How do scientists study the PRESENT diversity of life in the oceans?

It is virtually impossible to sample every single oceanic region or major marine community. Scientists investigate representative regions as thoroughly as possible with available technology, process the information gathered, and develop an understanding of marine biodiversity. This is the heart of the Census of Marine Life effort.

To quantify the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life, the Census has divided the ocean into six oceanic realms that encompass life from the surface of the nearshore to the bottom of the deep ocean. This research currently includes the following field projects:

		(Shore Areas) Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA)
		(Exploited Gulf Ecosystems) Gulf of Maine Area Program (GoMA)
		(Abyssal Plains) Census of the Diversity of Abyssal Marine Life (CeDAMar)
		(Mid-oceanic Ridges) Mid-Atlantic Ridge Ecosystems (MAR-ECO)
		(Vents and Seeps) Biogeography of Deep-Water Chemosynthetic Ecosystems Project (ChEss)
		(Coastal Migrant Species) Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking Project (POST)
		(Top Predators and Large Pelagic Animals) Tagging of Pacific Pelagics (TOPP)
		(Arctic Ocean Diversity) Arctic Ocean Diversity (ArcOD)
		(Seamounts) Census of Marine Life on Seamounts (CenSeam)
		(Antarctic Ocean Diversity) Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML)
		(Zooplankton) Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ)
		(Coral Reefs) Census of Coral Reefs (CReefs)