CENSUS OF MARINE LIFE 1 A SUMMARY A SUMMARY OF MARINE LIFE OF MARINE SUMMARY FOR DECISION MAKERS DECISION FOR SUMMARY SCIENTIFIC RESULTS RESULTS SCIENTIFIC FOR DECISION MAKERS FOR DECISION www.coml.org USE AND CONSERVATION CONSERVATION USE AND OF THE CENSUS OF MARINE LIFE OF MARINE LIFE OF THE CENSUS TO SUPPORT THE SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE THE TO SUPPORT FIRST CENSUS FIRST 2010 LIFE OF MARINE A DECADE OF HIGHLIGHTS OF DISCOVERY A DECADE OF DISCOVERY
1. Number of Census of Marine Life collaborators by country. Shaded regions indicate countries involved through its various national and re- gional committees. Source: Jesse Cleary, Census of Marine Life Mapping and Visualization Team
INTRODUCTION
Biodiversity is essential for the health of the planet systematically explored only about five percent of the and for humans because it underpins ecosystem func oceans. Recognizing this knowledge gap, the Census of tions that provide a wide range of goods and services Marine Life, a tenyear international research program to human societies. In the case of marine biodiversity, completed in 2010, greatly enhanced what is known this means the use of marine life for food, energy, about life in the oceans while demonstrating that a biomedical products, recreation, and climate regulat global survey of ocean life was possible. The Census was ing services, such as removal of carbon dioxide from a giant scientific partnership supported by the Alfred and release of oxygen into the atmosphere. Some of P. Sloan Foundation and over 500 other institutes and these uses generate direct economic benefits to soci donors from more than 80 countries in Africa, Asia, ety, while the value of others, like climate services, is Australia, Europe, North and South America, and less tangible but no less important. Unwise use of the Oceania. It brought together 2,700 scientists to establish ocean, causing degradation and loss of biodiversity, a baseline of the diversity, distribution, and abundance negatively impacts its ecosystems functions, along with of life in the ocean, against which future change can be its ability to provide valuable goods and the invisible measured. For policy makers and others who seek to but necessary services. sustainably use marine resources, the Census provides Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s unprecedented scope, access to data and information, surface and sustain a much greater percentage of its and tools and capacity for monitoring and study to biosphere. Despite their vast extent and their impor better maintain, protect, and rehabilitate the oceans. tance to planetary functioning and human society, The global overview provided by the Census also allows the oceans and the life they contain are seriously research managers and environmentalists to better understudied. Scientists estimate that humans have prioritize conservation and research initiatives. RESANSMAN LAVI MAREN RESANSMAN LAVI
2 CENSUS OF MARINE LIFE 3
- SUMMARY FOR DECISION MAKERS DECISION FOR SUMMARY ity. Through its young alumni, the Census will contribute to to contribute will Census the alumni, young its Through ity. come. to decades for knowledge life marine s 3HOWED THROUGH STUDIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY THAT SOME impacted been have resources living and habitats marine recov- protection With years. of thousands for humans by the are seas enclosed and possible.Coastal but slow is ery most impacted. s $ETERMINED THAT PAST IMPACTS IN fisheries, THE Today, DEEP litter. and SEA waste of disposal WERE from mainly HYDROCARBON AND MINERAL