biogeographi atlassouthernocean
DESCRIPTION
A new atlas, providing the most thorough audit of marine life in the Southern Ocean, is published this week by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Leading marine biologists and oceanographers from all over the world spent the last four years compiling everything they know about ocean species from microbes to whales. It’s the first time that such an effort has been undertaken since 1969 when the American Society of Geography published its Antarctic Map Folio Series. In an unprecedented international collaboration 147 scientists from 91 institutions across 22 countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA) combined their expertise and knowledge to produce the new Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean. More than 9000 species are recorded, ranging from microbes to whales. Hundreds of thousands of records show the extent of scientific knowledge on the distribution of life in the Southern Ocean. In 66 chapters, the scientists examine the evolution, physical environment, genetics and possible impact of climate change on marine organisms in the region. Chief editor, Claude De Broyer, of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, said: “This is the first time that all the records of the unique Antarctic marine biodiversity, from the very beginnings of Antarctic exploration in the days of Captain Cook, have been compiled, analysed and mapped by the scientific community. It has resulted in a comprehensive atlas and an accessible database of useful information on the conservation of Antarctic marine life.”TRANSCRIPT
A legacy of : the Census of
Antarctic Marine Life (CAML)2005-2010
and the International Polar
Year
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
“To provide a benchmark of the Southern Ocean biogeography knowledge, following CAML,…
… to fulfill the needs of biogeographic information for
science, conservation, monitoring and sustainable
management of the Southern Ocean, in the context of
environmental change and increasing human pressure”
Objectives
• 66 chapters• >800 maps• 147 authors• 15 editors• 91 institutes
representing 22 countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK & USA)
• 4 years in the makingThe Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern
Ocean
Covers the biogeographic patterns and processes of:• benthos
• plankton and sea ice• nekton (squid and fish)
• bird and mammal top predators The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
Contents
1. Introduction2. Methods (data, gap analysis, modelling)3. Evolutionary Setting4. Environmental Setting5. Biogeographic Patterns of Benthos6. » of Plankton and Sea-Ice Biota7. » of Fish8. » of Birds and Mammals9. Changes and Conservation in the Southern Ocean 10. Patterns and Processes of S.O. Biogeography11. The Dynamic Biogeographic Atlas Project12. Conclusions: Present and Future of S.O. Biogeography
The Dataset
1.07 million occurrencerecords (validated by
experts)
from 9,064 species
and >434,000 distinct sampling stations
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
Sampling Stations
Species
Data distribution patterns
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
Whales and dolphins: Orcinus orcaAll observations
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
Euphausia superba
Presence-absence
Modelled habitat suitability
Uncertainty in prediction of habitat suitability
Pelagic Regionalisation
Spatial distribution of the 20 clusters types
based on • summer
climatological SST • depth
• proportion of time covered by sea ice
The Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean
Next step :
the online Dynamic
Biogeogeographic Atlas
on www.biodiversity.aq
• updates (share your data !) • re-generation of maps • more functionalities
(modelling, ..)
Thanks:
Funded by:• the A.P. Sloan Foundation (New York)
through the Census of Marine Life• the TOTAL Foundation (Paris)
• the Cosmos Prize Foundation (Tokyo)
Supported by:• Belgian Federal Science Policy (Belspo)
• Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences• British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge)• Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris)• Australian Antarctic Division (Hobart)• Census of Antarctic Marine Life