Approaches for Researching the Roles of Marine and Coastal Biodiversity in Maintaining Ecosystem Services
September 11-13, 2006
Latham Hotel, Washington, DC
3000 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
Workshop Documents
(Click image to view) FINAL WORKSHOP REPORT
Summary
On September 11-13 2006, the US Census of Marine Life National Committee hosted a three day workshop in Washington, DC entitled “Approaches for Researching the Roles of Marine and Coastal Biodiversity in Maintaining Ecosystem Service” Over 70 scientists and program managers from all over the US and Canada gathered to discuss the effect of marine diversity as a predictor of ecosystem function. Participants agreed that there are evolutionary / ecological differences in diversity among systems that affect ecosystem resilience, in particular low diversity systems are at risk because of low functional redundancy, whereas high diversity within a system results in more ecosystem resilience. Additionally, biogenic habitat complexity plays a key role in determining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, specifically the extent a single dominant species/ top predator plays a role in the regulation of food webs. The workshop concluded that although additional research and analysis is needed to map and determine the correlation between biodiversity and marine ecosystem management, it’s clear that biodiversity is an essential factor in recognizing and maintaining the health of the oceans.
The workshop featured plenary talks by Drs, Diana Wall (Colorado St. University), David Allan (University of Michigan), Jay Stachowicz (University of California, Davis), Elliott Norse (The Marine Conservation Biology Institute), Michael Beck (The Nature Conservancy), and Steve Palumbi (Stanford University). NOAA Assistant Administrator Jack Dunnigan also addressed the workshop participants during a dinner held Monday night at the Latham Hotel in Georgetown.
The workshop steering committee plans to publish a workshop report for presentation to the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and the Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources, both of which were created under the President’s Ocean Action Plan, to assist in determining the future direction of biodiversity research and study within the agencies and the federal government. The workshop was sponsored by NOAA and the Alfred P. Sloan foundation.
Sponsors
The U.S. National Committee for the Census of Marine Life (CoML) received funding from CORE, NOAA (Fisheries, Oceans and Human Health Initiative, Hollings Marine Laboratory, and Ocean Exploration Program), and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to organize this workshop.
Steering Committee
- Dr. Jo-Ann Leong (Co-Chair)
Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i - Dr. Lewis Incze (Co-Chair)
Bioscience Research Institute, University of Southern Maine - Dr. Paul Sandifer (Co-Chair)
Senior Scientist, Coastal Ecology, NOAA/NOS - Dr. Michael Fogarty
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute - Dr. Ben Halpern
University of California, Santa Barbara - Dr. Steven Palumbi
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
