A Response to Scientific and Societal Needs for Marine Biological Observations

Abstract

Bax et al. Marine Biological Observation Needs ocean observing system for biology and ecosystems requires parallel efforts in improving evidence-based monitoring of progress against international agreements and the open data, reporting and governance structures that would facilitate the uptake of improved information by decision makers.

Globally Consistent Quantitative Observations of Planktonic Ecosystems

“…(5) Because of their restricted environmental preferences and relatively short life spans, plankton abundance and composition react tightly to local and global environmental changes (e.g., Mackas and Beaugrand, 2010;Beaugrand et al, 2013Beaugrand et al, , 2015Edwards et al, 2013), and can serve as sentinel organisms of environment and water quality changes, and (6) some planktonic organisms can be toxic or cause disease and parasitism in animals, including commercial ones (Anderson et al, 2019). Given these important functions, the biomass and diversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton were identified as Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) by the Global Ocean Observing System (Chiba et al, 2018;Miloslavich et al, 2018;Muller-Karger et al, 2018;Bax et al, 2019) as well as Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) under GCOS (Global Climate Observing System).…”

Towards a macroscope: Leveraging technology to transform the breadth, scale and resolution of macroecological data

“…However, IPBES, in particular, highlighted the many gaps in our knowledge, which we need to fill if we are to reduce uncertainty about the state of the planet and the consequences of its changes. Global networks connecting research [such as GEO BON (https://geobon.org/), MBON (https://geobon.org/bons/thematic-bon/mbon/) and GOOS (https://www.goosocean.org/), as described by Muller‐Karger et al, ] have the goal to build a global observing system, which is essentially a macroscope (Bax et al, ). Yet a major challenge remains to engage with scientists who are willing to devote their time and resources to these efforts.…”

“…Ecologists now have an audience, and therefore we must rise to the challenge and recognize the need for a shift from an individualist to a collectivist scientific culture. Large-scale assessments, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Board, 2005) cean.org/), as described by Muller-Karger et al, 2018] have the goal to build a global observing system, which is essentially a macroscope (Bax et al, 2019). Yet a major challenge remains to engage with scientists who are willing to devote their time and resources to these efforts.…”

A Plot for Sustainability &ndash; The Sustainable Development Goals as A Narrative<strong> </strong>

“…for coral reefs [ 3 3,34], in large part due to greater complexity and variation in human dimensions over natural ones [35]. Efforts to redress this have been varied, such as the SocMon programme of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network [36], and capacities for monitoring, data management and integration are improving to the point of making 'integrated monitoring' a reality [34,38]. The SDG model supports these efforts, not only helping to identify key components of the model and variables defining their interactions that monitoring programmes should measure, but also providing a bridge to societal benefit priorities motivating large scale aggregation [35,38].…”

“…Efforts to redress this have been varied, such as the SocMon programme of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network [36], and capacities for monitoring, data management and integration are improving to the point of making 'integrated monitoring' a reality [34,38]. The SDG model supports these efforts, not only helping to identify key components of the model and variables defining their interactions that monitoring programmes should measure, but also providing a bridge to societal benefit priorities motivating large scale aggregation [35,38]. The model may also facilitate integration of values and data from multiple knowledge systems and perspectives on nature [39,40], by enabling different stakeholder groups to populate the narrative model and linked mechanistic model ( Fig.…”