Understanding Marine Biodiversity (1995) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
6 BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH PROGRAM
6 BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH PROGRAM
Pages 49-73
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 49... ...
Scales are in part defined by the strength of the linkages between localities, and these linkages can be determined using newly developed genetic and survey techniques (see Boxes 11 and 12) as well as through studies of the coupling of biodiversity patterns over large spatial scales (such as geographic variation in the intensity of larval settlement tCaffey, 1985; Ebert and Russell, 19881~.
|
From page 50... ...
. Patterns Adequate knowledge of patterns of biodiversity is basic to understanding and predicting the processes responsible for these patterns.
|
From page 51... ...
What are the most important practical reasons for maintaining natural levels of biodiversity in marine systems? This kind of question can only be answered by understanding the functional significance of biodiversity in marine ecosystems in terms, for example, of how species diversity influences production, of how genetic diversity influences population growth or epidemics, or of how natural diversity levels confer resistance or susceptibility to invasions or to the ability of a system to recover from natural and human impacts (e.g., Tilman and Downing, 19941.
|
From page 52... ...
To apply broadly to an open system, these studies must be conducted over the scale appropriate for that system, and the results must be integrated into a dynamic view of biodiversity patterns over space and time. Because, in this initiative, the biodiversity questions would be addressed within the context of anthropogenic effects, the end result of these studies would provide critical information about practical problems in marine ecosystems, how these problems act at the ecosystem and local levels, and how connectivity between different localities may increase or buffer biodiversity change.
|
From page 53... ...
influence an understanding of biodiversity patterns and of ecosystem structure and function? Human Impact on Processes Responsible for Biodiversity Change: 1.
|
From page 54... ...
. APPROACHES Theory and Modeling The central biodiversity research questions require the means to describe and characterize patterns of biodiversity, an understanding of biodiversity for ecosystem processes, and an understanding of the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity.
|
From page 55... ...
The study of biodiversity must utilize both modeling approaches. Individual responses to changing environmental cues, and to each other, embody knowledge of organismal-level behavior and physiology and allow the representation of taxonomically based functional biodiversity.
|
From page 56... ...
Retrospective Analysis: Importance of an Historical Perspective Recent history provides a valuable yet underutilized guide to the factors controlling the number of species occurring at each of several spatial scales.
|
From page 57... ...
- and on the temporal pattern of diversity and rates of origin and extinction of marine species (Jackson et al., 1993; Jackson, 1994~. Given that such interchange potentially affects diversity and that it is taking place through human agency at unprecedented rates, it is important to investigate the extent and consequences of historical cases of biotic interchanges at scales ranging from particular habitats to biogeographic provinces.
|
From page 58... ...
Archived cores from individual corals, analogous to tree ring cores, can yield valuable historical information on reef history, E1 Nino-Southern Oscillation events, and other climatic episodes, for up to perhaps five centuries (Glynn and Colgan, 1992; Dunbar and Cole, 1993~. Finally, archived sediment cores and cores of entire coral reefs provide historical environmental, biological, and geological data ranging from thousands of years (with resolution at the level of decades)
|
From page 59... ...
In summary, the historical approaches outlined here offer a perspective on marine biological diversity at longer time scales. They place taxonomic, ecological, and biogeographical studies in a larger framework in which the appearance and disappearance of species can be linked to known mechanisms and events of environmental change.
|
From page 60... ...
Therefore, one critical component of an environmentally relevant marine biodiversity research program is the development and application of appropriate methods for identifying and enumerating species, their intraspecific variation, and patterns of biodiversity. Integration of methods with realistic sampling strategies over relevant spatial scales is also a critical component of this program.
|
From page 61... ...
Molecular approaches may provide quantitative resolution not achievable using morphometrics and other traditional taxonomic criteria. Biotechnology, along with instrumentation innovation, have rapidly accelerated data acquisition and analysis and analytical capability for molecular biodiversity research.
|
From page 62... ...
Thus, long-term regional-scale studies of interspecific and intraspecific genetic variability along current boundaries, in profiles, or separated by wide biogeographic barriers have recently become possible (Avise et al., 1986~. Rapid, semi-automated, molecular biological techniques will certainly facilitate identification of species, intraspecific variability, and hard-toidentify taxa and larval forms over the broad regional and temporal scales identified in this initiative.
|
From page 63... ...
Integration and confirmation of such techniques with traditional taxonomic criteria is a necessary and important component of emerging biodiversity research programs worldwide (NERC, 1992~. Instrumentation In situ field approaches and innovative instrumentation are having large impacts on marine biodiversity research.
|
From page 64... ...
allow storage of images and data at a variety of spatial scales. These advances revolutionize the ability to analyze long-term biological and physical-oceanographiG data on many temporal and spatial scales in conjunction, for example, with data on climate changes.
|
From page 65... ...
Special Opportunities Coordination with "special opportunities" in environmentally relevant marine biodiversity research should be recognized. In particular, recognition of threatened species in fisheries or inventory studies, or identification of invasive species may provide unique "samples of opportunity" in marine biodiversity research.
|
From page 66... ...
The great majority of laboratories are tied to academic institutions or museums, with long-standing traditions in the study of marine organisms, training of scientists and managers, communication and exchange with other laboratories, and environmental impact assessment. Many marine laboratories are government-supported, with strong mandates for resource management.
|
From page 67... ...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.~ ~.~-~.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~..~ ~ ~. Marine reserves~are essential~for~measuring human impacts;on the diversity And ~:sta~bIi;ity of communities an~d~for developing more scientifically rigorous guide~ ~ lines for th~eir~protection~ Tandy Management.
|
From page 68... ...
Such data would decidedly leverage time, effort, and resources spent on conducting new studies. In some special cases, existing data sets (for example, the CalCOFI data mentioned earlier' may be sufficient for addressing a given suite of biodiversity research questions.
|
From page 69... ...
The potential application of information that could be derived from this initiative for the biotechnological frontier includes natural products derived from marine animals and plants in all ocean habitats, preservation of marine genomic information, development of hardy culture stocks, resistance to disease, and closed-system, computer-controlled aquaculture of marine species. These are but a few examples of the tote!
|
From page 70... ...
These workshop reports and conclusions are a rich source of research questions closely related to those identified here. This marine biodiversity initiative would benefit-and would benefit fromsome of the other major marine initiatives such as the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS)
|
From page 71... ...
, focusing on such aspects as genome mapping, new information technologies, bioremediation, and environmental quality assessment, offer important opportunities for interaction with many aspects of this proposed marine biodiversity initiative, as well as for the cooperative use of resources. Within NSF, research on marine biological diversity is funded within the Ocean Sciences Division (Directorate for Geosciences)
|
From page 72... ...
, in the Department of Commerce, has a diverse mission that includes promoting environmental stewardship in order to conserve and manage the nation's marine and coastal resources. NOAA has a long history of work in marine biological diversity, stemming from over a century of physical and biological surveys and two decades as the federal trustee for the conservation, protection, and management of fishery resources, marine mammals, and endangered marine species.
|
From page 73... ...
This national agenda for marine biodiversity research can thus work closely with NBS in achieving its goals, and in particular can provide critical marine perspectives as the NBS evolves and grows.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.