Comparative Analysis of Marine Ecosystem Organization

The purpose of the CAMEO program is to strengthen the scientific basis for an ecosystem approach to the stewardship of our ocean and coastal living marine resources and ecosystems. The goal is to provide an understanding of and predictive capability for marine ecosystem organization and production, particularly as the dual drivers of climate variability and fishing pressure affect them. Comparative analyses provide an ideal way to achieve this goal. They can be employed in lieu of direct experimentation where controlled manipulation at relevant temporal and spatial scales is not possible. Well-designed comparative studies use existing gradients in ecosystem features to reveal how those features are manifest in processes and structures. Comparative analysis may be applied across ecosystems, within ecosystems through time, or across modeling approaches. As a partnership initiated in FY2009 between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Department of Commerce, NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA NMFS), CAMEO-supported research will focus on basic science to understand ecosystem processes - basic research that will ultimately contribute to management of marine species, habitats and ecosystems. Central to the program is an emphasis on collaborative partnerships between academic and federal agency scientists.