Coastal Ecosystems The PAGE Coastal Systems Analysis publication clearly
illustrates the declining health of the global coastal ecosystem. The analysis focuses on
five major services and goods provided by the coastal zone: tourism, biodiversity,
shoreline stabilization, filtering water, and food for human consumption. More
specifically, the report includes qualitative and quantitative measures indicating the
level of anthropogenic alteration of the global coastal environment. Tourism, urban
growth, and industrial expansion have altered the global coastal land area by almost
30%. Along with coastal population increase is a parallel increase in nutrient pollutant
loads from sewage, fertilizer, and aquaculture (Burke et al., 2000). Population increase
also increases pressure on local marine fisheries, which has left numerous valuable fish
stocks depleted, or in serious decline (Botsford et al., 1997; Castilla, 1999).
Freshwater Systems This analysis, completed in 2000 by Revenga et al. (2000),
demonstrates an assessment of global freshwater basins and their extent, including
Europe, the United States, and inland fisheries of all countries. GIS data are available
for European and United States’ basins, watersheds, and fisheries. This study
developed indicators of the world’s freshwater systems to show the level of human
intervention in the hydrologic cycle. Global, regional, and local datasets were utilized
to demonstrate significant trends, concepts, issues, and ultimately derive indicators of
freshwater. Inland and coastal freshwater sources are extremely important in terms of
aquatic habitat (Bogan, 1993; Carpenter et al., 1996), health of adjacent vegetation
(Sasser and Gosselink, 1984; Osborne and Kovacic, 1993), and bird species (Chapman
and Loftus, 1986; Crossley 1999). This study included analysis of several topics
related to freshwater health, including inland fisheries, water quality, water quantity,
and biodiversity. The major conclusions of this research included the following:
“…although humans have enhanced water availability through dams and reservoirs,
over 40 percent of the global population lives in conditions of water stress. This
percentage is estimated to grow to almost 50 percent by 2025. Surface and
groundwater is being degraded in almost all regions of the world by intensive
agriculture and rapid urbanization, aggravating the water scarcity problem. Food
production from wild fisheries has been affected by habitat degradation,
overexploitation, and pollution to a point where most of these resources are not
sustainable without fishery enhancements. Finally, the capacity of freshwater
ecosystems to support biodiversity is highly degraded at a global level, with many
freshwater species facing rapid depopulation declines or extinction.” (Revenga et al.,
2000). This dataset is discussed at length in the associated publication for this
freshwater study (Revenga et al., ibid), and is one of four technical reports as part of the
PAGE research at WRI.
Other Data and Data Products Provided by WRI With reference to coastal resources,
there are several past and ongoing datasets and products available from WRI. The first
major GIS data product is the Reefs at Risk dataset. There are three complete reef
datasets available: a Reefs at Risk Global dataset, Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia
dataset, and Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean. The global dataset is a georeferenced
(GIS) point file that gives an assessment of anthropogenic threat to over 55,000 coral
reefs worldwide. The four major threat types include: inland pollution and erosion,
marine-based pollution, coastal development, and overexploitation. The online data are
accompanied by a report (Burke, 1998) describing key findings from dataset analysis,
including the findings that most United States’ reefs are at risk, with special concern to
Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Florida reefs; almost two-thirds of Caribbean reefs are at risk;
,
191
Integration of New Data Types
illustrates the declining health of the global coastal ecosystem. The analysis focuses on
five major services and goods provided by the coastal zone: tourism, biodiversity,
shoreline stabilization, filtering water, and food for human consumption. More
specifically, the report includes qualitative and quantitative measures indicating the
level of anthropogenic alteration of the global coastal environment. Tourism, urban
growth, and industrial expansion have altered the global coastal land area by almost
30%. Along with coastal population increase is a parallel increase in nutrient pollutant
loads from sewage, fertilizer, and aquaculture (Burke et al., 2000). Population increase
also increases pressure on local marine fisheries, which has left numerous valuable fish
stocks depleted, or in serious decline (Botsford et al., 1997; Castilla, 1999).
Freshwater Systems This analysis, completed in 2000 by Revenga et al. (2000),
demonstrates an assessment of global freshwater basins and their extent, including
Europe, the United States, and inland fisheries of all countries. GIS data are available
for European and United States’ basins, watersheds, and fisheries. This study
developed indicators of the world’s freshwater systems to show the level of human
intervention in the hydrologic cycle. Global, regional, and local datasets were utilized
to demonstrate significant trends, concepts, issues, and ultimately derive indicators of
freshwater. Inland and coastal freshwater sources are extremely important in terms of
aquatic habitat (Bogan, 1993; Carpenter et al., 1996), health of adjacent vegetation
(Sasser and Gosselink, 1984; Osborne and Kovacic, 1993), and bird species (Chapman
and Loftus, 1986; Crossley 1999). This study included analysis of several topics
related to freshwater health, including inland fisheries, water quality, water quantity,
and biodiversity. The major conclusions of this research included the following:
“…although humans have enhanced water availability through dams and reservoirs,
over 40 percent of the global population lives in conditions of water stress. This
percentage is estimated to grow to almost 50 percent by 2025. Surface and
groundwater is being degraded in almost all regions of the world by intensive
agriculture and rapid urbanization, aggravating the water scarcity problem. Food
production from wild fisheries has been affected by habitat degradation,
overexploitation, and pollution to a point where most of these resources are not
sustainable without fishery enhancements. Finally, the capacity of freshwater
ecosystems to support biodiversity is highly degraded at a global level, with many
freshwater species facing rapid depopulation declines or extinction.” (Revenga et al.,
2000). This dataset is discussed at length in the associated publication for this
freshwater study (Revenga et al., ibid), and is one of four technical reports as part of the
PAGE research at WRI.
Other Data and Data Products Provided by WRI With reference to coastal resources,
there are several past and ongoing datasets and products available from WRI. The first
major GIS data product is the Reefs at Risk dataset. There are three complete reef
datasets available: a Reefs at Risk Global dataset, Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia
dataset, and Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean. The global dataset is a georeferenced
(GIS) point file that gives an assessment of anthropogenic threat to over 55,000 coral
reefs worldwide. The four major threat types include: inland pollution and erosion,
marine-based pollution, coastal development, and overexploitation. The online data are
accompanied by a report (Burke, 1998) describing key findings from dataset analysis,
including the findings that most United States’ reefs are at risk, with special concern to
Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Florida reefs; almost two-thirds of Caribbean reefs are at risk;
,
191
Integration of New Data Types