Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

A Blueprint for an Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program

Authors

Kerry L. Howell, University of Plymouth
Ana Hilário, Universidade de Aveiro
A. Louise Allcock, National University of Ireland Galway
David M. Bailey, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences
Maria Baker, University of Southampton
Malcolm R. Clark, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand
Ana Colaço, Universidade dos Açores
Jon Copley, University of Southampton
Erik E. Cordes, Temple University
Roberto Danovaro, Università Politecnica delle Marche
Awantha Dissanayake, University of Gibraltar
Elva Escobar, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Patricia Esquete, Universidade de Aveiro
Austin J. Gallagher, Beneath the Waves
Andrew R. Gates, National Oceanography Centre Southampton
Sylvie M. Gaudron, Université de Lille
Christopher R. German, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Kristina M. Gjerde, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Nicholas D. Higgs, Cape Eleuthera Institute
Nadine Le Bris, Sorbonne Universite
Lisa A. Levin, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Elisabetta Manea, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Craig McClain, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
Lenaick Menot, IFREMER Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
Nelia C. Mestre, Centro de Investigacao Marinha e Ambiental
Anna Metaxas, Dalhousie University
Rosanna J. Milligan, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Agnes W.N. Muthumbi, University of Nairobi
Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, The Scottish Association for Marine Science
Sofia P. Ramalho, Universidade de Aveiro
Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Norsk institutt for vannforskning

ORCID

0000-0002-8296-4780

ResearcherID

J-3058-2014

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Frontiers in Marine Science

ISSN

22967745

Publication Date

11-25-2020

Keywords

Biodivercity, blue economy, deep sea, essential ocean variables, Ocean Decade

Abstract

The ocean plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Earth System and in the provision of vital goods and services. The United Nations (UN) declared 2021–2030 as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Roadmap for the Ocean Decade aims to achieve six critical societal outcomes (SOs) by 2030, through the pursuit of four objectives (Os). It specifically recognizes the scarcity of biological data for deep-sea biomes, and challenges the global scientific community to conduct research to advance understanding of deep-sea ecosystems to inform sustainable management. In this paper, we map four key scientific questions identified by the academic community to the Ocean Decade SOs: (i) What is the diversity of life in the deep ocean? (ii) How are populations and habitats connected? (iii) What is the role of living organisms in ecosystem function and service provision? and (iv) How do species, communities, and ecosystems respond to disturbance? We then consider the design of a global-scale program to address these questions by reviewing key drivers of ecological pattern and process. We recommend using the following criteria to stratify a global survey design: biogeographic region, depth, horizontal distance, substrate type, high and low climate hazard, fished/unfished, near/far from sources of pollution, licensed/protected from industry activities. We consider both spatial and temporal surveys, and emphasize new biological data collection that prioritizes southern and polar latitudes, deeper (> 2000 m) depths, and midwater environments. We provide guidance on observational, experimental, and monitoring needs for different benthic and pelagic ecosystems. We then review recent efforts to standardize biological data and specimen collection and archiving, making “sampling design to knowledge application” recommendations in the context of a new global program. We also review and comment on needs, and recommend actions, to develop capacity in deep-sea research; and the role of inclusivity - from accessing indigenous and local knowledge to the sharing of technologies - as part of such a global program. We discuss the concept of a new global deep-sea biological research program ‘Challenger 150,’ highlighting what it could deliver for the Ocean Decade and UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.

DOI

10.3389/fmars.2020.584861

Volume

7

Peer Reviewed

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