The Smithsonian recently announced it received a $10 million donation from Suzanne and Michael Tennenbaum for the Tennenbaum Marine Observatories. This long-term project is expected to provide a much greater understanding of the way human activity is impacting marine biodiversity.

"As our coasts undergo accelerating change due to human activity and the effects of climate change, it is more important than ever to monitor and understand the ocean's biodiversity," said Smithsonian secretary Wayne Clough. "This donation ... allows the Smithsonian to focus its unique expertise and strength in long-term research."

Throughout the course of the work, the Smithsonian plans to expand beyond five initial sites in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, Florida's Fort Pierce marine station, Bocas Del Toro in the Caribbean, Naos station in the Pacific Ocean and Carrie Bow Cay in Belize, to ten additional locations across the world. Anthropology, biology and ecology experts from the institute will use the observatories to conduct studies such as DNA sequencing to learn more about the effects humans have on bodies of water, including acidification, rising sea levels and rising water temperatures.

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