Biodiversity can be defined in several ways, but it generally refers to the number of species (including their genetic variations and structures) living in a particular ecosystem. Marine biodiversity, therefore, refers to the species richness and abundance in the world’s oceans and seas. Our planet is covered with approximately 70% water and the amount of life in the oceans is enormous. For a long time the marine environment was considered better buffered against human influence than the land. Resulting from this, scientific efforts to investigate and protect marine biodiversity lag for several years behind terrestrial research. In recent years, however, it has become clear that there are severe, often large-scale changes occurring in the biodiversity of marine habitats. Many of the most striking changes can be linked to human activities (causing pollution, habitat loss and overexploitation of resources), climate change effects, and invasion of non-endemic species (with the latter two oftentimes also having links to human activities). One could argue that biodiversity has innate importance, as life has value on its own. In addition to this consideration, marine ecosystems have several functions critically important to life on Earth in general and to human well-being in particular. These functions include:
- Protection of water resources
- Nutrient storage and cycling
- Pollution breakdown and absorption
- Gas and climate regulation (with impacts on climate change)
- Food provision
- Bioactive compounds from marine sources with pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential
- Raw materials (as resource for biotechnological innovation as well as for ornamental purposes)
- Recreation / Tourist attractions
- Cultural values
Experiments in coastal ecosystems have shown that maintaining biological diversity is essential for maintaining these functions. In consequence, in order to secure the marine habitat as a basis for human well-being, innovation and survival, it is imperative to protect marine biodiversity. Among the major challenges for future marine biodiversity research, therefore, is to monitor and counteract biodiversity loss as well as to develop strategies to make use of the as yet still existing plenitude of marine resources in a responsible and sustainable way.
Indonesian marine habitats are world-renowned as hotspots of biodiversity, thus constituting an immense treasure for the Indonesian people. At the same time, Indonesian marine habitats are among the most threatened by human activities that result in pollution and habitat loss throughout the archipelago. Despite this, research on marine biodiversity is rarely conducted in Indonesia due to lack of the necessary resources. Moreover, marine biodiversity research in Indonesia most of the times is scattered with very few concerted efforts. IPB aims to counteract this by promoting national and international collaborations across scientific disciplines, making use of synergies that arise from cooperative endeavours of scientists with complementing expertise. The goal of IPB is to promote initiatives towards joining such forces in order to understand, protect/rehabilitate and sustainably use Indonesian marine biodiversity.
EMBRIO Workshop 