Marine Biodiversity:A science Roadmap for Europe

Yves-Marie PAULETIUEMLabexMERMarine Board delegate – French university network

Marine board

34 member organizations from 20 countriesMajor national marine or oceanographic institutesResearch funding agenciesNational consortia of universities

Developing marine policy advices to national agencies and to the european commission

Promoting the establishment of the European Marine Research Area

Brest 14th november 2012

What do we already know about Marine Biodiversity ?

The highest diversity on the earth

70% of marine eukaryotic species are yet to be described (excluding the Bacteria and Archaea enormous diversity, wich covers about 90% of the living biomass in the ocean)

A better knowledge allowed by new tools and methods : biomarkers, stable isotopes, mathematical models, sequencing and molecular technologies.New exploration tools as ROVs and drilling

A progressively emerging knowledge of the beneficial goods and services provided by biodiversity

Brest 14th november 2012

What are the gaps in our knowledge of Marine Biodiversity ? (1/2)

We are very far from a complete knowledge of biodiversity, the vast majority have to be discovered and describedMoreover, for the majority of the known species there is a complete lack of scientific knowledge concerning :- The full life-cycle- Ecological niche and role- Population structure and status- Pathogens, symbionts and more globally all interactions with other components

of the ecosystem

Taxonomy, one of the core disciplines for the study of biodiversity is in serious decline. For entire animal groups there is not a single expert alive

Microbial-Classical biodiversity interactions, land-ocean interactions, poorly understood

Brest 14th november 2012

What are the gaps in our knowledge of Marine Biodiversity ? (2/2)

Global climate change impact :Ecological mechanisms and adaptation processes intricated / a pluridisciplinary science to develop

Link biodiversity information with regional and global ecosysteme models, and biogeochemical ones

Importance of biodiversity to human well-being poorly understood. Need a much-impoved collaboration between natural scientists, social scientists and economists

Brest 14th november 2012

What tools do we need to support Marine Biodiversity Science ?

To track Marine Biodiversity changes effectively, a major effort is required to deliver a coherent network of biological observatories (selected locations, common protocols, quality control, free access to data)

Combine the improvement of molecular techniques with a strong effort in traditional taxonomy, phenotypical and ecological approaches

Enhance experimental capacities in marine ecology

Associate european coastal marine laboratories and stations in an unified network of Marine Biodiversity observation

Brest 14th november 2012

Science-Policy interface we need

CBD – Conference of the parties 2002Ecosystem approach by 2010MPA network by 2012Maintain productivity and biodiversity

EU commission 2011 in line with Nagoya 2010halting loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosysteme services by

2020restoring ecosystem in so far as possible

Firstly we need to continue to support Marine Bo diversity science in Europe

Secondly, we need to use, more actively and effectively, the knowledge al ready available to guide our management decisions related to activities which im pact on the marine environment

Brest 14th november 2012

A roadmap for European Marine Biodiversity ScienceTen research priorities

1. Improving baseline knowledge2. Developed electronic monographs3. Understand factors that generate, maintain and deplet Marine Biodiversity4. Marine Biodiverst role in ecosysteme functioning and biogeochemical cycles5. Processes of adaptation of marine populations6. Developing interdisciplinary scenarios for biodiversity changes7. Understanding link between marine biodiversity and ecosystem services8. Supporting policy design and implementation9. Creating an effective valuation system10. Developing economic opportunities

Brest 14th november 2012

A roadmap for European Marine Biodiversity ScienceSix strategic recommendations

Marine Biodiversity Science PlanAdressing critical gaps : Observation, experimental platforms, taxoniomic expertise

European Biodiversity Observing systema coordinated and sustained system of biodiversity observatories (linked to EMODNET, LifeWatch and GEO-BON / EOOS)

Data management and e-science development

Human capacity development;Phenotypic-Genotypic approaches / contribution of non scientific public

Marine biodiversity Science-Policy platform / European contribution to IPBES

Marine biodiversity conference, Early in the Horizon 2020 funding period

Brest 14th november 2012

Brest 14th november 2012