June 2021

Special Issue on MBON: Marine Biodiversity Observation Network—An Observing System for Life in the Sea

Oceanography | June 2021

Oceanography

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE OCEANOGRAPHY SOCIETY

VOL.34, NO.2, JUNE 2021

MARINE BIODIVERSITY OBSERVATION NETWORK

AN OBSERVING SYSTEM FOR LIFE IN THE SEA

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

VOL. 34, NO. 2, JUNE 2021

seabird.com

Oceanography | June 2021

contents

VOL. 34, NO. 2, JUNE 2021

SPECIAL ISSUE ON

THE MARINE BIODIVERSITY OBSERVATION NETWORK:

AN OBSERVING SYSTEM FOR LIFE IN THE SEA

12

Introduction to the Special Issue

By F.P. Chavez, R.J. Miller, F.E. Muller-Karger, K. Iken, G. Canonico, K. Egan, J. Price,

and W. Turner

16

Pelagic Biodiversity, Ecosystem Function, and Services: An Integrated

Observing and Modeling Approach

By J.A. Santora, I.D. Schroeder, S.J. Bograd, F.P. Chavez, M.A. Cimino, J. Fiechter,

E.L. Hazen, M.T. Kavanaugh, M. Messié, R.R. Miller, K.M. Sakuma, W.J. Sydeman,

B.K. Wells, and J.C. Field

38

Changes in Diversity and Species Composition Across Multiple

Assemblages in the Eastern Chukchi Sea During Two Contrasting Years

are Consistent with Borealization

By F.J. Mueter, K. Iken, L.W. Cooper, J.M. Grebmeier, K.J. Kuletz, R.R. Hopcroft,

S.L. Danielson, R.E. Collins, and D.A. Cushing

52

Reef-Fish Abundance, Biomass, and Biodiversity Inside and Outside No-Take

Marine Zones in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: 1999–2018

By M. Medina, C. Estes, B. Best, C.D. Stallings, E. Montes, L.G. McEachron,

and F.E. Muller-Karger

62

Satellite Remote Sensing and the Marine Biodiversity Observation

Network: Current Science and Future Steps

By M.T. Kavanaugh, T. Bell, D. Catlett, M.A. Cimino, S.C. Doney, W. Klajbor,

M. Messié, E. Montes, F.E. Muller-Karger, D. Otis, J.A. Santora, I.D. Schroeder, J. Triñanes,

and D.A. Siegel

80

Optimizing Large-Scale Biodiversity Sampling Effort: Toward an

Unbalanced Survey Design

By E. Montes, J.S. Lefcheck, E. Guerra-Castro, E. Klein, M.T. Kavanaugh, A.C.A. Mazzuco,

G. Bigatti, C.A.M.M. Cordeiro, N. Simoes, E.C. Macaya, N. Moity, E. Londoño-Cruz,

B. Helmuth, F. Choi, E.H. Soto, P. Miloslavich, and F.E. Muller-Karger

92

Species Archetype Models of Kelp Forest Communities Reveal Diverse

Responses to Environmental Gradients

By R.L. Rognstad, A. Rassweiler, D.C. Reed, L. Kui, and R.J. Miller

102 Observing Life in the Sea Using Environmental DNA

By F.P. Chavez, M. Min, K. Pitz, N. Truelove, J. Baker, D. LaScala-Grunewald, M. Blum,

K. Walz, C. Nye, A. Djurhuus, R.J. Miller, K.D. Goodwin, F.E. Muller-Karger, H.A. Ruhl,

and C.A. Scholin

120 A Global Ecological Classification of Coastal Segment Units to Complement

Marine Biodiversity Observation Network Assessments

By R. Sayre, K. Butler, K. Van Graafeiland, S. Breyer, D. Wright, C. Frye, D. Karagulle,

M. Martin, J. Cress, T. Allen, R.J. Allee, R. Parsons, B. Nyberg, M.J. Costello, P. Harris,

and F.E. Muller-Karger

12

62

52

Oceanography | June 2021

'Sebastes elongatus'

'Kogia breviceps'

'Clupea pallasii'

'Doryteuthis opalescens'

'Tactostoma macropus'

'Hexanchus griseus'

'Balaenoptera acutorostrata'

'Paralichthys californicus'

'Thysanoessa gregaria'

'Porichthys notatus'

'Lyopsetta exilis'

'Pandalus jordani'

'Chauliodus macouni'

'Pleuronichthys verticalis'

'Sterna elegans'

'Cololabis saira'

'Neotrypaea californiensis'

'Pterodroma sandwichensis'

'Triphoturus mexicanus'

'Fratercula corniculata'

'Octopoteuthis deletron'

Aurelia

'Mustelus californicus'

Mysidacea

'Sebastes goodei'

Malacosteus

'Dosidicus gigas'

'Chrysaora colorata'

'Phalaropus lobatus'

'Engraulis mordax'

'Pterodroma cookii'

'Sebastes babcocki'

'Delphinus capensis'

'Gavia stellata'

'Sebastes caurinus'

Berryteuthis

'Xeneretmus latifrons'

'Balaenoptera borealis'

'Pseudobathylagus milleri'

'Hydrolagus colliei'

'Trachurus symmetricus'

'Ardenna tenuirostris'

'Cranchia scabra'

Phosichthyidae

'Symbolophorus californiensis'

'Ardenna carneipes'

'Raja binoculata'

'Pasiphaea pacifica'

'Merluccius productus'

'Argentina sialis'

'Puffinus opisthomelas'

'Larus argentatus'

'Stomias atriventer'

'Tarletonbeania crenularis'

'Cymatogaster aggregata'

'Atheresthes stomias'

'Physeter catodon'

'Desmodema lorum'

'Enhydra lutris'

'Leucophaeus pipixcan'

'Sebastes proriger'

'Ophiodon elongatus'

'Hydrobates melania'

'Hydroprogne caspia'

'Diaphus theta'

'Hydrobates homochroa'

'Bathylagus stilbius'

'Sebastes rosaceus'

'Sebastolobus alascanus'

Palinuridae

'Mola mola'

'Rissa tridactyla'

'Prionace glauca'

'Sebastes saxicola'

Phronima

'Macroramphosus gracilis'

'Sphyraena argentea'

'Hydrobates microsoma'

'Phocoena phocoena'

'Larus californicus'

'Sardinops sagax'

'Gavia immer'

'Euphausia mutica'

'Sebastes ovalis'

Eurypharyngidae

'Brama japonica'

'Sebastes serriceps'

'Xema sabini'

'Fulmarus glacialis'

'Hemilepidotus spinosus'

'Sebastes paucispinis'

Nannobrachium

'Stercorarius maccormicki'

Gonatus

'Euphausia eximia'

'Brachyramphus marmoratus'

'Phacellophora camtschatica'

Idiacanthus

Zaniolepis

'Euphausia recurva'

'Citharichthys sordidus'

'Euphausia pacifica'

'Thalasseus maximus'

Aequorea

'Cyclothone acclinidens'

'Hydrobates furcatus'

'Oncorhynchus kisutch'

'Bathylagus pacificus'

'Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus'

'Sebastes jordani'

'Orcinus orca'

'Ardenna bulleri'

Remora

Opisthoproctidae

'Tetronarce californica'

'Nematoscelis difficilis'

'Euphausia gibboides'

'Mirounga angustirostris'

'Oncorhynchus mykiss'

'Psettichthys melanostictus'

'Sebastes rastrelliger'

'Sebastes crameri'

'Pteroplatytrygon violacea'

Abraliopsis

'Pleuronichthys decurrens'

'Lampadena urophaos'

'Raja inornata'

'Peprilus simillimus'

'Sebastes reedi'

'Sebastes mystinus'

'Sebastes aurora'

'Oceanites oceanicus'

'Ardenna pacifica'

'Sebastes melanostomus'

'Sebastes entomelas'

'Lycodes cortezianus'

'Podiceps nigricollis'

'Spirinchus thaleichthys'

'Thysanoessa spinifera'

'Sterna hirundo'

'Sebastes rufus'

'Medialuna californiensis'

'Chrysaora fuscescens'

'Hydrobates leucorhous'

'Eopsetta jordani'

'Ardenna creatopus'

'Icosteus aenigmaticus'

'Onykia robusta'

'Sebastes serranoides'

'Girella nigricans'

'Nemichthys scolopaceus'

'Pterodroma ultima'

Scorpaenidae

'Grampus griseus'

'Ptychoramphus aleuticus'

'Microgadus proximus'

Paralepididae

'Globicephala macrorhynchus'

'Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'

'Aechmophorus occidentalis'

'Larus delawarensis'

'Rhinogobiops nicholsii'

'Lepidogobius lepidus'

'Eumetopias jubatus'

'Larus occidentalis'

Melamphaidae

'Stenella coeruleoalba'

Bathymasteridae

Petromyzontidae

Gempylidae

'Sebastolobus altivelis'

'Ocythoe tuberculata'

'Raja stellulata'

'Berardius bairdii'

'Oxylebius pictus'

'Sula leucogaster'

'Sterna paradisaea'

'Microstomus pacificus'

'Stercorarius longicaudus'

'Sebastes wilsoni'

'Larus heermanni'

'Aechmophorus clarkii'

'Ardenna grisea'

'Balaenoptera musculus'

'Urile penicillatus'

'Larus philadelphia'

Carinaria

'Nannopterum auritus'

'Nyctiphanes simplex'

'Raja rhina'

'Pelecanus occidentalis'

'Lepidopsetta bilineata'

'Balaenoptera physalus'

'Bathophilus flemingi'

'Larus canus'

'Stercorarius pomarinus'

'Anoplopoma fimbria'

'Stercorarius parasiticus'

'Lycodapus fierasfer'

'Glyptocephalus zachirus'

'Lycodapus mandibularis'

Pterotrachea

Pandeidae

'Icichthys lockingtoni'

'Stenobrachius leucopsarus'

'Scomber japonicus'

'Sebastes dallii'

'Sebastes pinniger'

'Eschrichtius robustus'

'Chilara taylori'

'Onychoteuthis borealijaponica'

Moridae

Sternoptychidae

'Ammodytes hexapterus'

'Symphurus atricaudus'

'Sebastes flavidus'

'Sebastes semicinctus'

'Liparis fucensis'

'Pseudorca crassidens'

'Sebastes auriculatus'

'Squalus suckleyi'

'Gasterosteus aculeatus'

'Sebastes melanops'

'Atherinopsis californiensis'

'Atherinops affinis'

'Sarda chiliensis'

'Callorhinus ursinus'

'Thetys vagina'

'Phocoenoides dalli'

'Citharichthys stigmaeus'

'Synodus lucioceps'

'Parophrys vetulus'

Ctenophora

'Scorpaenichthys marmoratus'

'Phoebastria nigripes'

'Zalophus californianus'

'Rhamphocottus richardsonii'

'Chiroteuthis calyx'

'Fratercula cirrhata'

'Lagenorhynchus obliquidens'

'Megaptera novaeangliae'

'Lissodelphis borealis'

Bentheogennema

'Rossia pacifica'

'Eptatretus stoutii'

'Delphinus delphis'

'Trachipterus altivelis'

'Sebastes miniatus'

Crangon

'Alopias vulpinus'

Pyroteuthidae

'Sebastes hopkinsi'

'Pleuroncodes planipes'

'Tursiops truncatus'

'Ziphius cavirostris'

'Oncorhynchus gorbuscha'

'Phoca vitulina'

'Cerorhinca monocerata'

'Pyrosoma atlanticum'

'Sebastes diploproa'

'Sterna forsteri'

'Gavia pacifica'

'Pandalus platyceros'

'Bothrocara molle'

Sergestidae

Syngnathidae

'Sebastes ruberrimus'

'Sebastes zacentrus'

'Synthliboramphus craveri'

Stomatopoda

'Platichthys stellatus'

'Genyonemus lineatus'

'Sebastes emphaeus'

'Phalaropus fulicaria'

'Urile pelagicus'

'Arctocephalus townsendi'

'Phoebastria albatrus'

'Argonauta argo'

'Synthliboramphus antiquus'

'Sebastes levis'

'Anarrhichthys ocellatus'

'Cepphus columba'

'Parmaturus xaniurus'

'Cepphus grylle'

'Tetragonurus cuvieri'

'Larus glaucescens'

'Uria aalge'

'Phoebastria immutabilis'

Alloposidae

75

50

25

10

Forage

YOY Groundfish

All

Colored ranges

Ctenophora

Cnidaria

Mollusca

Malacostraca

Cyclostomata

Thaliacea

Chondrichthys

Mammalia

Aves

Actinopteri

YOY Groundfish

Forage

All

16

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

ON THE COVER

Ray Troll’s rendition of life in the sea

colorized by Grace Freeman. Originally

featured in the 1994 book, Planet Ocean:

A Story of Life, the Sea and Dancing to

the Fossil Record, by Bradford Matson and

Ray Troll, Ten Speed Press, 133 pp.

CONTACT US

The Oceanography Society

1 Research Court, Suite 450

Rockville, MD 20850 USA

t: (1) 301-251-7708

f: (1) 301-251-7709

info@tos.org

HAVE YOU MOVED?

Send changes of address to info@tos.org

or go to https://tosmc.memberclicks.net,

click on Login, and update your profile.

ADVERTISING INFO

Please send advertising inquiries to info@tos.org

or go to https://tos.org/oceanography/advertise.

CORRECTIONS

Please send corrections to magazine@tos.org.

Electronic versions of articles will be updated.

SPECIAL ISSUE SPONSORS

Support for this special issue was provided

by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

(BOEM), the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA), and the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

SPECIAL ISSUE GUEST EDITORS

Francisco P. Chavez, Monterey Bay

Aquarium Research Institute

Robert J. Miller, University of California

Santa Barbara

Katrin Iken, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Frank E. Muller-Karger, University of

South Florida

130 Data Management and Interactive Visualizations for the Evolving Marine

Biodiversity Observation Network

By A. Benson, T. Murray, G. Canonico, E. Montes, F.E. Muller-Karger, M.T. Kavanaugh,

J. Triñanes, and L.M. deWitt

142 Integrating Biodiversity and Environmental Observations in Support of

National Marine Sanctuary and Large Marine Ecosystem Assessments

By H.A. Ruhl, J.A. Brown, A.R. Harper, E.L. Hazen, L. deWitt, P. Daniel, A. DeVogelaere,

R.M. Kudela, J.P. Ryan, A.D. Fischer, F.E. Muller-Karger, and F.P. Chavez

REGULAR ISSUE FEATURES

156 Implosion in the Challenger Deep: Echo Sounding with the Shock Wave

By S. Loranger, D. Barclay, and M. Buckingham

166 Surface Wave Breaking Caused by Internal Solitary Waves: Effects on Radar

Backscattering Measured by SAR and Radar Altimeter

By J.M. Magalhães, W. Alpers, A.M. Santos-Ferreira, and J.C.B. da Silva

DEPARTMENTS

05

QUARTERDECK. Changing Workplace Concepts

By E.S. Kappel

06

FROM THE TOS JEDI COMMITTEE. A Short Glossary of Inclusive Language

By S.E. Craig and E. Bhatt

10

RIPPLE MARKS. Coralporosis: Ocean Acidification Leaves Deep-Sea Coral

Reefs at Risk of Collapse

By C.L. Dybas

177 DIY OCEANOGRAPHY. A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Manipulating

Dissolved Oxygen in the Lab

By K.J. Gadeken and K.M. Dorgan

184 THE OCEANOGRAPHY CLASSROOM. Diversifying the Ocean Sciences:

Thoughts on the Challenge Ahead

By C. Garza

186 CAREER PROFILES. Meredith White, Director of Research and Development,

Mook Sea Farm • Katherine Segarra, Supervisor, Biological Sciences Unit,

Office of the Environment, Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, Bureau of Ocean

Energy Management

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

156

166

Oceanography | June 2021

Oceanography | June 2021

The Oceanography Society was founded in 1988 to advance

oceanographic research, technology, and education, and

to disseminate knowledge of oceanography and its appli-

cation through research and education. TOS promotes

the broad understanding of oceanography, facilitates con-

sensus building across all the disciplines of the field, and

informs the public about ocean research, innovative tech-

nology, and educational opportunities throughout the spec-

trum of oceanographic inquiry.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Andone Lavery

PRESIDENT-ELECT: Deborah Bronk

PAST-PRESIDENT: Martin Visbeck

SECRETARY: Allison Miller

TREASURER: Susan Banahan

COUNCILORS

AT-LARGE: Richard Crout

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY: Larry Mayer

BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY: Kim S. Bernard

CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY: Galen McKinley

EARLY CAREER: Erin Satterthwaite

EDUCATION: Sara Harris

GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY: Amelia Shevenell

OCEAN DATA SCIENCE: Vicki Ferrini

OCEAN SCIENCE AND POLICY: Leopoldo C. Gerhardinger

PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY: LuAnne Thompson

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE: Christina Hernández

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jennifer Ramarui

CORPORATE AND INSTITUTIONAL

MEMBERS

Baker Donelson » bakerdonelson.com

Integral Consulting Inc. » integral-corp.com

Metocean Solutions » metocean.co.nz

National Oceanography Centre » noc.ac.uk

Science Media » sciencemedia.nl

Sea-Bird Scientific » seabird.com

Sequoia » sequoiasci.com

Submarine Cable Salvage » oceannetworks.com/

submarine-cable-salvage

Teledyne Rd Instruments » teledynemarine.com/rdi

US Arctic Research Commission » arctic.gov

tos.org

EDITOR

Ellen S. Kappel, Geosciences Professional Services Inc.

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Vicky Cullen

DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Johanna Adams

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Claudia Benitez-Nelson, University of South Carolina

Ian Brosnan, NASA Ames Research Center

Grace Chang, Integral Consulting Inc.

Margaret L. (Peggy) Delaney, University of California, Santa Cruz

Philip N. Froelich, Duke University

Charles H. Greene, Cornell University

William Smyth, Oregon State University

Peter Wadhams, University of Cambridge

Oceanography contains peer-reviewed articles that chronicle

all aspects of ocean science and its applications. The journal

presents significant research, noteworthy achievements, excit-

ing new technology, and articles that address public policy and

education and how they are affected by science and technol-

ogy. The overall goal of Oceanography is cross- disciplinary

communication in the ocean sciences.

Oceanography

(ISSN 1042-8275) is published by The

Oceanography Society, 1 Research Court, Suite 450, Rockville,

MD 20850 USA. Oceanography articles are licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which

permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduc-

tion in any medium or format as long as users cite the mate-

rials appropriately, provide a link to the Creative Commons

license, and indicate the changes that were made to the orig-

inal content. Third-party material used in articles are included

in the Creative Commons license unless indicated otherwise in

a credit line to the material. If the material is not included in the

article’s Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain

permission directly from the license holder to reproduce the

material. Please contact Jennifer Ramarui at info@tos.org for

further information.

Oceanography

tos.org/oceanography

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

Seeking Guest Columnists for

The Oceanography Classroom

Do you have any classroom tips to pass

along to your colleagues? Successful ways

you’ve engaged your class?

Please contact Oceanography Editor

Ellen Kappel (ekappel@geo-prose.com)

with any ideas you may have.

https://tos.org/classroom

AquapHOx Underwater Loggers

for Optical O2, pH & Temperature Sensors

• O2, pH, trace O2, ultra-fast O2 & T

• Highly resolved measurements

• Long-term logging & monitoring

• Shallow water & down to 4000 m

FLEXIBLE UNDERWATER SOLUTION FOR:

O2

pH

www.pyroscience.com

The Career Profiles Column

Needs Your Help!

WHO WOULD

YOU PROFILE?

Oceanography publishes “career profiles” of marine scientists who

have pursued fulfilling careers outside of academia. These profiles are

intended to advise ocean sciences graduate students about career

options other than teaching and/or research in a university setting.

They also include wisdom on how to go about the job search.

We need your help finding new people to profile! Please take five, ten,

or even fifteen minutes of your time to come up with some names.

Self-nominations are accepted!

Please send contact information to ekappel@geo-prose.com

https://tos.org/career-profiles

OCEANOGRAPHY

https://tos.org/diy-oceanography

In this Oceanography section, contributing authors share all of

the relevant information on a homemade sensor or instrument

so that others can build, or build upon, it. The short articles also

showcase how this technology was used successfully in the field.

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Oceanography guest editors Melissa Omand and Emmanuel Boss

are seeking contributions to DIY Oceanography. Contributions

should include a list of the materials and costs, instructions on

how to build, and any blueprints and codes (those could be

deposited elsewhere). See Oceanography’s Author Guidelines

page for detailed information on submission requirements.

https://tos.org/oceanography/guidelines

Oceanography | June 2021

QUARTERDECK

Changing Workplace Concepts

AS I’VE QUIPPED more than a few times

to colleagues over the past year-and-a-

half of COVID-19 restrictions, I’ve been

practicing for a pandemic for more than

20 years. I am all too familiar with the

pros and cons of working from home over

extended periods. I was a pioneer in that

arena, starting in the days (about 1999)

when using a modem and my home tele-

phone line to dial into the Internet was

a technology breakthrough. I couldn’t

have started my at-home business with-

out that outside link to the world and a

way to exchange digital files with my

designer, who had moved to the other

side of the continent. But, even with the

blistering speed that fiber-optic cabling

now provides for efficiently exchanging

ever larger files between us (we still work

together and we still live far away from

each other), I appreciate more than most

the value of working face-to-face daily

with colleagues.

Years ago when I was a program man-

ager for the Ocean Drilling Programs at

Joint Oceanographic Institutions, work-

ing from home was not part of the work-

place lexicon. I recall discussions among

the top managers about letting some staff

“telecommute,” but they decided that

being in the office was necessary for staff

interactions, many of them spontaneous,

that improve work outcomes, and there

was some concern that morale would suf-

fer if not all staff had the option of tele-

commuting at least some of the time. And

to be frank, there was concern about how

much work would really get done if peo-

ple stayed home. There were no data yet

on the productivity of telecommuters.

Fast forward to the COVID-19 pan-

demic of 2020–2021, when many non-

essential workers had to find ways to get

their work done from home. For some

jobs in the business world, and for some

age groups, it was a relatively easy adjust-

ment. For others, such as researchers

whose fieldwork or experiments were

canceled or postponed or those who had

children at home, not so much. Many

people whose office work relied on dig-

ital files that could be accessed over the

Internet found that they could be pro-

ductive workers from home and surely

did not miss the time consumed by com-

muting to work. Zoom and similar tech-

nologies allowed staff meetings to con-

tinue to take place, and we all got better

at it with more experience. Large con-

ferences experimented with novel ways

to run sessions, promote exchange of

knowledge, and foster networking, even

if remotely. The availability of online

webinars exploded, substantially increas-

ing access to a wide array of learning

opportunities— a trend I hope continues.

As businesses, institutions, and gov-

ernments look at new workplace models

for the future, my hope is that people

who work in those sectors will mostly

choose to go back to the office, at least

for the majority of the work week. For

young workers to grow in their careers,

they need to work side-by-side with

more experienced mentors, and mentors

need to be able to work one-on-one with

the next generation. Ensuring a knowl-

edgeable, vibrant, and savvy workforce

requires interacting with people on a reg-

ular basis—in person. While it is enticing

to make the choice to work from home if

that option is available—I can’t deny the

benefits of having the freedom to throw

in a load of laundry, run errands, or go to

the gym when I feel like it—all in all, the

office is the better place to be.

Ellen S. Kappel, Editor

UPCOMING

SPECIAL ISSUES

DECEMBER 2021

Oceans Across the Solar System

DECEMBER 2021 SUPPLEMENT

Ocean Observing

MARCH 2022

The Changing Arctic Ocean

MARCH 2022 SUPPLEMENT

New Frontiers in Ocean

Exploration

SEPTEMBER 2022

Building Diversity and Inclusion

in the Ocean Sciences

Oceanography

https://tos.org/oceanography

CALL FOR IDEAS!

Do you have an idea for a special issue

of Oceanography? Please send your

suggestions to Editor Ellen Kappel at

ekappel@geo-prose.com.

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

A Short Glossary of Inclusive Language

Compiled by Susanne E. Craig and EeShan Bhatt

FROM THE TOS JEDI COMMITTEE

Words matter—that old adage that many of us may have heard

as children,

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

but words will never hurt me,

is a harmful fallacy. In reality, the language we use has tremen-

dous power to alienate, exclude, deride, humiliate, and wound.

On the other hand, thoughtful use of language can signal

openness, inclusivity, admiration, and celebration, or simply be

an expression of empathy and care for our fellow humans. As part

of The Oceanography Society (TOS) Justice, Equity, Diversity,

and Inclusion Committee’s series of columns in Oceanography,

here we provide a glossary of terms that are often used while dis-

cussing topics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,

and gender identity.

It should be explicitly stated that this list is neither definitive

nor exhaustive. Indeed, the terms included here are likely heavily

influenced by the authors’ own lived experiences and the lenses

through which we see the world. Language is a living entity, a

fluid social construct subject to rapid changes and overlaid with

regional nuances. Indeed, what may be accurate and accept-

able terminology for one person may be entirely unacceptable

for another. Keeping this in mind, the following glossary is an

attempt to group together some of the acronyms and phrases

that are most commonly used today in social justice studies and

bodies of work and that may have particular relevance to our

community of ocean-related scientists, technologists, and stake-

holders. We have borrowed heavily from a wide range of excel-

lent existing scholarship and activism and have cited all sources

used. We encourage the reader to follow the links to these multi-

media resources and, perhaps, use them as teaching and dis-

cussion materials with your students, colleagues, and mentees.

Finally, it is our hope that this glossary, along with the links pro-

vided to more comprehensive definitions and discussions, helps

to define terms that you may have heard used, but not under-

stood, and that it will serve to remind us of the power of the

words we use in our everyday professional and personal lives.

We begin by defining the very words that form the name of

our committee: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI).

JUSTICE

Justice is fairness in the way that people are treated.1 However,

in the context we discuss it here, it is more correct to define

social justice. This term can be formally defined in several

ways2 and references therein, but the overarching principles common to

all definitions are:

• Equal rights

• Equal opportunity

• Equal treatment

Or, in other words, social justice means equal rights and equi-

table opportunities for all.2

When we think of implementing social justice in our com-

munities, some examples might include correcting the racial,

gender-based, socioeconomic, or geographical injustices and

inequities that have created barriers to those entering our field,

bringing to bear our professional capabilities in the field of

environmental justice (see Table 1 for a definition of this term,

which is strongly related to social justice), and/or confronting

our relationship with colonial science (see Table 1 for a defini-

tion of decolonizing science).

EQUITY

Equity refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from

equality in that, whereas equality means providing the same to

all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the

same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to

counter imbalances (Figure 1). This is an ongoing process that

requires us to identify and overcome intentional and uninten-

tional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures.3

FIGURE 1. The difference between equality and equity. Interaction Insti-

tute for Social Change, Illustration by Angus Maguire, https://interaction-

institute.org/illustrating-equality-vs-equity/

EQUALITY

EQUITY

Oceanography | June 2021

Oceanography | June 2021

TABLE 1. A glossary of terms.

AAPI

The many diverse groups of people with Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander ancestry.

Ally

In the social justice sense, allies are those who make the commitment and effort to recognize their privilege (based on gender,

class, race, sexual identity, etc.) and work in solidarity with oppressed groups in the struggle for justice. Allies understand that it

is in their own interest to end all forms of oppression, even those from which they may benefit in concrete ways.4

Bias

Bias is a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way that is considered

to be unfair. Biases may be held by an individual, a group, or an institution and can have negative or positive consequences.

There are types of biases:

• Conscious bias (also known as explicit bias), and

• Unconscious bias (also known as implicit bias).

It is important to note that biases, conscious or unconscious, are not limited to ethnicity and race. Though racial bias and discrim-

ination are well documented, biases may exist toward any social group. One’s age, gender, gender identity, physical abilities,

religion, sexual orientation, weight, and many other characteristics are subject to bias.

Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious

awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from our ten-

dency to organize social worlds by categorizing.

Unconscious bias is far more prevalent than conscious prejudice and is often incompatible with conscious values. Certain sce-

narios can activate unconscious attitudes and beliefs. For example, biases may be more prevalent when multitasking or working

under time pressure.6

BIPOC

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Mostly used in North America. See references 7–10 for discussions on the origins of this

term and its use.

BAME

Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic. Used in the UK, but see references 11–13 for recent discussions on the acceptability of its use.

BLM

Black Lives Matter: A political movement to address systemic and state violence against African Americans.4 Per the Black Lives

Matter organizers: “In 2013, three radical Black organizers—Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi—created a Black-

centered political will and movement building project called #BlackLivesMatter. It was in response to the acquittal of Trayvon

Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman. The project is now a member-led global network of more than 40 chapters. [Black Lives

Matter] members organize and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilan-

tes. Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally

targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of

deadly oppression.”14

Decolonizing

Science

Decolonization is a movement to eliminate, or at least mitigate, the disproportionate legacy of White European thought and cul-

ture in education15 [and science]. For further discussion and examples of the decolonialization of science, see references 16–18

and references therein.

Emotional

Labor

First coined by American sociologist Arlie Hochschild in her 1983 book The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human

Feeling19, emotional labor means to: “induce or suppress feeling in order to sustain the outward countenance that produces the

proper state of mind in others.” Emotional labor involves the management of personal feelings and behaviors to align with insti-

tutional (or other organizational or individual) expectations, even when dealing with emotionally charged situations. It’s an often

uncompensated, underappreciated, and overlooked form of labor that is performed in service to others. For example, in the con-

text of race dialogues, either in the workplace or in more individual settings (e.g., with friends, family, or on social media), this can

translate into minorities† sharing some of their most painful experiences for the collective good, while being careful to manage

their emotions so as not to make things awkward for others after the conversation.20

†See reference 21 on use of the word “minority”

Environmental

Racism

Any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (whether intended or unintended) individuals, groups,

or communities based on race. This term refers to how minority group neighborhoods, which are populated primarily by peo-

ple of color and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, are burdened with disproportionate numbers of hazards, including

toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, and other sources of environmental pollution and foul odors that lower the quality of life.

Examples of environmental racism include:

• The devastating pollution of the Boat Harbour water body (and surrounding airshed) in Nova Scotia, Canada—an ancestral fish-

ing ground of the Mi’kmaq First Nation—by the discharging of effluent from a pulp mill22 and extensive studies cited therein, and

• “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana, USA—a corridor of petrochemical plants that has polluted the surrounding water and air and sub-

jected the mostly African American residents in St. James Parish to cancer, respiratory diseases, and other health problems.23

Environmental

Justice

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to

the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.24 The environmental jus-

tice movement grew out of a need to respond to environmental racism, and each global region has its own unique history of

environmental justice development.25–29

Ethnicity

A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as shared sense of group

membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history, and ancestral geographical

base.4 and references therein

Table continues on the next page…

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

Oceanography | Vol.34, No.2

Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of real-

ity, or memories. Examples of gaslighting in social justice terms include “racial gaslighting,” which is a way of maintaining a pro-

White/anti-Black balance in society by labeling those who challenge acts of racism as psychologically abnormal30 and minimizing

or dismissing people’s real and legitimate trauma through statements such as “Women in other countries have it much worse!”

or “Don’t be the PC police!”31

Generational

Trauma

(also known as

intergenerational

or transgenera-

tional trauma)

Trauma that isn’t experienced just by one person but extends from one generation to the next. It is thought that the effects of the

trauma can be passed from generation to generation in a number of ways that include learned beliefs, behaviors, and patterns,

and genetic processes.32 Examples of populations affected by generational trauma include African Americans who are subjected

to pervasive systemic racism, families of US indigenous and Canadian First Nations children forced into residential school sys-

tems, and families of Holocaust survivors.33 and references therein

Latinx

A gender-neutral English neologism, sometimes used to refer to people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the United

States. The “x” suffix replaces the “o”/“a” ending of Latino and Latina that are typical of grammatical gender in Spanish. Its plural

is Latinxs. Words used for similar purposes include Latin@, Latine, and Latinidad.34

LGBTQI+

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex. The + indicates that there are identities beyond the six listed here that

include, but are not limited to, Two Spirited, pansexual, omnisexual, asexual, and allies of these identity groups.35

Microaggression

The everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that

communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group

membership.4 and sources therein

Oppression

The systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit

of the more powerful social group.

Oppression exists when the following four conditions are met:36

• The oppressor group has the power to define reality for themselves and others

• The target groups take in and internalize the negative messages about them and end up cooperating with the oppressors

(thinking and acting like them)

• Genocide, harassment, and discrimination are systematic and institutionalized, so that individuals are not necessary to

perpetuate it

• Members of both the oppressor and target groups are socialized to play their roles as normal and correct

Oppression = Power + Prejudice37

Performative

Allyship

Performative allyship is when someone from a non-marginalized group professes support and solidarity with a marginalized group

in a way that either isn’t helpful or that actively harms that group. Performative allyship usually involves the “ally” receiving some

kind of reward, for example, on social media—that virtual pat on the back for being a “good person” or “on the right side.”38

POC

Person(s) of Color. While this term is affirming (in a way that non-White is not), there is significant variation of experiences

among POC. In conversation, it is best practice to be as specific as possible and reciprocate the language any POC may use to

describe themselves.

Systemic

Racism

(also known

as structural or

institutional

racism)

Systems and structures that have procedures or processes that create disadvantages for people of color. It is the complex inter-

action of culture, policy, and institutions that holds in place the outcomes people of color see in their lives. Systemic racism is,

essentially, naming the process of White supremacy. It creates disparities in many “success indicators,” including wealth, the

criminal justice system, employment, housing, health care, politics, and education. The concept dates back to work done by

scholar and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois39 and was first named during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and was fur-

ther refined in the 1980s.40

Examples of how this type of racism manifests include:

• In the United States, glaring disparities between rates of arrest and incarceration for the BIPOC communities and White people41

• Huge life expectancy disparities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians (≤21 years for men and ≤19 years for

women) thought to be strongly related to the inferior healthcare that Aboriginal peoples receive in the healthcare system as

well as other systemic inequities42

• In the United States, government policies that explicitly restrict the ability of people to get loans to buy or improve their homes

in neighborhoods with high concentrations of African Americans (also known as “redlining”)4

• In the UK universities system, the finding that people of color comprise a tiny proportion of professor positions, with just 17

Black women in those positions in 2015 and ethnic minority groups earning on average 26% less than their White colleagues43

White

Centering

White centering is the centering of White people, White values, White norms, and White feelings over everything and

everyone else.44

White

Fragility

A state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable [for White people], triggering a range of defen-

sive responses. These responses include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such

as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate White racial

equilibrium.4 and references therein

White

Privilege

Refers to the unquestioned and unearned set of advantages, entitlements, benefits, and choices bestowed on people solely

because they are White. Generally, White people who experience such privilege do so without being conscious of it.4

TABLE 1. A glossary of terms, continued.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Made with Publuu - flipbook maker