Coastal Ecosystems

 The sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, water, and waves of coastal areas are perhaps most readily associated with recreation and natural beauty. Coastal ecosystems, however, have an economic value beyond their aesthetic benefit, supporting human lives and livelihoods through the provision of food and materials, nutrient cycling, waste processing, and other essential goods and services.

Assessing Coastal Ecosystems

The current state of coastal ecosystems was thoroughly documented in the Millennium Assessment (MA), a five-year study involving more than 1,300 experts in 95 countries. The study identified coastal ecosystems as "among the most productive yet highly threatened systems in the world" (MA, Coastal Systems). Population growth and technological advances have fueled an unprecedented and unsustainable exploitation of coastal resources in the past century. The MA revealed dramatic declines in the overall health of many different types of coastal ecosystems: coral reefs, mangroves, and estuaries (all discussed below) as well as marshes, dunes, deltas, seagrass beds, and kelp forests.

Coral Reefs

Despite covering only 0.2% of the sea-floor, coral reefs contain 25% of global marine species. These highly productive ecosystems also provide inland protection from storm surges and are integral to both coastal fisheries and tourism, supporting the livelihoods of approximately 100 million people around the world.

	Protecting Our Coral Reefs
	-- 20% of coral reefs have been destroyed in the last few decades and an additional 20% or more are severely degraded, particularly in the Caribbean Sea and parts of Southeast Asia. -- Revenue from tourism associated with coral reefs has been estimated to be US$30 billion annually; reef-based tourism generates over US$1.2 billion each year in the Florida Keys (U.S.) alone.
	Mangroves Coastal mangroves--trees that live in saline intertidal zones--currently cover an estimated 18 million hectares, one-quarter of the world's tropical coastline. Mangroves supply local communities with timber and fuel, provide habitats for commercially-important fish and crustaceans, remove heavy metals from water sources, and control erosion along coastlines.
	-- An estimated 35% of mangroves have been removed due to shrimp and fish aquaculture, deforestation, and freshwater diversion. Although some successful restoration efforts have taken place, these are not keeping pace with mangrove destruction. -- Intact mangrove forests typically have a significantly greater economic value than areas cleared for other uses, even if the value of these ecosystem goods and services is not captured in current economic models. A study in Thailand estimated the value of services provided by intact mangroves to be nearly US$4000 per hectare, significantly greater than land converted for shrimp farming.
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