continuing to change in marine ecosystems across the world. These changes are driven by human interactions with the environment and ecosystems, as well as by natural environmental change, both locally (at the ecosystem level) and globally. This paper draws on published research, in particular that using ecosystem indicators to identify, assess and compare changes in biodiversity of exploited marine ecosystems across the globe. We use our results to reflect on the sustainability of our changing exploited marine ecosystems and consider ways forward to incorporate this information in decision making processes.