Diversity of European Seas Finding New Life
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The EuropeanDiversity Census of EuropeanFinding of Marine New Seas Life Life - . life ing new Find Authors Acknowledgements Bhavani E Narayanaswamy The European Census of Marine Life was Scottish Association for Marine Science, funded by a number of different sources. In Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Argyll, UK particular we would like to acknowledge the support given to us by Foundation TOTAL, Henn Ojaveer the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, the Stavros Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Niarchos Foundation and Argyll and Islands Parnu, Estonia Enterprise. In addition much of this work would not have been able to be undertaken Geoff Boxshall had it not been for the research undertaken Department of Zoology, The Natural History by the numerous scientists working in Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK European Waters, the support given by the different European marine science Ward Appeltans Institutions and Universities, as well as the Flanders Marine Institute, Wandelaarkaai 7, funding agencies in each country. Oostende, Belgium For all correspondence relating to this report Roberto Danovaro please contact [email protected] Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy For more information, please visit www.eurocoml.org Poul Holm Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity College Images courtesy of J Stafford-Deitsch, R Dublin, Ireland Hopcroft, B Bluhm, K Iken, H Brown, D Fiege, K Rascoff. Thom Nickell Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Argyll, UK Editors Citation Bhavani E Narayanaswamy, Olga Kimmins Narayanaswamy, BE, Ojaveer H, Boxshall and Henn Ojaveer. G, Appeltans W, Danovaro R, Holm P and Nickell T. (2010) Diversity of European Seas - Finding New Life. EuroCoML Non- Technical Report, Oban, UK. Fi nding new life. Contents: Contents:Preface 5 Preface 5 Introduction 8 Introduction 8 History of Marine Animal Populations 14 History of Marine Animal Populations 14 Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 Zooming in on the detail 24 Zooming in on the detail 24 Biodiversity in European Seas 37 Biodiversity in European Seas 37 Alien species 44 Alien species 44 Legacies 53 Legacies 53 References 54 References 54 ife. Finding new l F i nding n ew li fe. Preface It gives me great pleasure to introduce the work of the European regional committee of the Census of Marine Life (EuroCoML) as part of the celebration of its “Decade of Discovery” this year. Although EuroCoML had its first meeting in 2003, the global programme started earlier in 2000 and discussions about how such a vast endeavour could be instigated started some time before with senior marine scientists. The fact that the Census programme has been such a success is down to the hard work Contents: of the nearly 3,000 researchers involved from more than 80 nations. Contents:Preface 5 Preface 5 Alongside the Census field projects, and the projects exploring the Introduction 8 history and trying to make predictions for the future, have been the 13 Introduction 8 National and Regional Implementation Committees (NRICs), of which Europe is one. One of History of Marine Animal Populations 14 the NRICs main roles has been to promote the Census to researchers, the public and other History of Marine Animal Populations 14 stakeholders within their countries and regions. This was just one of Europe’s main aims. Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 Europe has been extremely successful in working with the projects already running within the Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 Census framework as well as highlighting areas of research that are of particular importance Zooming in on the detail 24 to Europe, for example the impact of invasive alien species. Through collaborative research, it Zooming in on the detail 24 has been found that there are likely to be more than 1,200 alien species in European waters Biodiversity in European Seas 37 alone, several hundred more than were previously thought. Other work highlighted by Biodiversity in European Seas 37 researchers in Europe has been the changes in fish communities in European waters over Alien species 44 numerous centuries. Some of this information is being used to help forecast what fish species Alien species 44 may inhabit European waters as air and sea temperatures rise. At the start of the Census Legacies 53 ~29,000 marine species were known in European waters and as the “Decade of Discovery” Legacies 53 peaks, we now estimate that there are almost 32,000 species living in European seas! These References 54 discoveries have also highlighted where there are gaps in our knowledge; in European waters References 54 at least, future research should begin to concentrate more on the smaller fauna. The new results gathered on biodiversity should now be used when designing marine management strategies and policies as well as when making management decisions. European researchers have not limited their studies to the shelf seas surrounding our coun- tries. In the deep waters of the world’s oceans five deep-water Census projects and EuroCoML have worked closely together over the past five years to bring the deep sea into the public domain. The outcome of this collaboration has resulted in numerous high-profile outcomes, notably the book, “Deeper than Light” which is available in five different languages, and an exhibition, “Deep Sea Life” which opened in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History earlier this year. A further joint venture between EuroCoML and the Biogeography of Deep-water Chemosynthetic Ecosystems resulted in an animation, “Exploring the Ocean Depths” being produced. F life. inding new . Fin F i nding n ew li fe ding new life. Contents: Contents:Public perception and appreciation of the oceans is growing, even without the events in the GulfPreface of Mexico this yea r. The incredible value brought by a programme, such as the Census 5 of Preface 5 Marine Life, which eschews normal “hypothesis-driven” research favoured by funding agenciesIntroduction in contrast to invigorating the spirit of discover y, has truly forged a bond between 8 Introduction 8 European marine scientists and our colleagues around the world. I was fortunate to have the opportunityHistory of Marine to chair Animal the PopulationsEuroCoML for over five years and to see the programme and14 its History of Marine Animal Populations 14 discoveries grow year by year. This would not have been possible without the dedication of the programmeSpecies Abundance, manager ,Diversit Bhavaniy, DistributionNarayanaswam y, and the whole steering committee. I would20 Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 also like to pay tribute and honour the late Professor Alasdair McIntyre for his vision and guidance,Zooming in and on themy detailsuccessor Henn Ojaveer and his co-chair Isabel Sousa-Pinto, for steering24 Zooming in on the detail 24 us all to a successful conclusion that truly marks a Decade of Discovery. Biodiversity in European Seas 37 Biodiversity in European Seas 37 ProfessorAlien species Graham Shimmield, 44 Alien species 44 Former Chair, European Census of Marine Life BigelowLegacies Laboratory for Ocean Sciences 53 Legacies 53 References 54 References 54 ife. Finding new l F i nding n ew li fe. 7 Contents: Contents:Public perception and appreciation of the oceans is growing, even without the events in the GulfPreface of Mexico this yea r. The incredible value brought by a programme, such as the Census 5 of Preface 5 Marine Life, which eschews normal “hypothesis-driven” research favoured by funding agenciesIntroduction in contrast to invigorating the spirit of discover y, has truly forged a bond between 8 Introduction 8 European marine scientists and our colleagues around the world. I was fortunate to have the opportunityHistory of Marine to chair Animal the PopulationsEuroCoML for over five years and to see the programme and14 its History of Marine Animal Populations 14 discoveries grow year by year. This would not have been possible without the dedication of the programmeSpecies Abundance, manager ,Diversit Bhavaniy, DistributionNarayanaswam y, and the whole steering committee. I would20 Species Abundance, Diversity, Distribution 20 also like to pay tribute and honour the late Professor Alasdair McIntyre for his vision and Hermit crab walking on a seastar in UK waters. Image courtesy of H. Brown. guidance,Zooming in and on themy detailsuccessor Henn Ojaveer and his co-chair Isabel Sousa-Pinto, for steering24 Zooming in on the detail 24 us all to a successful conclusion that truly marks a Decade of Discovery. Biodiversity in European Seas 37 Biodiversity in European Seas 37 ProfessorAlien species Graham Shimmield, 44 Alien species 44 Former Chair, European Census of Marine Life BigelowLegacies Laboratory for Ocean Sciences 53 Legacies 53 References 54 References 54 Mako shark. Image courtesy of J Stafford-Deitsch. ife. Finding new l F i nding n ew li fe. 7 8 Introduction WHAT IS THE CENSUS OF MARINE become more aware of the lack of data in LIFE? certain areas and depths of the oceans. The Census of Marine Life is a growing global With regards to diversity there are numerous network of researchers from more than 80 lists and collections of specimens residing in nations that have been involved in a ten-year natural history museums, laboratories and (2000-2010) scientific initiative. other institutions. It has been estimated that about 230,000 marine species have so far been described with more than 5,500 added by Census researchers since 2000. It is hoped WHY THE NEED FOR A CENSUS OF that by the end of 2010 most of the old species MARINE LIFE? records and all of the new ones will have been entered into the database. Not only is it hoped About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by for all the data to be in OBIS but for every ocean and of this it is estimated that only 5% species to have an entry in the Encyclopaedia of the ocean has been explored.