Discovering Marine Biodiversity
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One problem resulting in the loss of marine biodiversity this century, is simply the fact of mystery. So much of the water covering our planet is only accessible with expensive technology or using remote instrumentation, making the uncovering of the extent of marine biodiversity a slow and difficult process. Much of ocean life remains a mystery to us and there is an unknown number of species yet to be discovered. Consequently, scientific assessments of the number of species in our oceans greatly vary, ranging from many thousands to several tens of millions.
It is also difficult (and in many cases impossible) to determine the standing or rank of most species in the ocean. So little is known of species' distribution or range, that it cannot be determined whether the species are plentiful, naturally rare or whether populations are stable or constantly changing. Also if the species are threatened or endangered. Those marine species that are relatively easily monitored, are those restricted to near-shore habitats, especially if they are attached to the sea floor (like seagrass or coral) and those that spend time on the on land (marine mammals and seabirds).
When populations of a species become depleted, the genetic variation is reduced, which compromises the species' ability to adapt to new
environmental changes. Ecosystems decrease when species disappear or remain only in insignificant populations.
There is increasing evidence that numerous marine species are, in fact, restricted to relatively small areas. This makes them more vulnerable to depletion or extinction. It was once assumed that this phenomenon must be rare in the sea, since most species swim or rely upon the dispersal of reproductive cells and larvae by moving waters and there are few barriers to their dissemination. Thus, it was reasoned that all marine
species should be widespread. In fact many are, but it is now also known that many are not.
The need for marine conservation science is urgent, as we race to understand the extraordinary levels of biodiversity in the oceans before time runs out. Many parts of the oceans and seas are still unexplored, yet they bear the brunt of countless environmental impacts. Coastal evelopment, overfishing and global warming severely threaten marine biodiversity as well as fisheries critical to food security and livelihoods. By incorporating marine science into WWF’s work, we are able to determine which places are priorities for conservation and what strategies will yield results that count.
It is also difficult (and in many cases impossible) to determine the standing or rank of most species in the ocean. So little is known of species' distribution or range, that it cannot be determined whether the species are plentiful, naturally rare or whether populations are stable or constantly changing. Also if the species are threatened or endangered. Those marine species that are relatively easily monitored, are those restricted to near-shore habitats, especially if they are attached to the sea floor (like seagrass or coral) and those that spend time on the on land (marine mammals and seabirds).
When populations of a species become depleted, the genetic variation is reduced, which compromises the species' ability to adapt to new
environmental changes. Ecosystems decrease when species disappear or remain only in insignificant populations.
There is increasing evidence that numerous marine species are, in fact, restricted to relatively small areas. This makes them more vulnerable to depletion or extinction. It was once assumed that this phenomenon must be rare in the sea, since most species swim or rely upon the dispersal of reproductive cells and larvae by moving waters and there are few barriers to their dissemination. Thus, it was reasoned that all marine
species should be widespread. In fact many are, but it is now also known that many are not.
The need for marine conservation science is urgent, as we race to understand the extraordinary levels of biodiversity in the oceans before time runs out. Many parts of the oceans and seas are still unexplored, yet they bear the brunt of countless environmental impacts. Coastal evelopment, overfishing and global warming severely threaten marine biodiversity as well as fisheries critical to food security and livelihoods. By incorporating marine science into WWF’s work, we are able to determine which places are priorities for conservation and what strategies will yield results that count.