Sir

The Southern Ocean is of unique ecological, biogeographic and political interest, as noted by your Editorial 'The way ahead for polar science' (Nature 457, 1057; 2009). Given the rate and potential catastrophic impact of global change on the Antarctic marine ecosystem, we agree that it is vital to have a mechanism for the exchange of relevant scientific information. Information about Antarctic marine biodiversity has to be widely published, instantly accessible and thoroughly checked, in order to enable timely, science-based management.

An example of the kind of initiative you call for is the Marine Biodiversity Information Network of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR-MarBIN). Since 2005, the network's web portal has compiled and managed information on Antarctic marine biodiversity (http://www.scarmarbin.be). It is home to the first complete Register of Antarctic Marine Species, a fully operable, browsable and searchable online species list, maintained by more than 70 expert taxonomic editors. The register offers access to information on more than 15,000 taxa and contributes to the World Register of Marine Species and to the Catalogue of Life.

Through a mapping system, SCAR-MarBIN also allows baseline data on marine organisms to be visualized and downloaded. This offers, for the first time, a way to quantify the diversity and distribution of Antarctic marine life and to measure how, when and where it has been studied. This information is also made available through larger initiatives, such as the Ocean Biogeographic Information System or the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

The data published in SCAR-MarBIN constitute a benchmark for detecting responses to global change, enabling the scientific community to highlight key areas that require investigation or protection. Currently focusing on biogeographic data, SCAR-MarBIN is developing tools to improve its usefulness for conservation and sustainable management.

As part of the legacy of International Polar Year, various initiatives are collaborating to document biodiversity in the Southern Ocean, the ecosystem services it delivers and its evolution in the light of global change. Creating a freely accessible archive should be considered a top priority, with funding from all the International Polar Year nations relative to their economic strength. It is a matter of responsibility towards future generations.

If they are successful, initiatives including SCAR-MarBIN will safeguard the legacy of these efforts, helping to preserve Antarctica as was designated by the Antarctic Treaty: as “a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science”.

See also: Polar science: global partnership to work on data sharing