Project Funding: 2017 - 2021

NRA: 2016 NASA: Group on Earth Observations Work Programme   

Funded by NASA

Abstract:
The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) is a Thematic BON established under the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). The MBON is also the highest priority program identified by the GEO AmeriGEOSS initiative under its Ecosystems and Biodiversity Sustainability Societal Benefit Area. The vision of the MBON is a network of regional observation systems that collaborate and share information, and that work jointly to understand marine biodiversity, its geographic distribution, and how it changes through time. The goal of the MBON is to provide the knowledge needed to promote ecosystem conservation, sustainability, and good management practices. To accomplish this, MBON connects and provides support to existing national and regional marine observation programs and provides the framework for a community of practice. The framework is a partnership between national and regional programs and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS/IOC-UNESCO), the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS/IOC-UNESCO), and GEO BON. The Pole-to-Pole MBON of the Americas (P2P MBON) is a first step toward establishing a regional collaborative network that supports groups in the American continent. The proposed work seeks to implement a demonstration P2P MBON to address UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14: “Life Below Water”). This work will contribute specifically to establish a series of Foundational Activities under AmeriGEOSS. P2P MBON seeks to develop a community of practice for marine biodiversity monitoring. The geographic scope are waters around the Americas from the Arctic to Antarctica, in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The project builds on and links past and current research and monitoring initiatives. These include the Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Global Ocean Observing System (IOCARIBE-GOOS), the Southeast Pacific Data and Information Network in Support of Integrated Coastal Area Management (SPINCAM), the Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity Program (CARICOMP), the South American Research Group on Coastal Ecosystems (SARCE), and three US MBON demonstration projects (National Marine Sanctuaries, Santa Barbara Channel, and Alaska). Linking these efforts will help engage other activities and build a broader community of practice. The objective will focus on three core activities: • Link users into the community of practice, to ensure products are responsive to societal needs, with particular emphasis on SDG 14. • Develop tools for the standardization and sharing of marine biodiversity observations, as well as synthesis with environmental data, derived from satellite and in situ observation. This includes data management and communication capabilities according to international standards (e.g. DarwinCore and EventCore). • Build scientific capacity throughout the Americas with training workshops and information dissemination campaigns oriented around use of tools, portals and data. These efforts will be co-designed with OBIS, following the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) Data Carpentry approach. • Distribute seascape and related MBON products that use ocean color and infrared Earth observing satellite data, via the GEONETCast Americas satellite network and other relevant means. The efforts proposed here complement proposals targeting the GEO BON program element (GEO Work Program 3.1) with focus on the development of Essential Biodiversity Variables and BON in a Box. These will contribute to developing the AmeriGEOSS Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability Societal Benefit Area.

Publications:

Canonico, G., Buttigieg, P. L., Montes, E., Muller-Karger, F. E., Stepien, C., Wright, D., Benson, A., Helmuth, B., Costello, M., Sousa-Pinto, I., Saeedi, H., Newton, J., Appeltans, W., Bednarsek, N., Bodrossy, L., Best, B. D., Brandt, A., Goodwin, K. D., Iken, K., Marques, A. C., Miloslavich, P., Ostrowski, M., Turner, W., Achterberg, E. P., Barry, T., Defeo, O., Bigatti, G., Henry, L., Ramiro-Sanchez, B., Duran, P., Morato, T., Roberts, J. M., Garcia-Alegre, A., Cuadrado, M. S., Murton, B. 2019. Global Observational Needs and Resources for Marine Biodiversity. Frontiers in Marine Science. 6. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00367

More details may be found in the following project profile(s):

• NASA Biological Diversity & Ecological Conservation (BDEC) Project Profile