morphology, sediment supply and climate changes (The examples
of the Seine estuary and the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, English
Channel, NW France). Sedimentary Geology, 279, 62–73.
Troiani, B. T., Simms, A. R., Dellapenna, T., Piper, E., and
Yokoyama, Y., 2011. The importance of sea-level and climate
change, including changing wind energy, on the evolution of
a coastal estuary: Copano Bay, Texas. Marine Geology, 280
(1–4), 1–19.
Vis, G.-J., and Kasse, C., 2009. Late Quaternary valley-fill succession of the Lower Tagus Valley, Portugal. Sedimentary Geology,
221(1–4), 19–39.
Zaitlin, B. A., Dalrymple, R. W., and Boyd, R., 1994. The stratigraphic organization of incised-valley systems associated with
relative sea-level change. In Dalrymple, R. W., Boyd, R., and
Zaitlin, B. A. (eds.), Incised-Valley Systems: Origin and Sedimentary Sequences. Tulsa, OK: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary
Geology). SEPM Special Publication No. 51, pp. 45–60.
Zhang, G., and Li, C., 1996. The fills and stratigraphic sequences in
the Qiantangjiang incised paleovalley, China. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 66(2), 406–414.
Cross-references
Estuarine Sediment Composition
Fjord
Sediment Budgets
Sediment Grain Size
Sediment Transport
Sedimentary Structures
Stratigraphy of Estuaries
ESTUARINE SUSTAINABILITY
Colin Levings
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Pacific,
Centre for Aquaculture and Environmental Research,
West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Definition
Estuary sustainability can be defined as the ability of an
estuarine ecosystem to maintain ecological processes and
functions, biological diversity, and productivity over time.
However, this is the rather narrow ecological definition of
the term, and there are multiple contemporary definitions
that go beyond science because they involve economics
and values. Estuary sustainability, therefore, must be
examined, and measured, in the local and regional context
but with an eye on the international aspect because clearly
broad-scale effects at the ecological, economic, and value
level can quickly spread from one part of the world to
another.
Introduction
In the general context, sustainability often relates back to
the often-interchangeable terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development” and can be traced to the United
Nation’s Brundtland Commission report of 1987, officially titled Report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development: Our Common Future
(United Nations, 1987). The Brundtland Commission
report identified components of sustainable development:
ecology, economy, and equity. A brief discussion of each
follows, with specific reference to estuaries.
Ecological sustainability
Measurement of ecological sustainability is closely tied
with the concept of estuary conservation (qv). The structure and function of estuary ecosystems are important
attributes to consider, as well as maintenance of the capacity to adapt to change (resilience). Ecological processes,
such as productivity in estuaries, are key to functions such
as food production from their habitats. In addition, the
maintenance of biological diversity as a structural component in estuaries has emerged as an important aspect of
sustainability. Loss of biodiversity in the tropical mangrove ecosystem from tin mining, aquaculture, and forestry is an example of the problem in tropical estuaries
(Macintosh et al., 2002). The Convention on Biological
Diversity, developed by the United Nations Environment
Programme, has been ratified by over 100 countries
around the world to date (Convention on Biological
Diversity, 2013) and is projected to improve estuary
biodiversity management.
Economic sustainability
A challenging economic component of sustainable development relates to the term’s frequently cited definition:
“meeting the needs of today without compromising the
needs of future generations.” Most societies have a need
for industrial activity or some form of economic activity
to generate income. Measuring estuary sustainability in
this economic context is a challenge as the standard macroeconomic metrics such as gross domestic product
(GDP), which are typically expressed as monetary values,
are difficult to apply to ecosystem services. A variety of
ecosystem-based metrics such as critical natural capital
(CNC) have been developed (Hak et al., 2007). Estuaries
are often included as CNC in analyses of economic
sustainability indices around the world (e.g., the USA,
Liu et al., 2010). Because of the importance of ports and
harbor development in estuaries around the world for
coastal economies, there has been an emphasis on “greening” ports to reduce the impact of shipping on CNC (e.g.,
processes to minimize air pollution from running engines
while in harbor) as well as development of indicators of
harbor sustainability (e.g., Peris-Mora et al., 2005). The
siting of new harbors to enable ecological and economic
sustainability is an important aspect of integrated coastal
zone management (qv).
Equity sustainability
The impartial or equitable allocation of renewable
resources to various people in the estuary is a key concept
of sustainability but is also very challenging to measure.
As well, because estuary ecosystem functions depend on
river conditions (maintenance of stream flows) as well as
ESTUARINE SUSTAINABILITY
299
of the Seine estuary and the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, English
Channel, NW France). Sedimentary Geology, 279, 62–73.
Troiani, B. T., Simms, A. R., Dellapenna, T., Piper, E., and
Yokoyama, Y., 2011. The importance of sea-level and climate
change, including changing wind energy, on the evolution of
a coastal estuary: Copano Bay, Texas. Marine Geology, 280
(1–4), 1–19.
Vis, G.-J., and Kasse, C., 2009. Late Quaternary valley-fill succession of the Lower Tagus Valley, Portugal. Sedimentary Geology,
221(1–4), 19–39.
Zaitlin, B. A., Dalrymple, R. W., and Boyd, R., 1994. The stratigraphic organization of incised-valley systems associated with
relative sea-level change. In Dalrymple, R. W., Boyd, R., and
Zaitlin, B. A. (eds.), Incised-Valley Systems: Origin and Sedimentary Sequences. Tulsa, OK: SEPM (Society for Sedimentary
Geology). SEPM Special Publication No. 51, pp. 45–60.
Zhang, G., and Li, C., 1996. The fills and stratigraphic sequences in
the Qiantangjiang incised paleovalley, China. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 66(2), 406–414.
Cross-references
Estuarine Sediment Composition
Fjord
Sediment Budgets
Sediment Grain Size
Sediment Transport
Sedimentary Structures
Stratigraphy of Estuaries
ESTUARINE SUSTAINABILITY
Colin Levings
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Pacific,
Centre for Aquaculture and Environmental Research,
West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Definition
Estuary sustainability can be defined as the ability of an
estuarine ecosystem to maintain ecological processes and
functions, biological diversity, and productivity over time.
However, this is the rather narrow ecological definition of
the term, and there are multiple contemporary definitions
that go beyond science because they involve economics
and values. Estuary sustainability, therefore, must be
examined, and measured, in the local and regional context
but with an eye on the international aspect because clearly
broad-scale effects at the ecological, economic, and value
level can quickly spread from one part of the world to
another.
Introduction
In the general context, sustainability often relates back to
the often-interchangeable terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development” and can be traced to the United
Nation’s Brundtland Commission report of 1987, officially titled Report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development: Our Common Future
(United Nations, 1987). The Brundtland Commission
report identified components of sustainable development:
ecology, economy, and equity. A brief discussion of each
follows, with specific reference to estuaries.
Ecological sustainability
Measurement of ecological sustainability is closely tied
with the concept of estuary conservation (qv). The structure and function of estuary ecosystems are important
attributes to consider, as well as maintenance of the capacity to adapt to change (resilience). Ecological processes,
such as productivity in estuaries, are key to functions such
as food production from their habitats. In addition, the
maintenance of biological diversity as a structural component in estuaries has emerged as an important aspect of
sustainability. Loss of biodiversity in the tropical mangrove ecosystem from tin mining, aquaculture, and forestry is an example of the problem in tropical estuaries
(Macintosh et al., 2002). The Convention on Biological
Diversity, developed by the United Nations Environment
Programme, has been ratified by over 100 countries
around the world to date (Convention on Biological
Diversity, 2013) and is projected to improve estuary
biodiversity management.
Economic sustainability
A challenging economic component of sustainable development relates to the term’s frequently cited definition:
“meeting the needs of today without compromising the
needs of future generations.” Most societies have a need
for industrial activity or some form of economic activity
to generate income. Measuring estuary sustainability in
this economic context is a challenge as the standard macroeconomic metrics such as gross domestic product
(GDP), which are typically expressed as monetary values,
are difficult to apply to ecosystem services. A variety of
ecosystem-based metrics such as critical natural capital
(CNC) have been developed (Hak et al., 2007). Estuaries
are often included as CNC in analyses of economic
sustainability indices around the world (e.g., the USA,
Liu et al., 2010). Because of the importance of ports and
harbor development in estuaries around the world for
coastal economies, there has been an emphasis on “greening” ports to reduce the impact of shipping on CNC (e.g.,
processes to minimize air pollution from running engines
while in harbor) as well as development of indicators of
harbor sustainability (e.g., Peris-Mora et al., 2005). The
siting of new harbors to enable ecological and economic
sustainability is an important aspect of integrated coastal
zone management (qv).
Equity sustainability
The impartial or equitable allocation of renewable
resources to various people in the estuary is a key concept
of sustainability but is also very challenging to measure.
As well, because estuary ecosystem functions depend on
river conditions (maintenance of stream flows) as well as
ESTUARINE SUSTAINABILITY
299