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When the ocean falls silent : The biodiversity crisis in our seas.

The Convention on Biological Diversity of the United Nations defines biodiversity as the variety of all living organisms, habitats, and ecosystems on land, in freshwater, in the oceans, and in the air.


Biodiversity is viewed as something positive and worth protecting – but why? What harm is there if there are fewer animals and plants on Earth?


Many scientific studies show that ecosystems with high species diversity are more stable than those with fewer species and can better compensate for disturbances. With their different needs, species occupy different ecological niches. For example, some insects are important pollinators, others disperse plant seeds or break down organic waste.


Nearly all marine areas – from coasts to the deep sea and from the tropics to the poles – are impacted by human activity. The long history of hunting marine mammals such as whales and seals, plundering islands, and continued overfishing already led to species decline at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Today, increasing ship traffic raises the risk of whale collisions. Coastal overuse through construction, dumping, bottom trawling, and aquaculture damages productive and diverse ecosystems like seafloors with algal forests, seagrass meadows, and reefs. Deep sea mining poses a serious threat to largely unexplored marine ecosystems and could lead to irreversible biodiversity loss.


As the ocean absorbs 93 percent of anthropogenic global warming, climate change has become a major driver of biodiversity changes in the sea. Many marine species are highly sensitive to heat stress. Coral reefs around the world are affected by coral bleaching, which endangers many species dependent on them. Other causes of biodiversity loss in the oceans include nutrient overload and oxygen depletion, as well as pollution from fertilizers, plastics, and toxic substances. Especially coastal ecosystems that store carbon – such as reefs, mangroves, algal forests, and seagrass meadows – are threatened where ocean warming and pollution intersect.


Biodiversity is not only defined by the number of species, but also by:


• Genetic diversity: Variety of genetic characteristics within a species.

• Phylogenetic diversity: Variation in the evolutionary relationships among organism groups.

• Functional diversity: Variety of ecological roles and processes species fulfill in a community or ecosystem

• Ecosystem diversity: Variety of ecosystems, landscapes, or habitats (often also: variety of processes and species).


How to Help Preserve Biodiversity:


1. Travel responsibly: Coastal development, tourism, and cruise ships put pressure on fragile marine habitats.

2. Eat less fish: Destructive fishing methods and bycatch harm marine biodiversity.

3. Engage against the climate crisis to protect the oceans: Global warming destabilizes ecosystems and endangers many species. 4. Avoid home aquariums: Ornamental fish are often caught using destructive methods (e.g. cyanide fishing).

5. Get informed, share, get involved: Support educational e orts by following or donating to marine conservation organizations.



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