Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy

Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy

G. Carleton Ray, Jerry McCormick-Ray
Paperback
344 pages
June 2003

Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy introduces students and managers to complex conservation and management issues facing coastal nations of the world, their citizens, and international and non-governmental organizations. It aims to reduce complexity and inspire a greater consensus for more effective conservation action.


• Presents the coastal realm as a heterogeneous, diverse ecosystem of exceptionall high biological diversity and productivity, and where conservation challenges are most difficult and urgent
• Examines the critical issues facing coastal-marine conservation and the mechanisms for dealing with them
• Reviews the basic science required for addressing conservation issues by presenting the coastal realm as a land-sea ecosystem of global significance, and by reviewing the natural-history features of coastal-marine organisms
• Presents three ecologically and latitudinally distinct "real-world" case studies to create a context for understanding of regional systems, their cultures, and their conservation: the polar Bering Sea, the temperate Chesapeake Bay, and the tropical Bahamas
• Makes apparent the ecological stresses on the coastal realm, increasing rates of ecosystem change, loss of ecosystem health, and fragmented governance
• Synthesizes the major challenges for conservation and suggests future policy and management strategies, including ecosystem management and needs for achieving sustainability and addressing the environmental debt

Table of Contents

Contributors.
Preface.
Acknowledgements.
Part I: Issues and Mechanisms:.
1. Conservation Issues:.
Introduction.
Primary Issues.
Secondary Issues.
Tertiary Issues.
Conclusion.
2. Mechanisms:.
Introduction.
Species And Habitat Conservation.
New Directions.
Agents Of Change.
Conclusion.
Part II: Science:.
3. The Coastal Realm Ecosystem:.
Introduction.
Global Dynamics.
Defining Attributes.
Physical Components.
Biotic Land-Seascapes.
Coastal Realm Properties.
The Coastal Realm: A Complex Ecosystem.
Conclusion.
4. Natural History Of Coastal-Marine Organisms:.
Introduction.
Diversity Of Coastal-Realm Life.
Life In Water.
Life-History Diversity.
Biological Assembly.
Patterns.
Biogeography And Environmental Classification.
Conclusion.
Part III: Case Studies:.
Introduction.
5. Chesapeake Bay: Estuarine Alteration And Restoration:.
Introduction.
Characteristic Features Of Chesapeake Bay.
Ecosystem Properties Under Biotic Control.
Humans: Force And Magnitude Of Change.
Assessing Ecosystem Condition.
Restoration: The Chesapeake Bay Program.
Conclusion.
6. Bering Sea: Marine Mammals In A Regional Sea:.
Introduction.
Physical Setting.
Biotic Relationships.
Historical Exploitation Of Beringian Marine Mammals.
Steller Sea Lion, Eumetopias Jubatus.
Pacific Walrus, Odobenus Rosmarus Divergens.
Conclusion.
7. Bahamas: Tropical-Oceanic Island Nation:.
Introduction.
Process And Pattern.
Roots Of Conservation In Social History.
Conservation For Sustainability.
Conclusion.
Part IV: Analysis and Synthesis:.
8. Coastal-Realm Change:.
Introduction.
Accounting For Change.
The Human-Dominated Coastal Realm.
Conclusion.
9. Synthesis:.
Introduction.
The Rise Of Coastal-Realm Conservation.
Challenges For Coastal-Realm Conservation.
Strategies For Coastal-Realm Conservation.
Conclusion.
Citations And Readings.
Index.