Several sessions at this year’s Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) conference will be addressing ecosystem services. I am co-leading one such session that may be of interest:
Session Title: Coastal Ecosystem Goods and Services: Sustainability in a Changing Climate Long Description: Ecosystem goods and services (EGS) provide linkages between the natural environment and human beneficiaries. Benefits include provisions, regulation of ecosystem processes and cultural services that directly sustain or enhance the quality of human life. Since the 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, questions about how to best define, value, and monitor ecosystem services have been at the forefront of scientific and policy discussions. In coastal areas especially, uncertainties regarding the resilience of these services, and communities dependent on their availability, abound as global climate change alters the very foundation of these environments. Emphasizing the importance of estuaries and other coastal habitats in the context of ecosystem services is both challenging and unique. Whereas benefits related to fishing, recreation and tourism can more easily be translated into economic value, estuaries also support numerous water quality and health benefits that may be difficult to quantify. Additionally, considering how climate stressors (i.e. sea-level rise, increased temperatures, intensified coastal storms, and ocean acidification) will affect the coupled human and ecosystem dynamics is fundamental to enhancing overall resilience. These multifaceted problems require the expertise of social and natural scientists, along with innovative tools, models and approaches to assess complex interlinkages. We invite speakers from diverse disciplines to present research addressing coastal EGS delivery, valuation, and sustainability, as well as research that identifies potential trade-offs between ecosystem services. We also encourage presenters who can demonstrate methods that effectively engage local stakeholders and disseminate tools and resources necessary to build resilient coastal communities. We especially welcome research incorporating the potential or demonstrated effects of climate change on coastal EGS. Short Description: Ecosystem services provide context for understanding the interplay between coastal environments and human beneficiaries dependent on their numerous functions and values. Understanding these dynamics is indeed challenging and requires interdisciplinary perspectives from diverse fields. We invite speakers tackling issues related to ecosystem service assessment, valuation, delivery, and the like to share their progress, case studies, tools and general approaches for evaluating coastal ecosystem services. To submit an abstract to this session: https://cerf.confex.com/cerf/2017/webprogrampreliminary/Session1309.html The deadline for abstract submissions in May 1st . Regards Chanda ---- ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow EPA Western Ecology Division Pacific Coast Ecology Branch 2111 SE Marine Science Dr. Newport, OR 97365
