Coastal Ecosystems in Transition: A Comparative Analysis of the Northern Adriatic and Chesapeake Bay (Geophysical Monograph Series Book 256)

Explores how two coastal ecosystems are responding to the pressures of human expansion The Northern Adriatic Sea, a continental shelf ecosystem in the Northeast Mediterranean Sea, and the Chesapeake Bay, a major estuary of the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, are semi-enclosed, river-dominated ecosystems with urbanized watersheds that support extensive industrial agriculture. Coastal Ecosystems in Transition: A Comparative Analysis of the Northern Adriatic and Chesapeake Bay presents an update of a study published two decades ago. Revisiting these two ecosystems provides an opportunity to assess changing anthropogenic pressures in the context of global climate change. The new insights can be used to inform ecosystem-based approaches to sustainable development of coastal environments. Volume highlights include: Effects of nutrient enrichment and climate-driven changes on critical coastal habitats Patterns of stratification and circulation Food web dynamics from phytoplankton to fish Nutrient cycling, water quality, and harmful algal events Causes and consequences of interannual variability The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals. Explores how two coastal ecosystems are responding to the pressures of human expansion The Northern Adriatic Sea, a continental shelf ecosystem in the Northeast Mediterranean Sea, and the Chesapeake Bay, a major estuary of the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, are semi-enclosed, river-dominated ecosystems with urbanized watersheds that support extensive industrial agriculture. Coastal Ecosystems in Transition: A Comparative Analysis of the Northern Adriatic and Chesapeake Bay presents an update of a study published two decades ago. Revisiting these two ecosystems provides an opportunity to assess changing anthropogenic pressures in the context of global climate change. The new insights can be used to inform ecosystem-based approaches to sustainable development of coastal environments. Volume highlights include: Effects of nutrient enrichment and climate-driven changes on critical coastal habitats Patterns of stratification and circulation Food web dynamics from phytoplankton to fish Nutrient cycling, water quality, and harmful algal events Causes and consequences of interannual variability The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals. Read a review of this book in Marine Ecology review of this book "Globally, people and ecosystem services are concentrated in the coastal zone where the health of marine ecosystems is most at risk to perturbations from a broad spectrum of convergent anthropogenic pressures. In this context, the rationale for an analysis such as this is to provide information needed to inform EBAs designed to maintain or restore coastal ecosystems services (metrics of ecosystem health). For marine ecosystems, these include provisioning services (e.g., seafood supply, pharmaceuticals), regulating services (e.g., water quality, resilience to coastal erosion and storm surge, carbon sequestration), cultural services (e.g., recreation and ecotourism) and support services, (e.g., biodiversity, viability and extent of biologically structured coastal habitats, primary production, carbon pumps). Our intent here is to advance the understanding and predictive skill of changes in the status of marine ecosystems (as indicated by changes in selected ecosystem services)"-- Provided by publisher