Mangroves are large woody trees with a dense, complex root system that grows downward from the branches

Mangroves are the dominant plant of the tropical and subtropical intertidal area

Distribution of the trees is largely controlled by air temperature, exposure to wave and current attack, tidal range, substrate and sea water chemistry

Detritus from the mangrove forms the base of the food chain

Human Actions have reduced wetlands to less than half of their land area Draining for agriculture Draining for housing/urban development Draining for mosquito prevention Pollution due to dumping and runoff

Fig. 11.36a, p.288

Fig. 11.36b, p.288

Clean Water Act Protects wetlands by preventing dredge and

fill operations in nations waters including wetlands

Protected under water quality clauses of clean Water Act

National pollutant discharge elimination Executive Order 11990

No Net Loss – protects wetlands by requiring restoration or mitigation of wetlands lost by development.

cover about three-fourths of the Earth’s surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries

algae supply much of the world’s oxygen supply and take in a huge amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide

evaporation of the seawater provides rainwater for the land

largest of all the ecosystems dominate the Earth’s surface separate zones

Coastal Estuaries and wetlands

Intertidal Pelagic Abyssal Benthic

great diversity of species richest diversity of species even

though it contains fewer species than there are on land

http://www.lifesci.utexas.edu/faculty/sjasper/images/so54_20.gif

Large volumes of fresh water mix with salt water

Temperature and salinity levels vary widely due to Daily tides Seasonal variations of flow Unpredictable flow from freshwater sources

Some of the world’s most productive ecosystems.

Coastal wetland Inundated with

salt water as tides change

Salt tolerant plants Cordgrass Switchgrass Glasswort/saltwort

enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with the salty sea water

places of transition from land to sea, and from fresh to salt water

influenced by the tides, but protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by the reefs, barrier islands, or fingers of land, mud, or sand that define an estuary's seaward boundary

Subdivided into three types based upon the relative importance of river inflow and tidal mixing. Salt-wedge estuaries are dominated by the

outflow from rivers. Partially-mixed estuaries are dominated by

neither river inflow nor tidal mixing. In well-mixed estuaries tidal turbulence destroys

the halocline and water stratification.

Estuaries are extremely fertile because nutrients are brought in by rivers and recycled from the bottom because of the turbulence.

Stressful conditions and abundant nutrients result in low species diversity, but great abundance of the species present.

Despite abundance of nutrients, phytoplankton blooms are irregular and the base of the food chain is detritus washed in from adjacent salt marshes.

Estuaries are sometimes called “marine nurseries” habitats for many

juvenile organisms, especially for fishes

many fish are born and grow up in estuaries

migrate to the open ocean

Wildlife Habitat Recreation

where the ocean meets the land sometimes

submerged and at other times exposed

waves and tides come in and out

communities are constantly changing

rocky coasts stratified vertically

Where only highest tides reach

a few species of algae and mollusks

submerged during high tide more diverse array of algae

and small animals, such as herbivorous snails, crabs, sea stars, and small fishes

bottom of the intertidal zone only exposed during the

lowest tides, many invertebrates, fishes, and seaweed can be found

sandier shores not as stratified waves keep mud

and sand constantly moving very few algae

and plants can establish themselves

the fauna include worms, clams, predatory crustaceans, crabs, and shorebirds.

much stronger than wind decide what grows where shores classified by

amount of wave action Exposed shores – receive

full brunt of the ocean for most or at least some of the time

Semi-exposed shores – sheltered by barrier islands but still have to cope with waves

Sheltered shores – shelter of peninsulas and inshore islands

Enclosed shores river mouths and

estuaries completely sheltered by

either a protective rocks or a sand bar

Form in clear, warm, coastal waters Occupy only about 0.1% of worlds ocean Most diverse and productive ecosystems

Home to one fourth the marine species Attached organisms give reef structure

Corals, algae and sponges Fish Other small organisms that bore in or live

within the nooks of the coral.

Human impacts Species loss and endangerment

Overfishing Habitat destruction Pollution

Marine and Freshwater Habitat loss and degradation

Overfishing Nonnative species Pollution and Global Warming

Protect endangered and threatened species

Establish protected areas Integrated coastal management Regulating and preventing ocean

pollution Sustainably managing marine fisheries

Example: Sea Turtles Lost due to

Degradation of beach habitat Taking of eggs Used as food, medicine, jewelry and leather Unintentional capture and drowning

Protected by: Beach protection Nest watchers US ESA TEDs

CITES 1979 Global treaty on Migratory Species US Marine Mammal Protection Act US Endangered Species Act US Whale Conservation and protection

act International Convention on Biological

Diversity

PMS – areas of coastal regions controlled by the nation Sovereignty of the 12 miles off shore Jurisdiction of 200 mile Economic Zone

Benefits of these areas: Fish populations increase Fish size increases Fish reproduction triples Species diversity is 23% higher

Community Based effort to develop and use coastal resources sustainable Identify shared problems and goals Find workable and cost effective solution that

preserve biodiversity and environmental quality while meeting economic and social needs

Develop better measurement and models for projecting fish populations and controlling fishing methods and access to fisheries

Methods: Maximum sustained yield Optimum sustained yield Multispecies management Large marine system management Precautionary principle

MSY – uses a mathematical model to project the max

number of fish that can be harvested Leads to collapse of fish populations

OSY Takes into account interactions with other fish

species provide more room for error Is often ignored

Multispecies management/Large Marine Systems Complex computer models that take into

account competitive and predator-prey interactions in estimating fish catch

International and National Laws Uses the Economic Exclusion Zones

Community based comanagement Sets quotas for species Divides quotas among communities Limit fishing seasons and type of gear

Individual transfer quotas

Fishery Regulations Economic approaches Bycatch Protected Areas Nonnative invasions Consumer information Aquaculture