There are increasing opportunities to expand observation of ocean biology from advances in individual sensors to development of national and global networks. To leverage these opportunities, the ocean community has defined essential variables, initially in physical oceanography. In 2013, a Biological Integration and Observation Task Team (BIO-TT) was formed under the IOOC to focus on biological essential variables for U.S. IOOS. The primary goals of the BIO-TT were a) to improve availability of observations on the existing IOOS core biological variables (defined by BIO-TT as phytoplankton species; zooplankton species and abundance; fish species and abundance), and b) to identify and prioritize additional cross-cutting federal agency biological and ecosystem observation needs. To address these objectives the team (1) completed a survey of federal agencies for existing core variable datasets and identified needs for biological and ecosystem observations and (2) conducted an expert workshop to explore best available science of biological and ecosystem observing, and determine implementation strategies for biological and ecosystem observation needs identified from the survey. To build upon the actions and recommendations made previously by several other groups working towards the development of a global, coordinated ocean observation system, the BIO-TT Expert Working Group activities followed the guidelines developed by the Framework for Ocean Observation (2012) and the prioritization themes identified by the GOOS Biology and Ecosystems Panel (IOC 2014). Workshop participants agreed that the highest priority is to include species and abundance of core functional groups (pelagic and benthic) not currently represented among the IOOS core variables. This presentation will summarize key results from the survey and then focus on analyses, outcomes and recommendations from the expert workshop for new and enhanced biological variables as part of IOOS.

1. Informing Priorities for Biological and
Ecosystem Observations, supporting evolution
of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System
(IOOS)
Z
Samantha Simmons
U.S. Marine Mammal Commission
Chair, Biological Integration
and Observation (BIO) Task Team.
Credit: MBARI

2. Who
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3. The Task Team
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Bob Houtman - Interagency Ocean Observation Committee
Sarah Miller – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
James Price - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Samantha Simmons (Chair) - Marine Mammal Commission
Michael Weise - Office of Naval Research
Hassan Moustahfid - Integrated Ocean Observing System
Rebecca Shuford - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Kandace Binkley - National Science Foundation
Mark Fornwall - US Geological Survey
Raphe Kudela – Regional Associations (CeNCOOS)
Jay Pearlman, Eileen Hofmann - RCN
Support: Nick Rome, Hannah Dean – Consortium for Ocean Leadership

4. Why Biology and Why Now?
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Acidity
Bathymetry
Bottom Character
Colored Dissolved Organic Matter
Contaminants
Dissolved Nutrients
Dissolved Oxygen
Heat Flux
Ice Distribution
Ocean Color
Optical Properties
Partial Pressure of CO2
Pathogens
Salinity
Sea Level
Stream Flow
Surface Currents
Surface Waves
Temperature
Total Suspended Matter
Wind Speed and Direction
• 26 core IOOS variables
• Phytoplankton species
• Zooplankton species
• Zooplankton abundance
• Fish species
• Fish abundance
• 2012 IOOS Summit
http://www.iooc.us/summit/

5. Task Team Goals
A. Improve the availability of existing IOOS core biological
variables
• phytoplankton species (and abundance)
• zooplankton species
• zooplankton abundance
• fish species
• fish abundance
- Inventor if appropriate.
B. Identify, and prioritize additional cross-cutting biological and
ecosystem observation needs
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6. The Framework for Ocean Observing
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• Ocean Obs ’09
• Characterize observing systems across disciplines &
technologies
• Establish priorities for observing
• Identify readiness levels
• http://www.oceanobs09.net/foo/

7. Task Team Activities
- Inventor if appropriate.
B. Identify, and prioritize additional cross-cutting biological and
ecosystem observation needs
• Survey of needs for biological and ecosystem observations
REQUIREMENTS
• Expert workshop (Community input)
IMPACT and FEASIBILITY analysis
Outputs – reports and recommendations
Survey results
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8. Climate
Primary Producers
(Phytoplankton, HABs)
Habitat-formers
(Corals, SAV, wetlands)
Pelagic invertebrates
(Zooplankton, Squid)
Benthic Inverts
(Indicator spp)
Fishes
(Harvested and others)
Mammals, Turtles
(Protected spp)
PELAGIC
BENTHIC
Humans
OceanPhysicsandChemistry
Microbes*

9. List of Variables
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fish species/abundance
coral species/abundance
submerged aquatic vegetation
species/abundance
marine mammal species/abundance
phytoplankton species/abundance
zooplankton species/abundance
benthic invertebrate species/abundance
sea bird species/abundance
microbial species/abundance
sea turtle species/abundance
pelagic invertebrate nekton
species/abundance
primary productivity
fish fecundity
ambient/passive acoustic measurements
coral recruitment
marine mammal fecundity
sea bird fecundity
zooplankton fecundity
benthic invertebrate fecundity
sea turtle fecundity
microzooplankton grazing
fish diet
sea bird diet
seal diet
sea turtle diet

10. Impact : Feasibility Analysis
• First, prioritize each of the variables based on IMPACT (Low,
Medium, High, Essential)
• Second, prioritize each variable based on FEASIBILITY
(Concept, Pilot, Mature)

11. IMPACT Rating
• Each variable scored based on 5 Themes (GOOS
BEP):
– Productivity
– Biodiversity
– Ecosystem Services
– Human Activities & Pressures
– Scientific Benefit

12. FEASIBILITY Rating
• For each variable scored based on readiness level
for requirements, observations, data &
information

13. 0.45
0.5
0.55
0.6
0.65
0.7
0.75
0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85
Impact
Feasibility
fish abundance primary productivity fish species
marine mammal abundance marine mammal species phytoplankton abundance
coral abundance phytoplankton species coral species
fish fecundity submerged aquatic vegetation abundance sea bird abundance
zooplankton abundance seabird species zooplankton species
submerged aquatic vegetation species sea turtle abundance fish diet
sound sea turtle species sea bird fecundity
marine mammal fecundity seal diet benthic invertebrate species
sea bird diet pelagic invertebrate nekton species coral recruitment
benthic invertebrate abundance sea turtle fecundity microbial abundance
microbial species zooplankton fecundity sea turtle diet
benthic invertebrate fecundity microzooplankton grazing

14. Recommendations (preliminary)
We must consider interactions, both spatial and temporal, among
climate, physics, chemistry, and biology.
• Highest priority should be to include species and abundance of other
core functional groups (pelagic and benthic) that are not in the current
core variables list
• Following species and abundance, biological vital rates (BVRs) are the
next priority of biological information to be included as IOOS core
variables. BVRs include, production, recruitment, mortality, fecundity,
growth, and feeding rates
• Also, information on nekton diet should be included as an IOOS core
variable
• Finally sound should be included as an IOOS core variable
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15. Questions?
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Samantha Simmons
ssimmons@mmc.gov
www.noaa.ioos.gov

16. PRIMARY PRODUCERS
HABITAT FORMING*
PHYTOPLANKTON including
MICROBES
PRIMARY CONSUMERS**
(herbivores, detritivores, bacteria)
BENTHIC PELAGIC ENDOTHERMS
CONSUMERS (carnivores) **
ECTOTHERMS
*Macroalgae, seagrasses,corals, crusto-coralline algae
**Considerable zonation in both

17. Input
(Requirements)
Output
(Data &
Products)
Process
(Observations)
Framework for Ocean Observing
A simple system

18. • We cannot
measure
everything, nor do
we need to
• Driven by
requirements
• Rooted in reality
• Measurement must
be feasible
Driven by requirements, negotiated with feasibility
Essential Ocean Variables / Core Variables