Coastal ecosystems attract intense interest from scientists and land managers because they are found in many of our most prized, and most endangered, regions.

This book is written by and for scientists but also for anyone who influences the management and policy in coastal regions. Each chapter presents an issue important to these systems, giving first a nontechnical summary of the issue and review of the current state of the knowledge, followed by data and a more detailed discussion. While many of the case studies are drawn from long term studies in the southeast United States, the examples and lessons are relevant for ecologists, planners, resource managers, policymakers, and others working in all coastal environments. The contributors provide multidisciplinary guidance to the assessment and management of environmental impacts caused by development.