Benthic invertebrates abundance and distribution | Sea turtles abundance and distribution

Watch the webinar of the GOOS BioEco Essential Ocean Variable webinar series as we discussed the standardized monitoring of benthic invertebrates and sea turtles.

Benthic invertebrates live on, near or beneath seafloors across the world, representing a huge number of taxa and a large range of sizes. Despite their importance, collecting, integrating, and analyzing biological and ecosystem data for benthic invertebrates is challenging. Efforts are complicated by the lack of universally accepted size-range definitions and methodologies for quantifying benthic invertebrates due to their wide size range and varied habitat conditions. This webinar will introduce the Benthic Invertebrate EOV and its draft specification sheet, highlight its scientific and societal importance, and describe key challenges and potential solutions in the global coordination of observation and monitoring efforts. It will include references to data schema and prospective implementation concepts.

The seven sea turtle species inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide, migrating vast distances and specializing in different foods and habitats. As endangered species that maintain habitats, enhance carbon sequestration in seagrasses, and balance ecosystems, they serve as sentinel, umbrella, and engineer species. GOOS recognizes Sea Turtle Distribution & Abundance as an EOV. Through this EOV, GOOS aims to complement and strengthen existing global sea turtle monitoring standards through collaborative development of a specification sheet, building on established frameworks and promoting open metadata and data sharing to enhance current approaches for better-informed management decisions. This webinar will present how this collaborative effort reinforces existing standards and supports ocean conservation and management across local, regional, and global scales.