Peer Review #2 of "Global marine biodiversity in the context of achieving the Aichi Targets: ways forward and addressing data gaps (v0.1)"

Abstract

In 2010, the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As this plan approaches its end, we discussed whether marine biodiversity and prediction studies were nearing the Aichi Targets during the 4 th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity held in Montreal, Canada in June 2018. This article summarises the outcome of a five-day group discussion on how global marine biodiversity studies should be focused further to better understand the patterns of biodiversity. We discussed and reviewed seven fundamental biodiversity priorities related to nine Aichi Targets focusing on global biodiversity discovery and predictions to improve and enhance biodiversity data standards (quantity and quality), tools and techniques, spatial and temporal scale framing, and stewardship and dissemination. We discuss how identifying biodiversity knowledge gaps and promoting efforts have and will reduce such gaps, including via the use of new databases, tools and technology, and how these resources could be improved in the future. The group recognised significant progress toward Target 19 in relation to scientific knowledge, but negligible progress with regard to Targets 6 to 13 which aimed to safeguard and reduce human impacts on biodiversity. Abstract 39 In 2010, the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed on the 40 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As this plan approaches its 41 end, we discussed whether marine biodiversity and prediction studies were nearing the Aichi 42 Targets during the 4 th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity held in Montreal, Canada in June 43 2018. This article summarises the outcome of a five-day group discussion on how global marine 44 biodiversity studies should be focused further to better understand the patterns of biodiversity. We 45 discussed and reviewed seven fundamental biodiversity priorities related to nine Aichi Targets 46 focusing on global biodiversity discovery and predictions to improve and enhance biodiversity 47 data standards (quantity and quality), tools and techniques, spatial and temporal scale framing, and 48 stewardship and dissemination. We discuss how identifying biodiversity knowledge gaps and 49 promoting efforts have and will reduce such gaps, including via the use of new databases, tools 50 and technology, and how these resources could be improved in the future. The group recognised 51 significant progress toward Target 19 in relation to scientific knowledge, but negligible progress 52 with regard to Targets 6 to 13 which aimed to safeguard and reduce human impacts on biodiversity. 54 55Manuscript to be reviewed 78 members and other groups at the conference. The priorities address issues of (1) data standards, 79 (2) education in data management, (3) taxonomic expertise, (4) genetic tools, (5) international 80 collaboration, (6) identifying knowledge gaps and understanding biogeography, and (7) the need ...