This project will document a suspected peak in marine animal diversity in the Earth?s most diverse marine realm. Investigators from the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with numerous other US and Philippine institutions, will document the kinds of marine organisms in the Coral Triangle of Southeast Asia, focusing on the "center of the center of biodiversity," the Verde Island Passage (VIP) of Luzon, Philippines. Researchers will assess the extreme biodiversity across the VIP to determine species distributions, analyze genetic diversity among species, and discover new species, including in the Twilight Zone, accessible through advanced underwater technology that allows exploration at depths below those reached with traditional scuba diving.
The project will establish crucial baseline information on biodiversity at key VIP localities before further impact of global climate change and human development activities. Results will inform regional and global conservation and management policies, and engage the public in protecting coral reef communities integral to oceanic and human health. Data and collections will be preserved and cataloged, and will be available for study into the future.
