The Science and Management of Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems
Edward R Urban
Bjorn Sundby
Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli
288 pages
Publisher:
Island Press, USA
Some of the world’s most important bodies of water, from the Black Sea to the Bay of Bengal, are classifi ed 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.
Edward R. Urban, Jr. is executive director of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research.
Bjørn Sundby is associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University.
Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli is a professor of physical oceanography in the department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Jerry M. Melillo is president of SCOPE and codirector of The Ecosystems Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
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