Initiating an Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON)
Lead PI: Dr. Katrin Iken, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
The Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON) has four main goals in its effort to show feasibility of an operational marine biodiversity observation network (MBON) for the US Chukchi Sea continental shelf. These goals are: 1. To close current gaps in taxonomic and spatial coverage in biodiversity observation on the Chukchi shelf, 2. To integrate with past and ongoing research programs on the US Arctic shelf into an Arctic biodiversity observation network, 3. To demonstrate at a regional level how a MBON could be developed in other regions and ecosystems, and 4. To link with programs on the pan-Arctic level. Through effective data management, integration, dissemination, and outreach AMBON will develop a sustainable biodiversity observation model that includes all levels of diversity from genetic to organismal to ecosystem.
The AMBON aims to integrate with currently ongoing efforts investigating Arctic shelf system biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The AMBON will provide a vehicle to expand ongoing efforts to include important ecosystem components such the microbial and other small size fractions. The AMBON will continue past efforts to create much-needed time series. The latter is essential in the Arctic system, which exhibits extremely high seasonal and interannual variability. Only long-term datasets can provide the basis to distinguish the “noise” of changes due to natural variability and regular cycles (stochastic changes) from the directional change driven by climate changes or sudden impacts from increasing human influences, e.g., pollution such as oil spills. We have assembled an experienced team of multi-institutional and multi-sector partners already involved in a variety of biodiversity observing programs so that these efforts can be better coordinated, sustained, synthesized, and data made available to a broad audience of users and stakeholders, from local to pan-Arctic to global.
Number of Years: 5
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2020
Partners:
- University of Alaska Fairbanks
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
- University of Washington
- NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
FY 2015 PI Report
FY 2016 PI Report
National Marine Sanctuaries as Sentinel Sites for a Demonstration Marine Biodiversity Observation Network
Lead PI: Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, University of South Florida
This project will support the implementation of a Demonstration Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) designed to monitor changes in marine biodiversity within three US National Marine Sanctuaries: Florida Keys, Flower Garden Banks, and Monterey Bay. The objectives are to 1) Integrate and synthesize information from ongoing monitoring programs coordinated by the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS); 2) Define the minimum set of observations required for implementing a practical, useful MBON; 3) Develop technology for biodiversity assessments through emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) molecular methods and autonomous sample collection; 4) Integrate biodiversity measurements in a relational database that links to national and international biodiversity databases and that informs NOAA’s emergency response system; 5) Establish a protocol for MBON information to dynamically update Sanctuary status and trends reports; and 6) Understand the linkages between marine biodiversity and the social-economic context of a region. The program will use the novel eDNA techniques and ongoing observations to evaluate habitat diversity and diversity of lower to higher trophic levels, to define the ecological state variables responsible for significant change in biodiversity indices and help identify invasive species. Multidisciplinary remote sensing will be used to evaluate dynamic ‘seascapes’ to extend the spatial footprint of the in situ data. These time series of biodiversity and environmental observations will help construct conceptual and forecast models of the inter-relations between human dimensions, climate and environmental variability, and ecosystem structure at multiple trophic levels. A plan to transition the MBON to operations will be developed in partnership with NOAA and the IOOS program. This effort is structured to address the Pressure-State-Response framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to assess ecosystem integrity, advance protection of marine resources, and promote conservation.
Number of Years: 5
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Partners:
- University of South Florida
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
- Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System/Texas A&M
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory
- NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
- NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center
- ROFFS
- Stanford University
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
FY 2015 PI Report
FY 2016 PI Report
Demonstrating an Effective Marine Biodiversity Observation Network in the Santa Barbara Channel
Lead PI: Dr. Bob Miller, University of California, Santa Barbara
This project will build a comprehensive demonstration system that includes representation of all levels of biotic diversity, develops key new tools to expand the scales of present observation, and produces a data management network to integrate new and existing data sources. The system will be scalable to expand into a full regional Marine BON, and most importantly the methods and decision support tools we develop will be transferable to other regions. Incorporating a broad set of habitats including nearshore coast, estuaries, continental shelf, and pelagic, and taxonomic breadth from microbes to whales will facilitate this transferability. This demonstration BON will deliver important new information that will facilitate management decisions, and will provide information and recommendations to improve monitoring efficiency for key federal and state agencies in the area, including the National Park Service, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Geological Survey, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This project has three broad objectives: 1) integrate biodiversity data to enable inferences about regional biodiversity, 2) develop advanced methods in optical and acoustic imaging and genomics for monitoring biodiversity, and 3) implement a tradeoff framework that optimizes allocation of sampling effort
Number of Years: 5
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2019
Partners:
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of California, San Diego
- NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center