NIWA co-hosts global marine biodiversity meeting

Science Centres: Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity

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Two hundred of the world’s leading marine biologists gathered in Auckland for five days last November to share the latest research insights on marine life from the poles to the tropics. The Census of Marine Life meeting was jointly hosted by NIWA and The University of Auckland.

The Census is a global 10-year research programme to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans (see: www.coml.org). It has so far logged more than 80 000 species, including 5300 new to science.

New Zealand is home to diverse marine life and habitats and NIWA scientists are engaged in several Census projects, including:

  • Census of Seamounts (CenSeam) – NIWA hosts secretariat, conducts biodiversity research and voyages.
  • ChEss (chemosynthetic ecosystems) and COMARGE (Continental Margin Ecosystems) – NZ is a priority site, NIWA conducts biodiversity research and voyages.
  • Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) – NIWA hosts Southwestern Pacific Regional OBIS node (http://nzobis.niwa.co.nz/ ).
  • History of Marine Animal Populations (HMAP) – NIWA leads NZ ‘Taking Stock’ project.
  • Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) – we are conducting NZ CAML voyage and biodiversity research.