An expanding population and associated development are increasing
stress on coastal land and resources, resulting in depleted fisheries, lost habitat,
degraded water quality, and increased loadings of chemical, microbial, organic stressors
and sediment runoff. These conditions are found throughout the coastal U.S. and
are among the most challenging problems facing coastal resource managers.
Land development, urbanization and other forms of habitat modification directly affect
ecosystem health. Whole ecosystems may change or even disappear entirely. Land development
can cause changes in freshwater delivery to an ecosystem, and runoff resulting from
more paved roads and other impermeable surfaces can increase the spread of contaminants.
CCEHBR conducts research to evaluate and predict how changing land uses
may affect coastal ecosystem health. One such study in collaboration with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is an ecological characterization of Cape Romain National
Wildlife Refuge on the South Carolina coast.
CCEHBR scientists use combined measures of pollutant concentrations, their toxicity
on organisms, and condition of living resources to estimate the spatial extent and
severity of habitat loss.
CCEHBR conducts
Marine Mammal research to help determine the impacts that land use and
non-point source runoff have on the top food chain species.
Scientists in the Protected Areas and Resources (PAR) Branch of
CCEHBR are also actively
engaged in the study of deep-sea corals and their vulnerability to potential impacts
from interactions with commercial bottom trawling and other human uses of the seafloor.
Working in partnership with scientists at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
(OCNMS) off the coast of Washington, they have made several important discoveries
in recent years including new records of several soft and hard coral species; evidence
of these resources serving as habitat attracting other species, such as commercially
important fishes that may be using these areas for feeding and breeding; and additional
photographic evidence of human influences on the seafloor including trawl marks
in sediment, overturned rocks, lost fishing gear, and dead coral entangled in lost
gear. Resulting data are beginning to play an important role in marine spatial planning
actions for the region, including the creation of the Olympic 2 Groundfish Essential
Fish Habitat (EFH) Conservation Area in June 2006 and subsequent considerations
to expand the boundaries and restrictions in order to increase protection from bottom
trawling and other bottom-contact gear.
CCEHBR's Estuaries
and Land Use team develops statistical and spatial models for resource managers
to predict impacts from coastal development and test alternative development strategies.
Research produces models for predicting loading of fecal bacteria, pesticides, nutrients
and other contaminants by land use and other important variables. Results are used
to evaluate the efficacy of different Best Management Practices.
CCEHBR's
Marine Forensics Program also provides vital scientific and forensic
support to Federal and State Law Enforcement agencies on resource use (or abuse)
issues.