At CIMA (Atlantic Center for Environmental Research, S.L.), we want to show you what we do—both in our offices and beyond.

On this page, you’ll find a series of short videos called "Things We Do at CIMA", which will help explain what we do and how we do it. All to bring you closer to the world of Marine Biology and Oceanography.

– «Things We Do At CIMA» #12: Species Identification:

One of the most important activities we carry out is species identification.

You’ve seen in previous videos how we collect samples from different study areas and perform an initial sorting to separate them into groups..

Identifying the species found in the samples is necessary because they provide clues about the environmental quality of the waters under study.

In this case, we are identifying them to detect exotic species. It is important to identify and monitor these species because, if their population growth poses a threat to others, they would be classified as invasive and require control measures.

An exotic species, also known as an introduced or non-native species, is a foreign species that has been introduced to an area outside its natural range. This introduction is typically human-caused, whether intentional or accidental. The opposite concept is a native species.

It is crucial not to confuse this with the concept of an invasive species. A species is invasive when—whether exotic or native—its population growth creates an environmental problem by endangering other species in the area. Although most invasive species are exotic, there are cases where native species can also become invasive.

The mere presence of exotic species does not inherently pose a problem. Invasive species, however, represent a global issue, particularly in islands and archipelagos, due to their impacts:

– They alter and degrade habitats.

– They cause biodiversity loss.

– They can threaten human health.

– They can negatively impact the economy by harming natural resources or tourism.