Ecosystem Management

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The dataset shows the global patterns of marine biodiversity (species richness) across 13 major species groups ranging from zooplankton to marine mammals (11,567 species in total). These groups include marine zooplankton (foraminifera and euphausiids), plants (mangroves and seagrasses), invertebrates (stony corals, squids and other cephalopods), fishes (coastal fishes, tunas and billfishes, oceanic and non-oceanic sharks), and mammals (cetaceans and pinnipeds).

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A comprehensive seafloor biomass and abundance database has been constructed from 24 oceanographic institutions worldwide within the Census of Marine Life (CoML) field projects. The machine-learning algorithm, Random Forests, was employed to model and predict seafloor standing stocks from surface primary production, water-column integrated and export particulate organic matter (POM), seafloor relief, and bottom water properties.

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AquaMaps Environmental Dataset: Half-Degree Cells Authority File (HCAF)
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This dataset shows the global distribution of mangroves, and was produced as joint initiatives of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (

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The accurate quantification of the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of mangrove forests is of great importance, particularly in Africa where deforestation rates are high and the lack of background data is a major problem. The objectives of this study are to estimate (1) the total area, (2) canopy height distributions, and (3) above-ground biomass (AGB) of mangrove forests in Africa.

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This dataset contains the global distributions of habitat suitability for seven suborders of cold-water octocorals (Octocorallia) found deeper than 50 m: Alcyoniina, Calcaxonia, Holaxonia, Scleraxonia, Sessiliflorae, Stolonifera, and Subselliflorae.

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The RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database is a compilation of stock assessment results for commercially exploited marine populations from around the world. It is inspired by Dr. Ransom A.

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Many marine reef fish species have two distinct life stages: a larval pelagic stage lasting a few weeks followed by a benthic stage after recruitment (Dufour, 1992; Shima, 2001; McCormick et al., 2002; Lecchini & Galzin, 2003; Irisson et al., 2004). Larvae dispersal is a vital process for species evolution, genetic mixing and overall adaptation of reef fish populations (Caley et al., 1996; Shulman, 1998; Planes, 2002).

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There is a rising concern regarding the accumulation of floating plastic debris in the open ocean. However, the magnitude and the fate of this pollution are still open questions. Using data from the Malaspina 2010 circumnavigation, regional surveys, and previously published reports, we show a worldwide distribution of plastic on the surface of the open ocean, mostly accumulating in the convergence zones of each of the five subtropical gyres with comparable density.