The often-underappreciated value of zooplankton to humanity

MARIA GRIGORATOU; LÓPEZ ABBATE, M.C.; GROUP OF AUTHORS "PLANKTON PASSIONATES"

Seattle

Conferencia; PICES-2023 Annual Meeting: Connecting Science and Communities for Sustainable Seas; 2023

PICES-North Pacific Marine Science Organization

Zooplankton plays an important role in the climate-ocean-biodiversity nexus and controls many aquatic services such as food security and carbon sequestration. Zooplankton has fueled curiosity and the evolution of natural science, inspired artists, and contributed to the cultural heritage of human society through time. However, the profound cultural and climatic value that zooplankton brings to humanity is relatively unrecognized beyond the scientific sphere. The authors of the present study met and discussed the values of plankton at the 2020-2021 MBON plankton workshops. We decided to continue our action and conduct a collaborative synthesis with the aim of providing a holistic perspective on plankton values related to human societies. To achieve this, we categorized plankton value into 7 major topics: Ecology, Biogeochemistry, Climate, Human Economy, Culture, Recreation and Well-being, Conservation and Policy. We also included recommendations for enhancing the understanding and long-term sustainability of zooplankton values through focused research and monitoring efforts. Our presentation will encompass local, regional, and global examples of zooplankton values across various aquatic environments, with a particular emphasis on marine ecosystems.