Marine revelations

Feature Earlier this month the team of scientists that has worked over the past decade on the Census of Marine Life project released an inventory of species distribution and diversity in key global ocean areas. The researchers have combined information collected over centuries with data obtained during the census to create a list of species in 25 biologically representative regions — from the Antarctic through temperate and tropical seas to the Arctic. The aim is that the survey will help set a baseline for measuring human effects on the ecosystems along with those of climate change. It is also hoped the work will help in future decisions on exploration of still poorly explored regions, especially the abyssal depths, and on poorly studied, smaller species. Australian and Japanese waters, which have revealed 33,000 species, were found to be the most biodiverse. The oceans off China, the Mediterranean Sea and the Marine revelations A ten-year survey is providing insights into marine species in 25 key ocean areas around the globe that will provide a vital reference against future changes. Nigel Williams reports. Gulf of Mexico, sampled before the recent oil spill, are the next highest in species diversity. Thirteen committees comprising more than 360 scientists created the initial profile of known marine