v
Preface
This volume of Coastal Research Library (CRL) deals with the general topic of
coastal wetlands but specifically from within the purview of impacts that are deleterious to wetlands and kinds of restorative efforts that are deployed in attempts to
correct wrongs resulting from human action. To this end, the volume is divided into
three main parts: Part I, Impacts of Urbanization, Agricultural Occupation, Pollution,
Climate Change, and Coastal Marine Influences; Part II, Impacts of Coastal
Engineering and Environmental Degradation; and Part III, Restoration Techniques,
Ecological Aesthetics, and Ecosystem Conservation (Sustainability and
Biodiversity). These general subject area parts are in turn subdivided into chapters
that are exemplars of degradation impacts or vignettes illustrating various approaches
to restoration, either conceptually or in principle, and examples of new
methodologies.
The geographical scope of this volume ranges from tropical to high-latitude
coastal zones with various types of wetlands such as mangroves and salt marsh. A
wide range of ecological considerations focuses on fisheries, intertidal benthic
fauna, macrobenthic communities, and wildlife management. This selection of
wide-ranging topics provides insight into the interconnectedness of various aspects
of coastal wetlands. Provided here is a plethora of examples of successes and failures in attempts to correct the errors of human action when it comes to dealing with
coastal wetlands. Sadly, many coastal wetlands around the world have been subjected to unwanted or unintended adverse impacts associated with urbanization,
industrialization, and commercialization. With half of the world’s coastal wetlands
destroyed by such activities, it is imperative to absorb what is reported here in the
following chapters that outline potential remediation efforts to save, conserve, or
protect what is left of these valuable coastal ecosystems that are almost continually
under threat from development.
Part I contains eight chapters that are examples of coastal wetlands adjacent to
or overtaken by urbanization and agricultural occupation, which in turn result in
degradation or destruction of coastal ecosystems. This dismal situation is further
exacerbated by pollution, usually associated with urban development and/or agriculture, that compromises the integrity and in some cases the very survival of the
Preface
This volume of Coastal Research Library (CRL) deals with the general topic of
coastal wetlands but specifically from within the purview of impacts that are deleterious to wetlands and kinds of restorative efforts that are deployed in attempts to
correct wrongs resulting from human action. To this end, the volume is divided into
three main parts: Part I, Impacts of Urbanization, Agricultural Occupation, Pollution,
Climate Change, and Coastal Marine Influences; Part II, Impacts of Coastal
Engineering and Environmental Degradation; and Part III, Restoration Techniques,
Ecological Aesthetics, and Ecosystem Conservation (Sustainability and
Biodiversity). These general subject area parts are in turn subdivided into chapters
that are exemplars of degradation impacts or vignettes illustrating various approaches
to restoration, either conceptually or in principle, and examples of new
methodologies.
The geographical scope of this volume ranges from tropical to high-latitude
coastal zones with various types of wetlands such as mangroves and salt marsh. A
wide range of ecological considerations focuses on fisheries, intertidal benthic
fauna, macrobenthic communities, and wildlife management. This selection of
wide-ranging topics provides insight into the interconnectedness of various aspects
of coastal wetlands. Provided here is a plethora of examples of successes and failures in attempts to correct the errors of human action when it comes to dealing with
coastal wetlands. Sadly, many coastal wetlands around the world have been subjected to unwanted or unintended adverse impacts associated with urbanization,
industrialization, and commercialization. With half of the world’s coastal wetlands
destroyed by such activities, it is imperative to absorb what is reported here in the
following chapters that outline potential remediation efforts to save, conserve, or
protect what is left of these valuable coastal ecosystems that are almost continually
under threat from development.
Part I contains eight chapters that are examples of coastal wetlands adjacent to
or overtaken by urbanization and agricultural occupation, which in turn result in
degradation or destruction of coastal ecosystems. This dismal situation is further
exacerbated by pollution, usually associated with urban development and/or agriculture, that compromises the integrity and in some cases the very survival of the