Research Document - 2009/066

Review of Selected Biogeographic Classification Systems with Relevance to the Canadian Marine Environment

By R. O'Boyle

Abstract

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) hosted a national science advisory process on June 15-16, 2009 to develop a framework and principles for the biogeographic classification of Canadian marine areas in the Northwest Atlantic, North Pacific and the Arctic.  In the past decade, there have been a number of international, national and regional biogeographic classification exercises (e.g. Large Marine Ecosystems, Global Open Oceans and Deep Seabed Biogeographic Classification, Marine Ecoregions of the World, Parks Canada, Environment Canada and DFO), lessons of which are useful in the development of a representative network of Marine Protected Areas in fulfilment of Canada’s marine commitments under the Convention of Biological Diversity. This report provides a review and synthesis of ten relevant and recent marine biogeographic classification systems, including their development background, objectives, classification approach, data usage and resultant mappings of each system. These features are compared and contrasted, highlighting the principal similarities and differences. General observations that emerged from this review were also presented at the advisory meeting.

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