How a groundbreaking digital platform is transforming our understanding of ocean biodiversity in a changing climate
Imagine trying to understand a library where most books are hidden, pages are constantly rewritten, and the building itself is changing around them. This is the challenge faced by marine scientists trying to understand ocean biodiversity in an era of climate change.
For centuries, explorers have documented marine life, but these observations remain fragmented—scattered across lab notebooks, scientific papers, and expedition reports. How can we understand how marine species are responding to environmental changes when we cannot easily access the historical records of where and when they were found?
Enter BISMaL—the Biological Information System for Marine Life—a groundbreaking digital platform that not only compiles these scattered records but ingeniously reconstructs the environmental conditions these organisms experienced, offering scientists an unprecedented window into our changing oceans 1 .
The Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL) is a web-based data system developed and operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
BISMaL transcends being a simple repository of species names. It integrates distribution records, taxonomic information, photographs, videos, and ecological descriptions into a unified platform 2 .
Japan's strategic geographical location, surrounded by exceptionally diverse marine environments, makes it an ideal hub for studying marine biodiversity and the impacts of environmental changes 2 .
| Data Category | Count/Statistic | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Taxa | 41,917 | October 3, 2025 |
| Taxa with Occurrence Records | 16,697 | October 3, 2025 |
| Occurrence Records in Kingdom Animalia | 4,080,802 | October 23, 2025 |
| New Datasets in FY2024 | 6 | April 1, 2025 |
BISMaL serves as the Japanese node of the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), the global database for marine species information. Through this connection, data collected in Japanese waters become part of the worldwide effort to document and conserve marine biodiversity 2 3 .
A critical limitation of most biological observation records is what they don't contain: simultaneous measurements of environmental conditions like water temperature and salinity. While we might know that a particular species was observed at a specific location and date, we often lack the physicochemical context of that observation—the very conditions that determine where marine species can survive and thrive 1 .
Without knowledge of past habitat conditions, predicting future distribution shifts becomes guesswork rather than science. While some modern observations include environmental measurements, the vast majority of historical records do not 1 .
BISMaL integrates the Four-dimensional Variational Ocean ReAnalysis (FORA) dataset, providing reconstructed ocean conditions from 1982 to 2014 with remarkable resolution (0.1° grid, daily intervals, 54 depth layers) 1 .
Biological observations are gathered from various sources including scientific expeditions, research papers, and monitoring programs.
Each observation is matched with the closest FORA environmental data based on latitude, longitude, depth, and date.
The system estimates the temperature, salinity, and other conditions the organism likely experienced when observed.
Scientists can examine how species' thermal habitats have changed over decades and identify environmental tolerances.
When BISMaL introduced its novel function of estimating past environmental conditions, a crucial question emerged: could these estimates be trusted? In 2023, researchers conducted a rigorous validation study to answer this question 1 .
Shinkaia crosnieri
Deep-sea squat lobster
1,254 records
Krohnitta pacifica
Arrow worm
904 records
Krohnitta subtilis
Arrow worm
1,136 records
| Validation Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Comparison Method | Estimated vs. Measured In-situ Temperatures |
| Agreement Level | Close match between estimated and observed values |
| Data Source | J-EDI dataset (1,254 records) |
| Significance | Confirms accuracy for non-planktonic organisms |
| Characteristic | Krohnitta pacifica | Krohnitta subtilis |
|---|---|---|
| Records in Study | 904 | 1,136 |
| Study Period | 1982-1992 | 1982-1992 |
| General Habitat | Epiplanktonic (>150 m) | Epiplanktonic, sometimes mesopelagic |
| Thermal Niche | Warmer waters | Cooler waters |
This validation experiment confirmed that BISMaL could reliably reconstruct past habitat conditions for marine organisms, paving the way for its use in addressing fundamental questions about how marine life responds to environmental changes 1 .
Modern biodiversity research relies on both cutting-edge technology and carefully curated data resources.
| Tool/Resource | Type | Function in Research |
|---|---|---|
| FORA Ocean Dataset | Environmental Data | Provides past temperature and salinity conditions (0.1° resolution) |
| JODC Dataset | Biological Data | Long-term plankton survey data around Japan (1951-2006) |
| J-EDI Dataset | Biological & Environmental Data | Deep-sea species observations with in-situ environmental measurements |
| PostgreSQL | Database System | Stores and manages all biodiversity data |
| GeoServer | Mapping Tool | Visualizes geographical distribution of species |
| OBIS Pipeline | Data Sharing System | Shares BISMaL records with global biodiversity database |
The implications of BISMaL's capabilities extend far beyond academic curiosity. By providing both biological observations and their associated environmental contexts, the system enables research that directly addresses pressing environmental challenges.
BISMaL data contribute significantly to marine conservation planning. Researchers have used such biodiversity information to identify Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the East to Southeast Asia region 4 .
BISMaL supports work toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), which focuses on conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources 3 .
The system continues to evolve, regularly incorporating new datasets from diverse sources—from citizen science initiatives documenting sea slugs through the SEASLUG.WORLD platform to specialized surveys of littoral organisms in Osaka Bay 1 . This constant expansion ensures that BISMaL remains at the forefront of marine biodiversity research.
BISMaL represents more than just a technological achievement—it's a fundamental shift in how we document and understand marine life.
By transforming scattered observations into an integrated knowledge system and ingeniously reconstructing the environmental contexts of historical records, BISMaL gives scientists a powerful tool to decipher how ocean biodiversity is responding to human pressures and climate change.
As marine species face unprecedented challenges from warming waters, acidification, and habitat modification, systems like BISMaL become increasingly vital. They provide the evidence base needed for effective conservation action and sustainable management of marine resources.