This book presents recent results of collaborative studies in geophysics and ecology, focusing on the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems. The study area, the Sakiyamawan–Amitoriwan nature conservation area in Iriomote Island of Japan, is the only oceanic nature conservation area in the country. The area has no access roads, and the bay perimeter is uninhabited; therefore, it preserves the natural environment with very little human impact. In addition, it has various environmental gradients such as topography and inflows from rivers with mangrove forests which affect the distribution of marine coastal ecosystems such as those containing reef-building corals, sea grasses, and hermit crabs. For these reasons, the area is one of the best places for the study of the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems, a relationship that is important for their conservation but has not been investigated fully. This book is aimed at students and researchers in the fields of oceanography and marine coastal ecology as well as general readers who are interested in coral reefs, diving, and nature conservation.

This book presents recent results of collaborative studies in geophysics and ecology, focusing on the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems. The study area, the Sakiyamawan-Amitoriwan nature conservation area in Iriomote Island of Japan, is the only oceanic nature conservation area in the country. The area has no access roads, and the bay perimeter is uninhabited; therefore, it preserves the natural environment with very little human impact. In addition, it has various environmental gradients such as topography and inflows from rivers with mangrove forests which affect the distribution of marine coastal ecosystems such as those containing reef-building corals, sea grasses, and hermit crabs. For these reasons, the area is one of the best places for the study of the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems, a relationship that is important for their conservation but has not been investigated fully. This book is aimed at students and researchers in the fields of oceanography and marine coastal ecology as well as general readers who are interested in coral reefs, diving, and nature conservation.

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

Coastal Wetlands, Second Edition: An Integrated and Ecosystem Approach provides an understanding of the functioning of coastal ecosystems and the ecological services that they provide. As coastal wetlands are under a great deal of pressure from the dual forces of rising sea levels and the intervention of human populations, both along the estuary and in the river catchment, this book covers important issues, such as the destruction or degradation of wetlands from land reclamation and infrastructures, impacts from the discharge of pollutants, changes in river flows and sediment supplies, land clearing, and dam operations. - Covers climate change and its influence on coastal wetland form and function - Provides a fully updated and expanded resource, including new chapters on modeling, management and the impact of climate change - Contains full-color figures of wetlands and estuaries in different parts of the world

This book is geared for advanced level research in the general subject area of remote sensing and modeling as they apply to the coastal marine environment. The various chapters focus on the latest scientific and technical advances in the service of better understanding coastal marine environments for their care, conservation and management. Chapters specifically deal with advances in remote sensing coastal classifications, environmental monitoring, digital ocean technological advances, geophysical methods, geoacoustics, X-band radar, risk assessment models, GIS applications, real-time modeling systems, and spatial modeling. Readers will find this book useful because it summarizes applications of new research methods in one of the world’s most dynamic and complicated environments. Chapters in this book will be of interest to specialists in the coastal marine environment who deals with aspects of environmental monitoring and assessment via remote sensing techniques and numerical modeling.

This book arises from a workshop on the application of network analysis to ecological flow networks. The purpose is to develop a new tool for comparison of ecosystems, paying particular attention to marine ecosystems. After a review of the methods and theory, data from a variety of marine habitats are analyzed and compared. Readers are shown how to calculate such properties as cycling index, average path length, flow diversity, indices of ecosystem growth and development and the origins and fates of particular flows. This is a highly original contribution to the growing field of ecosystem theory, in which attention is paid to the properties of the total, functioning ecosystem, rather than to the properties of individual organisms. New insights are provided into the workings of marine systems.

Provides a comprehensive review of techniques used to explore the oceans and examines what geophysical observations reveal about the structure and tectonics of the seabed and the Earth's interior. Exploration of the oceans using geophysical methods has had a profound effect on the way we view the structure of the earth and its behaviour through geological time. Geophysics has also played a vital role in the search for petroleum and other natural resources lying beneath the seabed. This volume looks at: * the means of locating observations accurately and determining in detail the morphology of the sea floor * the powerful seismic techniques for imaging the Earth's interior from shallow coastal areas to deep-sea trenches * the gravity and magnetic fields over the oceans, heat flow, electrical and radiometric methods and measurements in offshore boreholes * geophysical observations on the development of the modern oceans, the structure of their deep basins, and the nature of their aseismic and seismically active margins. This book will be of interest to marine scientists and advanced undergraduates and postgraduates following courses on, or undertaking research in, geophysics, marine geology, oceanography, physical sciences, remote sensing, marine surveying and offshore engineering.

The study of estuaries and coasts has seen enormous growth in recent years, since changes in these areas have a large effect on the food chain, as well as on the physics and chemistry of the ocean. As the coasts and river banks around the world become more densely populated, the pressure on these ecosystems intensifies, putting a new focus on environmental, socio-economic and policy issues. Written by a team of international expert scientists, under the guidance of Chief Editors Eric Wolanski and Donald McClusky, the Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science, Ten Volume Set examines topics in depth, and aims to provide a comprehensive scientific resource for all professionals and students in the area of estuarine and coastal science Most up-to-date reference for system-based coastal and estuarine science and management, from the inland watershed to the ocean shelf Chief editors have assembled a world-class team of volume editors and contributing authors Approach focuses on the physical, biological, chemistry, ecosystem, human, ecological and economics processes, to show how to best use multidisciplinary science to ensure earth's sustainability Provides a comprehensive scientific resource for all professionals and students in the area of estuarine and coastal science Features up-to-date chapters covering a full range of topics

This new edition of Guide to Process Based Modeling of Lakes and Coastal Seas brings the modeling up to date, taking into account multiple stressors acting on aquatic systems. The combination of acidification and increasing amounts of anoxic waters associated with eutrophication puts severe stress on the marine environment. The detection and attribution of anthropogenic changes in coastal seas are therefore crucial and transparent modeling tools are increasingly important. Modeling the marine CO2–O2 system makes systematic studies on climate change and eutrophication possible and is fundamental for understanding the Earth system. This second edition also includes new sections on detection and attribution and on modeling future changes, as well as improved exercises, updated software, and datasets. This unique book will stimulate students and researchers to develop their modeling skills and make model codes and data transparent to other research groups. It uses the general equation solver PROBE to introduce process-oriented numerical modeling and to build understanding of the subject step by step. The equation solver has been used in many applications, particularly in Sweden and Finland with their numerous lakes, archipelago seas, fjords, and coastal zones. It has also been used for process studies in the Polar Seas and the Mediterranean Sea and the approach is suitable for applications in many other environmental applications. Guide to Process Based Modeling of Lakes and Coastal Seas: • is a unique teaching tool for systematic learning of aquatic modeling; • approaches lake and ocean modeling from a new angle; • introduces aquatic numerical modeling using a process-based approach; • enables the thorough understanding of the physics and biogeochemistry of lakes and coastal seas; • provides software, datasets, and algorithms needed to reproduce all calculations and results in the book; • provides a number of creative and stimulating exercises with solutions; • addresses the interaction between climate change and eutrophication and is a good basis for learning Earth System Sciences.