Census of Marine Life: experimental design and the interpretation of results

PALOMO MARIA GABRIELA

Valencia, España

Conferencia; 1st World conference on Marine Biodiversity.; 2008

Marine Biodiversity

Big messages from the census of marine life emphasized the idea of increasing knowledge, the idea of interconnection of the oceans and the idea of the increase of changing. This last idea is particularly difficult to measure, since we do not know the rate of the changes, nor the rate of the increase. The goal of this presentation is to evaluate what we know about increases and changes and what we can do about them. We used data from a NaGISA site at 38º S, in a rocky shore community at Mar del Plata, Argentina performed in 2006, 2007 and 2008 to evaluate these goals. Also data performed in 1966 in the same site was used. NaGISA experimental design includes an annual sampling of one site within the area, with three intertidal levels, and five replicates in each level. Samples of macroalga, and macrofauna were taken only in patches with macroalga. Interpretation of results could be a hard work if we want to elaborate general conclusions. However, the CoML is the opportunity to discuss and improve our knowledge about them.