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22 / THE MYSTERIOUS OCEAN
SEA, BEAUTY AND ETHICS
Marine biodiversity
in the service of humans
The Ocean and marine organisms offer an infinite range of applications
in crucial fields such as health, food and human longevity. However, this
growing use must be sustainable and equitable. A theme discussed at
Monaco Ocean Week.
UNDERSTANDING However this marine diversity is not well- Another field of research is being exa-
mined: plankton, which have varieties that
known and we estimate that more than
MARINE 80% of species have yet to be discovered. are still far from being discovered. The
Kahi Kai association, which includes biolo-
BIODIVERSITY 98% of marine organisms live attached to gists, oceanographers and scientists from
a substrate and 30% of them are found
across the world, is currently developing
in coral reefs. As a fixed organism cannot a large database by photographing these
The potential of the Ocean must be un- flee when it is in danger, it develops toxi- marine organisms. 100,000 images have
derstood to be able to develop these appli- city to defend itself against predators. This already been uploaded, recording a thou-
cations. For this purpose, Professor Denis chemical diversity is, according to Denis sand species, some of which are threate-
Allemand, director of the Scientific Centre Allemand, an El Dorado which could be ned or in danger of extinction.
of Monaco, underlined that biodiversity is further explored. It could lead to various
understood as a range of genes, species applications in pharmacology, notably
and ecosystems and their interactions. cancer-fighting, analgesic or antibacterial
molecules.