Marine conservation: linking taxonomy, Red Listing, and public engagement.

Abstract

The majority of marine invertebrate species are undescribed and absent from biodiversity frameworks, leaving them beyond the reach of conservation mechanisms. We show that three disciplines-taxonomy, International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List assessment, and public engagement-achieve disproportionately greater impact when operated as a coupled system rather than in isolation. Each pillar feeds the others: taxonomic knowledge underpins assessments; assessments attract public and policy attention; and public engagement, in turn, drives commitment to new discovery, evaluation, and actions to recover threatened species. New tools for DNA sequencing, specimen imaging, and data sharing have made this integration achievable at speed and scale. Public engagement amplifies the reach of taxonomy and conservation, generating funding, contributors, and the policy traction needed to protect the ocean's overlooked life.