cover of book
 
edited by Edward R. Urban Jr., Jr., Bjørn Sundby, Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli and Jerry M. Melillo
Island Press, 2009
eISBN: 978-1-59726-933-9 | Cloth: 978-1-59726-502-7 | Paper: 978-1-59726-503-4
Library of Congress Classification QH541.5.C65W38 2009
Dewey Decimal Classification 577.7

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Some of the world’s most important bodies of water, from the Black Sea to the Bay of Bengal, are classified as “semi-enclosed marine systems” (SEMS). Separated from the open seas by a strait, island archipelago, or physical process, SEMS are particularly vulnerable to environmental damage and particularly difficult to fully understand and manage.
 
Watersheds, Bays, and Bounded Seas provides state-of-the-science information about these complex systems and identifies best management practices to preserve them. With contributions by natural and social scientists, the book examines both the political and biophysical forces affecting semi-enclosed marine systems.
 
SEMS comprise a substantial portion of the coasts—areas with high population density—and we rely on them for often-competing services such as navigation and transport, disposal of waste, provision of food, extraction of minerals, and leisure. The book describes how human activities could irrevocably alter these fragile ecosystems, exploring threats from runoff to climate change. It also addresses the unique challenges of managing SEMS, including cooperation between multiple  nations.

See other books on: Bays | Coastal ecology | Marine ecology | Marine ecosystem management | Watersheds
See other titles from Island Press