Portal:Marine Biodiversity/Content

What is Marine Biodiversity

• Evolution and meaning

Definitions

• Genetic diversity
• Species diversity
• Ecosystem diversity
• Functional diversity
• Ecosystem functioning
• Cultural and economic understanding of biodiversity

Measurement Distribution

• Biodiversity hotspots

Evolution Why is Marine biodiversity important

• Resilience and resistance
• Disturbance prevention
• Nutrient cycling
• Gas and climate regulation
• Bioremediation of waste
• Biologically mediated habitat
• Food provision
• Raw materials, including ornamental resources
• Leisure
• Cultural values
• Information service
• Non-use value: bequest value and existence value
• Option use value

Number of marine species

• Species lists

European marine biodiversity

• European marine biodiversity sites
• Geographic variation
• Ecosystem variation
• Variation of valuation of biodivsersity
  • CULTURAL value variation
  • Economic values variation

Marine Ecosystems

• Rocky Shores
• Sandy Shores
• Continental Shelf
• Open oceans
• Deep Sea
• Sea ice ecosystems
• Coral reefs
• Seagrass meadows
• Mangroves
• Salt marshes
• Estuaries

Threats to Marine Biodiversity

• Over exploitation - recreational and commercial
• Pollution
• Habitat destruction and fragmentation
• Non-native species invasions
• Effects of global climate change
• Economic losses through unemployment and reduced productivity
• Dramatic reductions in the numbers of many popular edible fish and shellfish
• Extinction of species that might be useful in developing new medicines
• Reduced ability of ecosystems to respond to disaster, both natural (floods) and man-made (pollution)
• Accelerated global climate change
• Social and political instability

Marine Biodiversity research

• Global Patterns
  • Species and Ecosystems
  • Causes and consequences of changing marine biodiversity
  • Ecological and latitudinal aspects
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem function
  • Food webs
  • Genetic biodiversity
  • Role of secondary metabolites
• Socio economic importance

Hindrances

• Funds

Management

• MPAs (Marine Protected Areas)
• ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management)
• EM (Ecosystem based Management)

Conservation

• Conservation policy and legislation
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
  • EU Common Fisheries Policy
  • EC Habitats Directive

SAC SPA