Photo Credit: Pat Kight, Oregon Sea Grant (2012)
Marine and coastal ecosystems are some of the largest and most diverse systems on earth. Despite the vastness of the ocean, marine organisms interact closely with each other and their environment in complex ways. Marine species serve functions in their habitats and have adapted to the unique physical and chemical conditions of their marine environments, such as differences in tides, temperature, geology, geography, and light availability. Research on marine ecosystems and the species that reside there includes biodiversity and community composition; ecosystem/habitat characteristics; invasive species; larval development, settlement, and recruitment; marine reserves/protected areas; migration; species characteristics and interactions; and species distribution (in alphabetical order):
Oregon Research Highlights
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is conducting research and monitoring on the Marine Reserves (MRs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that were established in Oregon in 2012-2016. Specifically, they are monitoring the effects of MPA and MR protections on marine species and habitats over time as well as the characteristics of the coastal communities nearby where people interact with the ocean for livelihoods, recreation, culture, and well-being. Scientists at ODFW have collected baseline data, and they are monitoring trends over time to inform future management of Oregon’s coastal resources. They specifically monitor organism size and abundance, algal community composition, habitat characteristics, and oceanographic conditions. For the human dimensions, scientists are assessing interactions between and effects on communities, ocean users, and regional economies. Each reserve is unique and therefore each area is sampled using different techniques. Researchers also sample comparison areas with imilar characteristics, but with limited or no protections, to pinpoint effects of the MPAs and MRs. Because Oregon’s waters are temperate, with long-lived and slow growing species, it is estimated to take at least 10-15 years to detect any ecological changes due to MR and MPA protections. Click here to learn more about Oregon’s Marine Reserves: http://oregonmarinereserves.com/.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/marine-ecosystem-illustrations-grades-3-5/
https://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/values/biodiversity/
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/what-are-invasive-species
https://www.britannica.com/science/animal-development/The-larval-phase-and-metamorphosis
http://www.whaleroute.com/migrate/
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/animal-migration-13259533
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/marine-larval-ecology
https://oregonmarinereserves.com/science/ecological/
Stevens M.H.H. (2009) Community Composition and Diversity. In: Stevens M.H.H. (eds) A Primer of Ecology with R. Use R!. Springer, New York, NY