Itsas estazio biologikoen historia eta kostaldeko bioaniztasunaren ikerketa

Abstract

The sea is not the normal living place for us, humans. It is not our habitat in during a big part of our history it has been the pass way, or the void, in between lands. In that way, the organisms that inhabit the oceans and their characteristics have been mostly unknown during centuries. In our difficulty to approach the sea, we have faced the need of developing special skills and infrastructures. We need vessels and specific sampling methods, but also research infrastructures and shelter places permanently placed near the seashores. In general, most of the biodiversity in all the oceans can be found in the coastal areas, since the interface between land and sea allows the blossoming of life. The study of this biodiversity is in fact the mission of marine biological stations since their conception in the XIXth century. These are institutions created to shelter travelling scientists; "rest stop sites" that offer research infrastructure, equipment, protection, trained help and background knowledge to visitors. In this 150 years long journey marine organisms have provided avenues for basic science at the forefront of research through the utilization of marine model organisms. In the same way, marine life has provided opportunities to exploit resources useful for the humankind (fisheries, marine aquaculture…), while the development of "Blue Biotechnology" holds the promise to contribute to the socioeconomic development of maritime regions.