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Coastal ecosystems are centres of high biological productivity, but their conservation is often threatened by numerous and complex environmental factors. Citing examples from the major littoral habitats worldwide, such as sandy beaches, salt marshes and mangrove swamps, this text characterises the biodiversity of coastline environments and highlights important aspects of their maintenance and preservation, aided by the analysis of key representative species. Leaders in the field provide reviews of the foremost threats to coastal networks, including the effects of climate change, invasive species and major pollution incidents such as oil spills. Further discussion underscores the intricacies of measuring and managing coastline species in the field, taking into account the difficulties in quantifying biodiversity loss due to indirect cascading effects and trophic skew. Synthesising the current state of species richness with present and projected environmental pressures, the book ultimately establishes a research agenda for implementing and improving conservation practices moving forward.
List of contents
List of contributors; 1. The conservation of coastal biodiversity Julie L. Lockwood and Brooke Maslo; Part I. Biodiversity Status of Coastal Habitats: 2. Global patterns of mangrove extinction risk: implications for ecosystem services and biodiversity loss Beth A. Polidoro, Kent E. Carpenter, Farid Dahdoug-Guebas, Joanna C. Ellison, Nico E. Koedam and Jean W. H. Young; 3. Open-coast sandy beaches and coastal dunes Thomas A. Schlacher, Alan R. Jones, Jenifer E. Dugan, Michael A. Weston, Linda Harris, David S. Schoeman, David M. Hubbard, Felicita Scapini, Ronel Nel, Mariano Lastra, Anton McLachlan and Charles H. Peterson; 4. Biodiversity, ecosystem services and the conservation of seagrass meadows Richard K. F. Unsworth and Leanne C. Cullen-Unsworth; 5. Cascading effects of global oyster reef loss on the health of estuaries Brooke Maslo; 6. Biodiversity status of coastal dune forests in South Africa Rudi J. van Aarde, Robert A. R. Guldemond and Pieter I. Olivier; 7. The distribution and conservation of birds of coastal salt marshes Russell Greenberg, Augusto Cardoni, Bruno J. Ens, Xiaiojing Gan, Juan PabloIsacch, Kees Koffijberg and Richard Loyn; Part II. Emerging Threats: 8. The impacts of invasive species on coastal marine ecosystems Julie L. Lockwood and Orin J. Robinson; 9. Climate change and conservation of waders Ilya M. D. Maclean; 10. The impacts of climate change on marine turtle reproductive success Lucy A. Hawkes, Annette C. Broderick, Matthew H. Godfrey, Brendan J. Godley and Matthew J. Witt; 11. The effects of oil spilled on coastal ecosystems: lessons from the Exxon Valdez spill James L. Bodkin, Dan Esler, Stanley D. Rice, Craig O. Matkin and Brenda E. Ballachey; 12. Overexploitation of marine species and its consequences for terrestrial biodiversity along coasts Lawrence J. Niles, Amanda D. Dey and Brooke Maslo; Part III. Synthesis: 13. A research agenda for coastal biodiversity conservation Julie L. Lockwood and Brooke Maslo; Index.
Summary
A valuable source for graduate students and researchers, this detailed discussion of coastal ecology examines the interplay and importance of biodiversity and ecosystem function in major shoreline habitats worldwide. Summaries by leading academics highlight the current status of shoreline species, including analyses of emerging threats and suggestions for future conservation.
