Environmental Science In The Coastal Zone

This book assesses the dimensions of our scientific knowledge as it applies to environmental problems in the coastal zone. The volume contains 10 papers that cover different aspects of science, management, and public policy concerning the coastal zone. A consensus is presented on several key issues confronting science for developing a more holistic approach in managing this region's intense human activities and important natural resources.

This book applies the ‘ecosystem services’ framework to coastal environments, showing how it could facilitate an adaptive management strategy. The contributors describe a decision support system (DSS) based on the 3 Ps – pluralism, pragmatism and precaution – that leads to a more flexible, ‘learn by doing’ approach to the stewardship of coastal environments. The book lays out a “Balance Sheets Approach” to formatting, interrogating and presenting data and findings. The opening chapter defines coastal zones, their characteristics and natural resources, and describes their complex and dynamic nature. The chapter shows that large-scale trends and pressures have led to a global loss of 50% of marshes, leading to significant declines in biodiversity and habitat. Part I presents a conceptual framework, describes natural science techniques for coastal and shelf modeling, and describes valuation of ecosystem services. Part II outlines practical ecosystem indicators for coastal and marine ecosystem services, reviews literature on valuation of coastal and marine ecosystem services, explores scenarios, outlines marine and coastal ecosystem services data and offers tools for incorporating data into decision-making. PART III offers case studies including one linking the ecosystem services of Marine Protected Areas to benefits in human wellbeing; and another on valuing blue carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems. Also included are a study of managed realignments and the English coastline and their value estimate transferability; and studies of the impact of jellyfish blooms on recreation in the UK and on fisheries in Italy.

All coastal areas are facing a growing range of stresses and shocks, the scale of which now poses threats to the resilience of both human and environmental coastal systems. Responsible agencies are seeking better ways of managing the causes and consequences of the environmental change process in coastal zones. This volume discusses the basic principles underpinning a more integrated approach to coastal management and highlights the obstacles that may be met in practice in both developed and developing countries. Successful strategies will have to encompass all the elements of management, from planning and design through financing and implementation, as highlighted in this book.

Coastal regions around the world have some environmental features and problems unique to their location. Containing the proceedings of the fourth international conference on this topic, this volume highlights the latest research on these important regions. The contributions featured will aid the understanding of risk, hazard mitigation and remediation strategies and help to protect the business and leisure activities so crucial to these areas.

This text demonstrates new methods for the management of natural resources. The methods are applied to coastal zones - where population and economic pressues often conflict acutely with fragile and diverse ecosystems.

Coastal areas face increasing pressures from land use change, developmental activities, shoreline erosion, biodiversity losses and natural calamities. This volume addresses these issues facilitating the integrated analysis of the sustainability of coastal zones. The contributors have tried to focus their respective works on the problems that need urgent attention relevant to present day issues. Coastal Zone Management and its sustainability strategy should safeguard ecological security of the coastal areas, avoid pollution as well as exploitation of living and non living aquatic resources, protecting also the agrarian community and avian population and other floral and faunal breeding grounds. Articles have been selected on the basis of sound scientific findings hoping that it will help in developing meaningful regulations for future sustainable coastal management zone.

Anthropogenic transformation of the coastal zone continues at a steady pace, especially in the developing maritime countries, where coastal resources are often crucial to national economies. However, exploitation of these resources is often indiscriminate, ill planned, or carried out without adequate scientific knowledge. This leads to rapid resource depletion, and often irreversible environmental degradation. The 1992 Rio de Janeiro UN Conference on Environment and Development recognized the expediency of an integrated and sustainable use of all coastal resources, functions and services grounded on sound scientific data. The present volume is based on the 1994 international workshop Integrated Coastal Zone Management, and brings together contributions by leading specialists both on basic concepts and on applications of coastal management. The work is divided into six parts, dealing with the conceptual framework of ICZM; regional and global aspects of coastal management; environmental assessment in ICZM; capacity building and technology transfer; monitoring and environmental analysis; and case studies and status of ICZM plans. The book also incorporates an interactive ICZM planning module, COSMO, which can be of use in designing a management plan for a coast. Attention is also given to long-term environmental effects of present-day actions. It is hoped that COSMO will prove an additional learning tool for ICZM practitioners and enhance the value of the book. This work is intended to give a broad coverage of conceptual and technical aspects of ICZM, and will be of use to operational executives as well as students of ICZM, environmental economists, policy-makers and senior managers in the international development agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations. It can be recommended as a textbook and as a reference work.

This book provides a timely analysis of the role that information-particularly scientific information-plays in the policy-making and decision-making processes in coastal and ocean management. It includes contributions from global experts in marine environmental science, marine policy, fisheries, public policy and administration, resource management