 exploring, preserving and protecting the genetic diversity of the world's oceans
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OGL Newsletter
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Greetings!
Ever wonder if there are wildlife parks under water? In fact there are. They are called Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and they are at the leading edge of marine wildlife conservation. Join us this month as we explore how MPAs work to preserve and protect our marine environment.
And, as always, follow our expeditions and other news from the marine world on our Facebook and Twitter pages!
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Marine Conservation: From Estuary to Ocean
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Since the beginning of time, mankind has counted on the oceans, not just for food and transportation, but also for "ecosystem services" that make our planet fertile and habitable. Marine organisms produce nearly a fifth of the protein we eat and more than half the oxygen we breath! They even contribute to the weather patterns that bring fresh rainwater to the land masses. Once thought inexhaustible, scientists now believe that much of the Ocean's living bounty is in danger due to overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, global warming and ocean acidification.
Traditionally, the oceans have been a "commons" shared by many with little regulation. Now, with increasing demands on its resources, fishermen, scientists, lawmakers, grassroots organizations and other stakeholders are looking for ways to protect the sea from overuse. One such way is by the creation of Marine Protected Areas or MPAs.
MPAs are regions of the sea set aside for limited human use. Just like national parks, which have their roots in the early 19th century American west, MPAs are areas where regulations have been created to limit fishing, development, pollution and all manner of human impacts.
The idea of wildlife protection has been very popular on land. As of 2010 there were over 160,000 terrestrial wildlife parks, accounting for 10-15% of the world's land surface. We have been slower to protect the Ocean, but this is picking up steam as well. In 2010 there were about 6,800 MPAs covering just over 1% of the world's oceans. We have a long way to go to match conservation areas on land, but the numbers are growing steadily.
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OGL Marine Genome Sanctuaries Program
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 | A Kelp Rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens) navigates the plant life in Channel Islands National Park.
Photo: Richard Salas |
How do scientists know when an MPA is doing its job? That is, how do we know if protections are effective in stabilizing or increasing productivity and diversity in an MPA or in its surrounding waters? One of the newest and most promising ways is by studying DNA samples collected from wildlife at different places and times. Better than photographs and potentially faster and more accurate than identifications based on appearance, DNA can be used to identify species and to trace changes in populations. This can help reduce the error in counting species and individuals, and can help to track migration, mating success, and illegal harvesting. The preserved DNAs can also serve as references, providing a permanent historical baseline record of the species present in an MPA, of the diversity they contain, and of the way they change through time. Not only that, but once DNA samples have been collected and preserved they can be used again and again for different types of research as DNA-based methods improve, reducing the need for new sampling that can harm wildlife.
It is for these reasons that OGL has established the Marine Genome Sanctuaries (MGS) Program. Working with scientists, policymakers, funding agencies and conservation organizations worldwide, OGL is striving to build permanent DNA collections representing the critical and indicator species found in individual MPAs. These collections will help document the effectiveness of marine protection efforts while creating a permanent record of the modern history of life in the sea. If you are interested in supporting or learning more about OGL's Marine Genome Sanctuary Program contact us at info@OGLF.org or visit the Marine Genome Sanctuaries page on the OGL website.
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OGL joins the New England Aquarium on a Voyage to the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA)
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On June 5, a team of researchers from Boston's New England Aquarium (NEAq), the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) set sail from Apia, Samoa for a research cruise to the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) in the island nation of Kiribati. At over 157,000 square miles, PIPA is one of the world's newest and largest Marine Protected Areas. This is NEAq's second expedition to document the biodiversity of this vast and pristine coral reef system that it helped establish in 2006. This time, OGL is working with NEAq to asses the feasibility of a Marine Genome Sanctuary in the Phoenix Islands. In the future we hope to work with the these research organizations and the Government of Kiribati to bring this dream to fruition.
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The atoll of Kanton, Republic of Kiribati, Phoenix Islands (left); Researchers on the dive boat Nai'a enter Kanton lagoon on 6/8/12 (right). Photo: Keith Ellenbogen pipa.neaq.org
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| Coming Soon... | |
Robots in the Oceans
From oil scavenging machines to high-pressure submersibles traveling the unexplored frontiers of the ocean's deepest crevasses, join us as we investigate novel, groundbreaking technologies that are allowing scientists to accomplish what no human can alone.
 | First of the current generation of deep-diving submersibles, Alvin has seen extensive service in research, survey, search and recovery roles, both for civilian and military objectives.
Photo: WHOI |
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DONATE TO OGL
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Want to help OGL document and preserve the spectacular genetic diversity of our world's oceans? Visit http://www.oglf.org/Support.htm
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