More information: Ocean Observing System OL3
The GEO-BON Thematic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (MBON) supports the operational monitoring of marine biodiversity, defined broadly as the variety of life at the gene, species and ecosystem levels. Understanding how biodiversity changes across these levels provides insight to ecosystems’ resiliency or vulnerability to global change, and their capacity to maintain the vital ecosystem services on which humans depend. The systematic observation of life in the global ocean requires both standardized in-situ (field observations) and remote sensing methods, and a means for stakeholders to compare status and trends between locations. Seascapes provide a framework to assess and scale up patterns of biodiversity and effects of environmental change on pelagic community structure, ranging from microbes to fish. Partners include GEO members NASA, NOAA, USGS, ESRI, Arctic DBO and Blue Planet with the goal to provide a sustainable, standardized, and validated biogeographic framework to monitor and intercompare biodiversity patterns and trends, accessible to stakeholders worldwide.
Key Highlights Include
- Updated global seascapes are freely available every 8 days on the NOAA CoastWatch site
- Development of R Package and RShiny App to facilitate access and analysis of seascapes. This was developed by Ben Best (Ecoquants), E. Montes, and M. Kavanaugh.