MARS

MARS is a research project and supports European policies, such as the Water Framework Directive, and the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources.

Mars has two target groups: "water managers" assessing and restoring rivers and lakes; and policy makers drafting and implementing policies related to water.

The project main objectives:

• To understand the effects of multiple stressors on surface waters and groundwaters, their biota, and the services they provide to humans
• To understand how ecological status and ecosystem services are related – if at all
• To advise river basin management how to restore multiply stressed rivers and lakes
• To advise the revision of the Water Framework Directive on new indicators for ecological status and ecosystem services
• To develop methods and software for the Programmes of Measures