Watersheds, bays, and bounded seas : the science and management of semi-enclosed marine systems

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.

Author Notes

Edward R. Urban, Jr. is the executive director of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR).
Bjorn Sundby is professor at the Universite du Quebec a Rimouski and in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, and is the president of SCOR.
Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli is a professor of Physical Oceanography in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and past president of the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO).
Jerry M. Melillo is past president of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) and co-director of The Ecosystems Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Reviews 1

Choice Review

This excellent book evolved out of a workshop to discuss the special characteristics of semi-enclosed marine systems (SEMS) and to identify management approaches and research in these systems. The comprehensive, well-referenced, and well-illustrated chapters are written by natural and social scientists. These contributors provide excellent analyses on nutrient input, primary production, fisheries production, socioeconomic indicators, and future directions for research on SEMS. After a very good introduction that provides the backdrop and context to the book, chapters 2-5 address the effects of environmental problems on SEMS, "Threshold Effects ... ," "Governance and Management of Ecosystem Services," and "Integrating Tools to Assess Changes in SEMS." Chapters 6-12 cover specific examples, including discussions related to the above topics. This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed reading this work. It will be a valuable resource for scientists, coastal managers, policy makers, and students alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. A. K. Volety Florida Gulf Coast University

Bernard D. GoldsteinEdward R. Urban, Jr. and Bjorn Sundby and Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli and Jerry M. MelilloMichael Maccracken and Elva Escobar-Briones and Denis Gilbert|Gennady Korotaev and Wajih Naqvi and Gerardo M.E. Perillo and Tim Rixen and Emil Stanev and Bjorn Sundby and Helmuth Thomas and Daniela Unger and Edward R Urban, Jr.Johan van de Koppel and Paul Tett and Wajih Naqvi and Temel Oguz and Gerardo M.E. Perillo and Nancy N. Rabalais and Maurizio Ribera d'Alcala and Jilan Su and Jing ZhangPaul V.R. Snelgrove and Michael Flitner and Edward R. Urban, Jr., and Werner Ekau and Marior Glaser and Heike K. Lotze and Catharina J.M. Philippart and Penjai Sompongchaiyakul and Edy Yuwono and Jerry M, Melillo and Michel Meybeck and Nancy N. Rabalais and Jing ZhangCarolien Kroeze and Jack Middelburg and Rik Leemans and Elva Escobar-Briones and Wolfgang Fennel and Marion Glaser and Akira Harashima and Kon-Kee Liu and Michel MeybeckWolfgang Fennel and Denis Gilbert and Jilan SuMichel Meybeck and Hans H. DurrKon-Kee Liu and S. Seitzinger and E. Mayorga and J. Harrison and V. IttekkotHelmuth Thomas and Daniela Unger and Jing Zhang and Kon-Kee Liu and Elizabeth H. ShadwickCatharina J.M. Philippart and Werner EkauNancy N. Rabalais and Denis GilbertHeike K. Lotze and Marion Glaser

List of Figures, Tables, and Boxes	p. ix
Foreword	p. xv
1 Introduction	p. 1
2 Vulnerability of Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems to Environmental Disturbances	p. 9
3 Threshold Effects in Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems	p. 31
4 Governance and Management of Ecosystem Services in Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems	p. 49
5 Integrating Tools to Assess Changes in Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems	p. 77
6 Physical Processes in Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems	p. 97
7 Cascading Filters of River Material from Headwaters to Regional Seas: The European Example	p. 115
8 Fluxes of Nutrients and Selected Organic Pollutants Carried by Rivers	p. 141
9 Biogeochemical Cycling in Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems and Continental Margins	p. 169
10 Dynamics and Vulnerability of Marine Food Webs in Semi-Enclosed Systems	p. 191
11 Distribution and Consequences of Hypoxia	p. 209
12 Ecosystem Services of Semi-Enclosed Marine Systems	p. 227
Appendix: Workshop Participants and Other Contributors	p. 251
About the Editors	p. 255
SCOPE Series List	p. 257
SCOPE Executive Committee 2005-2008	p. 261
Index	p. 263

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