Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Introduction and Welcome Lecture 1

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Introduction Course Outline Reading Materials Assignments Attendance Guest Lecturers Definitions Context

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Introduction to the Course Aims Objectives

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Introduction Code: MR2505 Title: Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Place: Geography G3 Time: Day: Thursday Weeks:

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Contact Details Department of Geography & Environment Rona Kennedy / Yvonne Buckingham David R. Green Room G12 (pale blue corridor) Tel /

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Course Outline A combination of …. Lectures, Tutorials, Seminars, and a Field Visit Geography and Ecology in the Coastal (& Marine) Environment

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Reading Materials Books, Journals, Magazines & Internet Some examples are: Doody, J.P., Coastal Conservation and Management: An Ecological Perspective. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Fish, J.D., and Fish, S., A Students Guide to the Seashore. Cambridge University Press. Gibson, R., Hextall, B., and Rogers, A., Photographic Guide to the Sea & Shore Life of Britain & North-west Europe. Oxford University Press. Raffaelli, D., and Hawkins, S., Intertidal Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Little, C., The Biology of Soft Shores and Estuaries. Oxford University Press. Little, C., and Kitching, J.A., The Biology of Rocky Shores. Oxford University Press.

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Coverage Context Definitions Geography, Coastal Zone, Coastal Ecosystems Wind, Waves, Tides and Currents Physical Aspects Rocky Shores Sandy Shores Estuarine Environments Saltmarshes Issues Coastal Management Coastal Conservation Biodiversity Marine Protected Areas Data, Information, Tools Environmental Data Sources Survey, Monitoring, Mapping and Modelling Information Systems

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Assignments Two (2) Comprising (1) Module Paper (2) Project Report (3) Duly Completed Work

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Attendance Compulsory Record of Attendance Medical Certificates (MCs) Hand in to Geography and Environment Office

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Guest Lecturers

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Coastal Ecology examines the ecological processes interface between land and sea in order to understand how human perturbations impact both marine and terrestrial systems. The watershed concept can be used to explore nutrient flow, energy cycling, coastal circulation, productivity and biotic interactions. Provides the basis for resource managers to move toward ecologically sound and sustainable decisions. Fieldwork involves techniques of surveying, monitoring and the study of biotic interactions in a complex physical/chemical milieu.

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Coastal ecologists have extensive experience in both pelagic and benthic systems from estuaries and inlets to the open expanses on continental shelves. Their research ranges from uncovering and modeling fundamental processes to developing and implementing scientifically validated management practices and restoration techniques to maintain or improve the health of coastal ecosystems. Significant progress has been made in understanding and modeling scale- effects in coastal systems, predicting how changes in sediment regime affect the composition and function of estuaries and inlets, determining how coastal fish populations are affected by changes in nearshore habitats, and modeling how coastal reef ecosystems and their fisheries respond to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Novel environmental performance indicators and effective fisheries management practices and tools have been developed to sustain both productive fisheries and healthy and diverse coastal environments. Work on the sustainability and enhancement of cultured and wild shellfisheries has resulted in highly sophisticated models of primary production and coastal hydrodynamics being used to estimate sustainable levels of shellfish production and harvest.

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Definitions to Provide Context Geography Coast Landscape Ecology Landscape Ecology Ecosystem Biodiversity Sustainable Conservation Management

Coastal Ecology and Sustainability Geography:The study of the earth and its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity. Coast:: Land next to the sea; the seashore. Landscape: An expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view Ecology: The science of the relationships between organisms and their environments. Landscape Ecology: Causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity and pattern: how to characterize it, where it comes from, how it changes through time, and why this matters: Ecosystem: An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit. Biodiversity: The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region. Sustainable: To keep in existence; maintain. Conservation: The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water. Management: The act, manner, or practice of managing; handling, supervision, or control

Coastal Landscapes

Defining the Coastal Zone Land and sea perspective Marine Biologist: sea and all the areas covered by tide Coastal Ecologist: landward to the limits of tidal movement or influence of salt spray on soils and vegetation Coastal Geomorphologist: area in which agents of erosion and deposition Many others…..

Defining the Coastal Zone Or all of these…. Tidal areas (mudflats, sandflats, saltmarshes, brackish marsh, swamps, and salt influenced grasslands) Rocky shores, shingle beaches and cliffs subject to salt spray Terrestrial habitats include sand dunes and shingle structures derived from marine processes Estuaries, deltas and lagoons Excluded are the sub-tidal waters, plant and animal communities

Coastal Landscapes Classification into hard and soft Hard rock (high and low relief) Steep cliffs, rocky shores, small embayments, pocket dunes, and deep clear offshore marine waters Soft landscapes include soft rock cliffs and sedimentary habitats (discussed later) The latter include intertidal mud and sandflats, saltmarshes, coastal wetlands and sand dunes Tidal movement, wave energy and river discharge all influence the nature of the sedimentary system Two regimes: meso- macro-tidal and micro- meso-tidal Estuarine and barrier island coastal plains Deltaic coastal plains

Coastal Landscapes Questions? ?