Estuarine Indicators


Book Description

Acknowledging the present inability to determine objectively the status and trends among estuarine ecosystems, the environmental research community has recently stepped up efforts to develop and evaluate meaningful estuarine indicators. This goal requires the effort of researchers from a broad spectrum of disciplines. In order to expedite this init










Estuarine Research, Monitoring, and Resource Protection


Book Description

The ongoing growth of human populations within US coastal regions continues to increase habitat loss, eutrophication, organic loading, overfishing, and other anthropogenic stressors in estuarine waters. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a federally funded initiative that addresses these critical estuarine problems and coastal resource issues at 25 sites in 21 states. Now estuarine and watershed scientists, resource managers, community planners, and other professionals dealing with coastal zone issues have an expert resource describing the NERRS program, organization, goals, and management strategy. Estuarine Research, Monitoring, and Restoration first defines the components and technical aspects of the NERRS program, then provides valuable insight into the program through the presentation of six case studies of NERRS sites. This book examines estuarine problems including degraded water quality, reduction of biodiversity, and problematic invasive species, then analyzes the human impacts affecting estuaries. The comprehensive analysis of the six estuarine reserve locations characterizes each region's physical, chemical, and biological conditions from the perspective of the NERRS program. These case studies include a cross section of sites from three coasts, each study emphasizing the importance of unified efforts of government and citizens to successfully maintain the ecology of these critical areas.
















Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Management - Volume II


Book Description

Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Management is a component of Encyclopedia of Natural Resources Policy and Management in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Biodiversity is declining worldwide at a very unprecedented rate as a complex response to several human-induced changes in the global environment. The magnitude of these changes is so large and their effects are so strongly linked to the altered ecosystem processes and to human (ab-)use of natural resources that biodiversity loss is today perceived as one of the most important issues that humankind should face with extreme urgency. Disseminating information, raising awareness, and propelling concern within a diversified target audience (general public, schools, local authorities, and government agencies) are also essential to develop shared responsibility and to encourage collaborative efforts and compliance. This has been the main objective of “Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Management”. The Theme on Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Management provides the essential aspects and a myriad of issues of great relevance to our world in eight major topics of discussion, and is focused on 1) History and Overview of Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas, 2) Management of Forests and other Wooded Habitats, 3) Management of Savannahs and Other Open Habitats, 4) Management of Wetlands, 5) Management of Tourism and Human Recreation Pressure, 6) Conservation Strategies, Species Action Plans and Translocation, 7) Captive Breeding and Gene Banks, and 8) Eradication and Control of Invasive Species. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.