increase sedimentation rates, changing rocky substrates to sand or mud and consequentially, change the relative abundance of different species affect assemblages
composition. A conservation status assessment is difficult because of the lack of
periodical monitoring and insufficient data from deeper waters.
5.5 Recommendations
The advance in the study of echinoderms has been notable in recent years, mostly
at species level in deep habitats, specifically soft bottoms. Interesting results,
including the discovery of new habitats, show the need to continue with these
investigations, particularly at depths greater than 1,000 m. This requires improved
sampling techniques than are currently being used, which are less destructive and
more efficient.
Although in 1998 the largest amount of information about echinoderms was on
the shallow-water species, during recent years, research has been focused on
deeper ecosystems, which has increased our knowledge of these zones, mainly in
the Caribbean, while there has been little recent research in shallow ecosystems.
It is now clear that more taxonomic and ecological studies are needed of these
invertebrates in shallow areas in the Caribbean and of deeper zones in the Pacific.
Although there has been a significant increase in ecological studies of echinoderms in Colombia, there still is little information about this important group of
invertebrates. Further studies are necessary especially considering the commercial
interest that is being focused on some species such as sea cucumbers; the current
status of their natural populations and their dynamics is not known.
Building on all the information that has been collected during recent years and
specimens that have been deposited in the echinoderm collections of MHNMC and
the Universidad del Valle, future research could utilize new tools such as
molecular techniques to investigate cryptic speciation, population connectivity,
species adaptation and conservation biology, considering the privileged location of
Colombia to answer questions about the evolution of species in the Americas and it
high biodiversity and resources to conserve and use sustainably.
Although studies on Colombian Pacific echinoderms have been carried out for
many years since the initial international expeditions that found the first species
and in recent years have increased, knowledge of this group in this region is still
incomplete. Taxonomy and descriptive ecology of the species of coastal ecosystems of the mainland and islands are relatively well known, and there are abundant
but not complete references for many species of some deep areas. For these
reasons it is necessary to continue to expand the inventory of species, visiting
poorly known locations on the coast (i.e. northern Chocó), or increasing the
coverage of oceanographic cruises that explore the offshore bottoms of the Pacific
Ocean in search of benthic fauna.
Similarly, although there is some biological data for some groups (mainly
asteroids and echinoids), it is necessary to increase research on species richness
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M. Benavides-Serrato et al.
composition. A conservation status assessment is difficult because of the lack of
periodical monitoring and insufficient data from deeper waters.
5.5 Recommendations
The advance in the study of echinoderms has been notable in recent years, mostly
at species level in deep habitats, specifically soft bottoms. Interesting results,
including the discovery of new habitats, show the need to continue with these
investigations, particularly at depths greater than 1,000 m. This requires improved
sampling techniques than are currently being used, which are less destructive and
more efficient.
Although in 1998 the largest amount of information about echinoderms was on
the shallow-water species, during recent years, research has been focused on
deeper ecosystems, which has increased our knowledge of these zones, mainly in
the Caribbean, while there has been little recent research in shallow ecosystems.
It is now clear that more taxonomic and ecological studies are needed of these
invertebrates in shallow areas in the Caribbean and of deeper zones in the Pacific.
Although there has been a significant increase in ecological studies of echinoderms in Colombia, there still is little information about this important group of
invertebrates. Further studies are necessary especially considering the commercial
interest that is being focused on some species such as sea cucumbers; the current
status of their natural populations and their dynamics is not known.
Building on all the information that has been collected during recent years and
specimens that have been deposited in the echinoderm collections of MHNMC and
the Universidad del Valle, future research could utilize new tools such as
molecular techniques to investigate cryptic speciation, population connectivity,
species adaptation and conservation biology, considering the privileged location of
Colombia to answer questions about the evolution of species in the Americas and it
high biodiversity and resources to conserve and use sustainably.
Although studies on Colombian Pacific echinoderms have been carried out for
many years since the initial international expeditions that found the first species
and in recent years have increased, knowledge of this group in this region is still
incomplete. Taxonomy and descriptive ecology of the species of coastal ecosystems of the mainland and islands are relatively well known, and there are abundant
but not complete references for many species of some deep areas. For these
reasons it is necessary to continue to expand the inventory of species, visiting
poorly known locations on the coast (i.e. northern Chocó), or increasing the
coverage of oceanographic cruises that explore the offshore bottoms of the Pacific
Ocean in search of benthic fauna.
Similarly, although there is some biological data for some groups (mainly
asteroids and echinoids), it is necessary to increase research on species richness
174
M. Benavides-Serrato et al.