Data Reporting System - Theme: Coasts and oceans
Introduction
Coasts and oceans is one of the four physical spheres of the Earth's environment, along with the atmosphere, the land and inland waters.
The issues included in the Coasts and oceans theme for SoE 2006 have been structured to reflect complex systems relationships. They recognise the close relationship between the condition of the oceans and the condition of marine biodiversity, and decouple the contributions that coasts and oceans make to human life (including heritage values) from the pressures which those contributions place on coasts and oceans. The pressures on coasts and oceans are separated into direct pressures from human settlements and activities, and the indirect pressures and contributions that operate between coasts and oceans and the overlapping themes of: land, inland waters and atmosphere. Societal responses to pressures or to deteriorating conditions are examined as separate issues because of the time lag before responses can be expected to translate into improvements in condition or reductions in pressures.
Issues
Condition of the ocean and coastal waters
- Condition of species, habitats and ecosystems
- Condition of marine vegetation
- Condition of fisheries
- Condition of marine genetic diversity
- Climatic and carbon dioxide factors
- Water quality
Contributions of the coasts and oceans to human life
- Ecological services (air, water, climate)
- Food
- Medicines and other potentially useful biological compounds
- Non-living material (materials and energy fuels)
- Non-material values benefits (heritage, recreation, aesthetic and spiritual)
- Medium for transportation
Direct pressure of human activities on coasts and oceans
- Pressure of fishing
- Direct pressures of harvesting non-living materials
- Direct pressure of shipping
- Direct pressure of coastal activities (other than shipping and fishing)
Contributions and pressures between the coasts and oceans and the atmosphere
Contributions and pressures between the coasts and oceans and inland water
- Effect of changes in inland waters on the coasts and oceans
- Effect of changes in coasts and oceans on inland waters
- Condition of species at the inland waters-oceans interface
Contributions and pressures between the coasts and oceans and land
- Effects of changes in the ocean on the land
- Effects of changes in the land on the oceans
- Condition of species at the land-ocean interface
Societal responses to direct pressures of human activities on coasts and oceans
- Protection of coasts, oceans and marine and coastal biodiversity
- Responses to pressures of fishing
- Responses to pressures of coastal activities
- Responses to shipping pressures
- Responses to pressures of harvesting non-living materials
Key
Links to another web site
Links to data in the DRS
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