Breakout

Title: Applying Marine Biodiversity Toward Better Ecosystem Management into the Next Decade

Organizer: Michael Feldman, Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Session Goals:
To explore themes, goals, and focus for marine biodiversity research in the U.S., more specifically, how to apply this research to best support policy and management decisions during the future administration.

Speakers:
Dr. Steve Murawski , Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor for NOAA Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration
Dr. Paul Sandifer , Senior Scientist for Coastal Ecology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service, Hollings Marine Lab
Dr. Ellen Prager, President of Earth2Ocean, Inc. and the Chief Scientist of the Aquarius Reef Base in Key Largo, FL
Dr. Patricia Miloslavich, Senior Professor at the Department of Environmental Studies, Universidad Simón Bolívar in Caracas, Venezuela

Summary:
During this breakout session, a panel of marine experts will explore the needs, mechanisms, strategies, and challenges in applying biodiversity to better shape marine policy and management in the future. This session will examine current efforts, successes, and failures in an effort to determine a clear direction and best practices for managing and understanding biodiversity in the coming administration.

Understanding biodiversity and the role it plays within an ecosystem is critical when addressing the demands of different stakeholders, managers, and policy makers. Even with much still to learn about the role of biodiversity in our oceans, it is clear that the loss of biodiversity is a threat to ecosystem functions and sustainable use. Sound policy and management decisions need to better recognize the extent to which biodiversity is essential to sustaining human life on Earth. As stated in the An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century, the final report from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, “one of the central goals of ecosystem-based management should be the explicit consideration of biodiversity on species, genetic, and ecosystem levels” and that “an ecosystem’s survival may well be linked to the survival of all species that inhabit it.” Yet, there remains a substantial gap in our understanding of the roles biodiversity plays in maintaining marine ecosystem function and services of direct or indirect value to humankind. The paucity of information from the marine and coastal systems is in stark contrast to the terrestrial realm, where both greater understanding of biodiversity, at various scales, and the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function already exist.

With the upcoming transition in administration, current efforts to better explain and understand biodiversity, in particular the relationship to ecosystem function, need to be examined more closely. The success and applied relevance of current projects will help steer and direct all future endeavors. In a very real sense, the future of U.S. marine biodiversity research relies on the ability of these programs and committed scientists to relate their findings to managers, decision-makers, and the general public. Decision-makers should be urged to recognize that the oceans have multiple uses and associated stakeholders. To ensure the best policies, all user groups should be included when considering ocean management issues. Therefore, a common focus on conservation of biodiversity should help both stakeholders and managers.

Resources:

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management Approaches for Researching the Roles of Marine and Coastal Biodiversity in Maintaining Ecosystem Services

Census of Marine Life Background Document

DIVERSITAS Science Plan

PNAS Burkepile and Hay Article on ‘herbivore density and its effect on coral reefs’