2 Historical Meaning and Ecosystem Services
Archaeological findings in Israel, located at the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and in a
near-coastal site on Triquet Island in British Columbia, belong to the oldest human
settlements in the world, dating back to about 19,500 and 14,000 years BP, long
before agriculture was invented. In more or less the same period, the first evidence of
human fishing has been detected (e.g. Presland 1997; Blainey 2004; Mcintosh 2009).
These old settlements and the recent position of cities in the world indicate the
preference of humans for the proximity to coastal landscapes and freshwater habitats. However, since the sea level during the Last Glacial Maximum
(c. 30–16,000 years ago) has risen by 120–140 m, it can be assumed that most of
the old settlements at the coasts are inundated today. Meanwhile, many offshore
artefacts, ruins and artificial structures have been secured, indicating submerged
settlements that are several thousand years old (Badrinaryan 2006).
Coastal habitats played a central part in many societies as they offer access to
food resources (e.g. fish, seafood) and provide manifold additional ecosystem
services, such as water purification, preservation of genetic diversity, coastal defence
or recreation improving quality of human life (e.g. Willaert et al. 2019). Thus, the
resilient and long-term stable occurrence is of considerable importance for the
longevity of our coastal landscape and its intrinsic natural and cultural value.
However, current activities, including exploitation of coastal resources and the
construction of artificial barriers are rapidly threatening these services. Coastal cities
and industries strongly decrease the area for natural habitat and emit light, noise and
toxic substances. Today, more and more people live in large cities and settlements at
the coasts. Furthermore, an increasing number of people is attracted by beaches
during holiday. Sea harbours became gateways for trade and exploration, but also for
invasive species. People are flying around the world to visit coastal cities, coastal
beaches and other scenic landscapes, for sunbathing, diving, reef-, wale- and
birdwatching, to eat fresh fish, or simply to go shopping. As a consequence, many
coastal regions are dramatically impacted by human activities, wastewater, plastic or
other kinds of pollution, and the pressure to certain habitat types and species
populations is extremely high.
The hilly landscape of sand dunes provided shelter against winds and flooding
from the seaside. In the past, small-scale agriculture could be performed in dune
systems, and dune grasslands were used for the maintenance of fishing gear and
bleaching of linen. These small disturbances, that locally increased biodiversity, are
still visible in the species-rich vegetation near the Sea villages in the Netherlands and
Belgium or in the calcareous machair grasslands in Ireland and Scotland. The large
volume of sand harbours huge fresh water supplies and till now drinking water
companies provide dune filtered water to millions of people (van Rooijen and
Schaminée 2014).
Other coastal habitats also provide ecosystem services of high economic value.
For example, since more than a century, coastal wetlands have been recognized for
their ability to stabilize shorelines and to protect coastal communities. Saltmarshes
282
C. Hobohm et al.
Archaeological findings in Israel, located at the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and in a
near-coastal site on Triquet Island in British Columbia, belong to the oldest human
settlements in the world, dating back to about 19,500 and 14,000 years BP, long
before agriculture was invented. In more or less the same period, the first evidence of
human fishing has been detected (e.g. Presland 1997; Blainey 2004; Mcintosh 2009).
These old settlements and the recent position of cities in the world indicate the
preference of humans for the proximity to coastal landscapes and freshwater habitats. However, since the sea level during the Last Glacial Maximum
(c. 30–16,000 years ago) has risen by 120–140 m, it can be assumed that most of
the old settlements at the coasts are inundated today. Meanwhile, many offshore
artefacts, ruins and artificial structures have been secured, indicating submerged
settlements that are several thousand years old (Badrinaryan 2006).
Coastal habitats played a central part in many societies as they offer access to
food resources (e.g. fish, seafood) and provide manifold additional ecosystem
services, such as water purification, preservation of genetic diversity, coastal defence
or recreation improving quality of human life (e.g. Willaert et al. 2019). Thus, the
resilient and long-term stable occurrence is of considerable importance for the
longevity of our coastal landscape and its intrinsic natural and cultural value.
However, current activities, including exploitation of coastal resources and the
construction of artificial barriers are rapidly threatening these services. Coastal cities
and industries strongly decrease the area for natural habitat and emit light, noise and
toxic substances. Today, more and more people live in large cities and settlements at
the coasts. Furthermore, an increasing number of people is attracted by beaches
during holiday. Sea harbours became gateways for trade and exploration, but also for
invasive species. People are flying around the world to visit coastal cities, coastal
beaches and other scenic landscapes, for sunbathing, diving, reef-, wale- and
birdwatching, to eat fresh fish, or simply to go shopping. As a consequence, many
coastal regions are dramatically impacted by human activities, wastewater, plastic or
other kinds of pollution, and the pressure to certain habitat types and species
populations is extremely high.
The hilly landscape of sand dunes provided shelter against winds and flooding
from the seaside. In the past, small-scale agriculture could be performed in dune
systems, and dune grasslands were used for the maintenance of fishing gear and
bleaching of linen. These small disturbances, that locally increased biodiversity, are
still visible in the species-rich vegetation near the Sea villages in the Netherlands and
Belgium or in the calcareous machair grasslands in Ireland and Scotland. The large
volume of sand harbours huge fresh water supplies and till now drinking water
companies provide dune filtered water to millions of people (van Rooijen and
Schaminée 2014).
Other coastal habitats also provide ecosystem services of high economic value.
For example, since more than a century, coastal wetlands have been recognized for
their ability to stabilize shorelines and to protect coastal communities. Saltmarshes
282
C. Hobohm et al.