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NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION REPORT II
Citation:
SUMMERS, J. K., B. BURGAN, D. BROWN, J. BIGLER, G. G. PESCH, H. A. WALKER, J. A. KIDDON, JAMES E. HARVEY, C. GARZA, V. D. ENGLE, L. M. SMITH, L. C. HARWELL, W. G. NELSON, H. LEE, AND J. LAMBERTSON. NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION REPORT II. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA-620/R-03/002, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
Coastal waters in the US include estuaries, coastalwetlands, coral reefs, mangrove and kep forests, seagrass meadows, and upwelling areas. Critical coastal habitats provide spawning grounds, nurseries, shelter, and food for finfish, shellfish, birds, and other wildlife. the nation's coastal resources also provide nesting, resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for 85% of waterfowl and other migratory birds. Estuaries are bodies of water that provide transition zones between the fresh water from rivers and the saline environment of the ocean. This interaction produces a unique environment that supports wildlife and fisheriers and contributes substantially to the economy of the US.