Biological diversity, or biodiversity, represents the variety of life on Earth, encompassing variation at all levels, from genes to species to ecosystems. A growing body of research demonstrates that maintaining coastal and marine biodiversity is critical for sustained human and ecosystem health in a globally changing environment.

Biodiversity is critical from the perspective of ecosystem services such as food, oxygen, and socio-economic benefits that support human livelihoods. The Census of Marine Life, which concluded in 2010, greatly enhanced our understanding of the status of marine biodiversity. It also made clear the importance of clear-cut, systematic and sustainable approaches to observing and monitoring biodiversity across different levels and at a national scale.

In May 2010, NOAA co-sponsored – with six other federal agencies and the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) – a workshop of experts to develop a plan and recommendations for attaining an operational marine biodiversity observation network (MBON) for the nation. The full workshop report is available on the NOPP website or as a PDF.

In Fall 2014, NOAA, NASA, and BOEM – on behalf of the NOPP – launched three projects that are demonstrating how an MBON could be developed. U.S. IOOS, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries are partnering with NASA, BOEM and others on this effort.

Partners have created an MBON website to share project background and updates. In addition, partners established an MBON Data Portal at http://mbon.ioos.us/.

MBON partners in the U.S. are also contributing to development of a global MBON, working closely with the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network, the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). The three groups signed a letter of agreement in Fall 2016 committing to coordination of a global MBON.