Download CONNECTING THE DOTS IN THE COASTAL OCEAN WITH

CONNECTING THE DOTS IN THE COASTAL OCEAN WITH COMPREHENSIVE
ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENTS
Melissa M. Foley*, Erin E. Prahler, Matthew H. Armsby, Margaret R. Caldwell,
Larry B. Crowder, Ashley L. Erickson, John N. (Jack) Kittinger
Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University
99 Pacific St, Suite 155a
Monterey, CA 93940
[email protected]
As the number of users vying for space continues to grow in the coastal ocean, so too does the
need for a more comprehensive understanding of how ecosystems are structured, how they
function, and how those fundamentals are linked to the provision of ecosystem goods and
services relied upon by coastal communities. In addition, it is important to incorporate the
temporal and spatial characteristics of these linkages into comprehensive ecosystem-based plans
rather than treating them as fixed entities. Comprehensive ecosystem assessments (CEAs)
provide a framework to incorporate ecosystem-based principles into planning efforts and to make
the connections within and between ecosystems more transparent. Equipped with this
knowledge, management decisions can be made with a better understanding of the
interdependence between healthy ecosystems and human communities. Here we explore how
CEAs can be structured to capture the fundamental ecosystem attributes and related human
dimensions of coastal communities that determine the structure, functioning, and resilience of
these linked systems. We will review CEA frameworks used in spatial planning processes
around the world, highlight the strengths from these existing approaches, and provide
recommendations for bolstering and standardizing these assessments for implementation.
Integrating ecological and social data has the potential to provide a more realistic understanding
of the linkages between healthy ecosystems and communities, including which ecosystem
services are essential for community wellbeing. CEAs provide a framework for drawing this
information together in a way that can help to inform planning efforts and policy and
management decisions.