Portal:Marine Biodiversity

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Marine Biodiversity

Biodiversity is an all-inclusive term to describe the total variation among living organisms of our planet. In its simplest form, biodiversity or biological diversity

Killer whale Orcinus orca (Copyright SMRU)

is therefore 'Life on Earth' and includes marine biodiversity 'Life in the Seas and Oceans.` The marine environment has a very high biodiversity because 32 out of the 33 described animal phyla are represented in there. Biodiversity includes four main components: Genetic diversity refers to the genetic variation that occurs among members of the same species, Species diversity (taxonomic diversity) refers to the variety of species or other taxonomic groups in an ecosystem, Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of biological communities found on earth (with ecosystem diversity we generally consider its two levels, that is, communities and ecosystems) and Functional diversity refers to the variety of biological processes, functions or characteristics of a particular ecosystem.

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Ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta Ascanius, 1767 (Copyright: Author: Daniel Vaulot)

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In the news

World Register of Marine Species launched

MarBEF supported World Register of Marine Species launched after 1st Marine Taxonomy Workshop in Oostende June 2008,

The news was reported in at least 21 stories in 9 languages distributed by 14 newswires, which also appeared on more than 275 media websites across 27 countries.

The release also generated several electronic media stories, including the BBC World Service (The World Today), Deutche Welle, Radio NZ, TV NZ, CBC Radio, National Public Radio and a New Jersey TV news show.

Some of the story lines:

• Wrong names for fish seen complicating conservation , by Alister Doyle [REUTERS]. This was a.o. picked-up by Scientific American, who also published a nice slide show.
• How many species live in the sea? , by Catherine Brahic [New Scientist]
• Registry to Clear Up Marine-Life Naming Confusion [Fox News]
• Single species, dozens of names - Ocean census sorts it all out , by Jennifer Harper [The Washington Times]
• Register clears out 'fishy' names [BBC]
• Scientists find multiple names when cataloging sea creatures [CNN]
• Ocean census reveals the beast with 56 names , by Daniel Cressey [Nature.com]

--Warda 12:38, 5 November 2008 (CET)

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Content

What is Marine Biodiversity?

• Genetic diversity
• Species diversity
• Ecosystem diversity
• Functional diversity
• Ecosystem functioning
• Cultural and economic understanding of biodiversity
• The distinctive features of marine biodiversity

Evolution

Evaluation of Marine Biodiversity

• Valuation and assessment of biodiversity
• Measurement
• Sampling
  • Sampling tools
• Number of marine species
  • Species lists
  • Biodiversity hotspots

Why is Marine biodiversity important?

• Resilience and resistance
• Disturbance prevention
• Nutrient cycling
• Greenhouse gas regulation
• Bioremediation of waste
• Biologically mediated habitat
• Food provision
  • Mariculture
• Ocean resources
• Leisure
• Cultural values
• Non-use value
• Option use value

European marine biodiversity

• European marine biodiversity sites
• Geographic variation
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Arctic Ocean
  • Baltic Sea
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • North Sea
  • Black Sea
• Ecosystem variation
  • Ocean circulation
  • Salinity
• Variation of valuation of biodiversity
  • Cultural value variation
  • Cultural and Economic understandings of biodiversity
  • Biological Valuation
    • Valuation and assessment of biodiversity
    • Introduction to biodiversity of coastal and marine habitats and ecosystems

Marine Ecosystems

• Rocky Shores
• Sandy Shores
  • Meiofauna of Sandy Beaches
• Continental shelf habitat
• Kelp forests
• Open oceans
  • Marine Plankton
• Deep sea habitat
  • Deep sea bottom
  • Review of Hadal Environments
• Sea ice ecosystems
• Coral reefs
• Seagrass meadows
• Mangroves
• Seaweed (macro-algae) ecosystem services
• Salt marshes
• Estuaries

Threats to Marine Biodiversity

• Overexploitation
  • Effects of fisheries on marine biodiversity
• Pollution
  • Marine Eutrophication
  • Ecotoxicology
• Habitat destruction and fragmentation
• Non-native species invasions
• Climate change
• Species extinction

Marine Biodiversity research

• Global Patterns
  • Ecological and latitudinal aspects
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem function
  • A review of biodiversity-ecosystem function research
  • MarBEF Booklet
• Species and Ecosystems
  • Mediterranean seagrass ecosystem
  • Diversity and classification of marine benthic algae
• Genetic biodiversity
• Functional Metabolites
  • Chemical and physical properties
  • Macroalgal-herbivore interactions
  • Benthic invertebrates
  • Phytoplankton

Conservation

• EU Common Fisheries Policy
• NATURA 2000
• Habitats Directive
  • SAC
• Bird Directive
  • SPA
• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
• ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management)
• EM (Ecosystem based Management)

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