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Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology

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Published on: November 5, 2014

Marine ecosystem services.

Edward B Barbier¹

¹Department of Economics & Finance, University of Wyoming, College of Business, Department 3985, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|June 7, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Coastal and marine environments extend 100 km inland and to the continental shelf, encompassing diverse ecosystems like wetlands, reefs, and seagrass beds. These areas are vital for biodiversity and ecological processes.

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Area of Science:

Marine biology
Oceanography
Coastal ecology

Background:

Coastal and marine environments are dynamic interfaces between land and sea.
These zones support a wide array of unique and critical ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

To define the spatial extent and ecological characteristics of coastal and marine environments.
To identify key ecosystems within these transitional zones.

Main Methods:

Geographic boundary definition (up to 100 km inland, continental shelf).
Depth parameterization (up to 50 meters).
Ecosystem identification and classification.

Main Results:

Defined coastal and marine environments extending significantly inland and seaward.
Identified distinct ecosystems including estuarine wetlands, marshes, mangroves, sand beaches, dunes, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and oyster reefs.

Conclusions:

Coastal and marine environments represent a broad and ecologically rich transitional zone.
The identified ecosystems are integral components of the broader marine and coastal system.