Citation:

Kurtz, Jan. Linking Ecosystem Condition to Goods and Services: Monitoring to Inform the Science and Vision of Gulf Coast Restoration. Presented at Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, Mobile, AL, January 26 - 29, 2014.

Impact/Purpose:

Invited panel speaker … session: Current and Future Ecosystem-Monitoring Strategies in the Gulf of Mexico: Spanning Disciplines, Platforms, and Affiliations

Description:

The natural resources of the Gulf’s coastal and marine habitats and the services they provide are essential to the regional economy and provide 17% of the Nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). Restoring these natural resources, goods and services will be important to the recovery of the Gulf ecosystem and economy. Objectives for recovery include restoration of natural resources or ecosystem condition, specifically water quality and aquatic habitat condition, which are of particular interest to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA and coastal States have supported estuarine monitoring since the 90’s, and coverage has more recently been extended to wetlands. This baseline data proved useful during recovery from hurricane Katrina and the oil spill, and will provide insight regarding the degree of recovery resulting from restoration actions. EPA also conducted seasonal research and monitoring across the Louisiana coastal shelf from 2002-2008 focusing on the biogeochemical processes contributing to the annual summer hypoxia that occurs in this region, supporting associated models. Future monitoring efforts can better inform environmental management decisions by addressing linkages between ecosystem condition and the goods and services provided. EPA’s ORD has several methodologies in development for examining these linkages, including spatial analysis tools, human wellbeing indices, and valuation of processes like carbon sequestration and nutrient removal.

Record Details: