Summary
351
as nursery grounds, and compromise the role the coastal wetlands play as
buffer zones (see Chap. 17 by Twilley et al.). Hence, to avoid adverse impacts, aquaculture, and other coastal activities, should be planned within a
framework of Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM). Mangrove
clearance and wetland drainage also pose potential and actual conflicts
with the interest of artisanal coastal fishermen and the rights of indigenous people (see Chap. 20 by Flores Verdugo et al.) which should be
ensured as part of management plans for the coastal environment and its
living resources. Other estuarine systems, such as Bahia Blanca, Argentina
(see Chap. 14 by Perillo et al.), the Itamarad. estuary, Brazil (see Chap. 5 by
Medeiros et al.), and the gigantic almost freshwater Patos Lagoon, Brazil
(see Chap. 12 by Seeliger), have been impacted only slightly by human
activities.
The main source of nutrients, either runoff, upwelling or tidal mixing,
determines the productivity of the shelf ecosystems. Along most of the
Atlantic coast of South America, shelf resources with high commercial
value are fully exploited or overfished (see Chap. 11 by Odebrecht and
Castello). Although overexploitation has contributed to the decline and
collapse of populations at the Pacific coast of South America, synchronous
natural variations in the abundance of stocks associated with ENSO phenomena also are important (see Chap. 16 by Tarazona and Arntz), particularly in upwelling systems. Less well known than the reefs of the Caribbean, the extensive eastern Pacific coral reefs (see Chap. 19 by Glynn) and
the Abrolhos reefs (see Chap. 6 by Leao and Kikuchi) are characterized by
many habitats and species that have evolved over long periods of time
within a stable environment. In general, reef communities lack the ability
to adjust to unusual stress, and thus are extremely sensitive to environmental change and are negatively affected by increased nutrients and
turbidity. Some of the coral reef systems have been irreversibly degraded
by human activities and their communities have been replaced with less
complex systems based on algae growing on dead coral heads. For their
restoration and preservation, damaging influences must be removed and
access to reefs and their resources restricted.
In conclusion, effective measures to protect coastal marine ecosystems
and their habitats along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Latin America must consider natural short- and long-term variations of ecosystem
forcing functions as well as human activities, especially in watersheds
discharging into coastal seas. Therefore, integrated scientific research
efforts related to system processes and long-term monitoring of ecosystem
variables and resources need implementation and/or expansion. Coastal
marine ecosystems and resources that are not yet degraded need to be
brought within effective management regimes. The establishment of
351
as nursery grounds, and compromise the role the coastal wetlands play as
buffer zones (see Chap. 17 by Twilley et al.). Hence, to avoid adverse impacts, aquaculture, and other coastal activities, should be planned within a
framework of Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM). Mangrove
clearance and wetland drainage also pose potential and actual conflicts
with the interest of artisanal coastal fishermen and the rights of indigenous people (see Chap. 20 by Flores Verdugo et al.) which should be
ensured as part of management plans for the coastal environment and its
living resources. Other estuarine systems, such as Bahia Blanca, Argentina
(see Chap. 14 by Perillo et al.), the Itamarad. estuary, Brazil (see Chap. 5 by
Medeiros et al.), and the gigantic almost freshwater Patos Lagoon, Brazil
(see Chap. 12 by Seeliger), have been impacted only slightly by human
activities.
The main source of nutrients, either runoff, upwelling or tidal mixing,
determines the productivity of the shelf ecosystems. Along most of the
Atlantic coast of South America, shelf resources with high commercial
value are fully exploited or overfished (see Chap. 11 by Odebrecht and
Castello). Although overexploitation has contributed to the decline and
collapse of populations at the Pacific coast of South America, synchronous
natural variations in the abundance of stocks associated with ENSO phenomena also are important (see Chap. 16 by Tarazona and Arntz), particularly in upwelling systems. Less well known than the reefs of the Caribbean, the extensive eastern Pacific coral reefs (see Chap. 19 by Glynn) and
the Abrolhos reefs (see Chap. 6 by Leao and Kikuchi) are characterized by
many habitats and species that have evolved over long periods of time
within a stable environment. In general, reef communities lack the ability
to adjust to unusual stress, and thus are extremely sensitive to environmental change and are negatively affected by increased nutrients and
turbidity. Some of the coral reef systems have been irreversibly degraded
by human activities and their communities have been replaced with less
complex systems based on algae growing on dead coral heads. For their
restoration and preservation, damaging influences must be removed and
access to reefs and their resources restricted.
In conclusion, effective measures to protect coastal marine ecosystems
and their habitats along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Latin America must consider natural short- and long-term variations of ecosystem
forcing functions as well as human activities, especially in watersheds
discharging into coastal seas. Therefore, integrated scientific research
efforts related to system processes and long-term monitoring of ecosystem
variables and resources need implementation and/or expansion. Coastal
marine ecosystems and resources that are not yet degraded need to be
brought within effective management regimes. The establishment of