Man and the sea-the ecological challenge

Abstract

Cultural "revolutions" are characterized by increased utilization of natural resources, resulting in increased carrying capacity for the human species. We are witnessing the Marine Revolution, which challenges us to develop unifying, ecosystem-based approaches to the science and use of the sea. Knowing (i.e., science) marineprocesses should form the fundamental basis for doing (i.e., conservation and management), within a global human ecological framework.The issues of human ecology are about the same by land or sea, but these subdivisions of Earth are fundamentally different. The sea must be understood in its own right, rather than be driven by terrestrially-derived models. For example, animal diversity is on a species level by land; marine diversity is at higher taxonomic levels and, if viewed functionally, is greater than the land's. This has important implications in the design of protected areas. Another example concerns the roles of large organisms in ocean processes; fishery ecology has been neglected, but a total ecosystem viewpoint is essential towards placing fisheries on a sustainable basis.New perspectives toward the sea are rapidly emerging. Satellites have the potential for revolutionizing oceanography. Ecotoxicology is in the process of addressing pollution on an ecosystem basis. A unified scientific perspective of "oceanology" is required to help meet problems of human ecology during the Marine Revolution. © 1985 by the American Society of Zoologists.