Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy

The coastal-marine realm is where land, sea, and air exchange energy and materials, and where the greatest biological diversity on Earth exists. This realm is also where most people live, but where conservation has been most neglected. Species loss, over-abundance, ill-health, abnormal behavior, and deteriorating habitats mount in the face of human extractions, additions, and physical alterations. Of even greater concern are the rates and magnitude of environmental change and an environmental debt that has resulted from centuries of human development. This book provides a window into the complex world of coastal-realm conservation science and policy. Conservation issues and mechanisms begin the text, followed by a characterization of the coastal-marine realm and a review of natural history concepts. Three cases: the temperate Chesapeake Bay, the sub-arctic Bering Sea, and the tropical Bahamas illustrate real-world conservation issues. An analysis of the effects of human activities on coastal-marine ecosystems highlights increasing rates of change and fragmented governance. The book concludes with a synthesis of the major challenges for conservation and strategies for the future.The