Coastal Conservation and Management provides the reader with a synthesis of the range and variation of the main coastal formations and includes practical guidance on their management. The book discusses all the main coastal habitats of importance for nature conservation (saltmarsh, shingle, sand dune and seacliff) as well as combinations of these habitats (estuaries and other coastal wetlands). It offers a comprehensive picture of both the soft sedimentary formations and those which are more resilient. While these habitats have all been covered elsewhere in the literature, no single volume gives such a wide-ranging account. An attempt is made throughout to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the importance and range of variation of each habitat and coastal ecosystem. The principal issues are discussed and the key management options identified. Some prescriptive suggestions are made, though for the most part, the reader is left to ponder the issues and their possible solutions.

An exploration of the biodiversity status of coastal habitats worldwide, emphasising their importance to society, major threats and conservation challenges.

Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy introduces studentsand managers to complex conservation and management issues facingcoastal nations of the world, their citizens, and international andnon-governmental organizations. It aims to reduce complexity andinspire a greater consensus for more effective conservationaction. Presents the coastal realm as a heterogeneous, diverseecosystem of exceptionall high biological diversity andproductivity, and where conservation challenges are most difficultand urgent Examines the critical issues facing coastal-marine conservationand the mechanisms for dealing with them Reviews the basic science required for addressing conservationissues by presenting the coastal realm as a land-sea ecosystem ofglobal significance, and by reviewing the natural-history featuresof coastal-marine organisms Presents three ecologically and latitudinally distinct"real-world" case studies to create a context for understanding ofregional systems, their cultures, and their conservation: the polarBering Sea, the temperate Chesapeake Bay, and the tropicalBahamas Makes apparent the ecological stresses on the coastal realm,increasing rates of ecosystem change, loss of ecosystem health, andfragmented governance Synthesizes the major challenges for conservation and suggestsfuture policy and management strategies, including ecosystemmanagement and needs for achieving sustainability and addressingthe environmental debt This book is intended for undergraduates and graduates takingcourses in coastal and marine conservation and management, as wellas those actively engaged in coastal-marine conservationactivities, and gives the reader a clear steer to future managementapproaches. References additional to those in the book are available athttp://www.blackwellpublishing.com/pdf/ray_references.pdf The artwork is available to download athttp://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ray/

Marine and coastal resources provide millions of people with their livelihoods, such as fishing and tourism, and a range of critical additional ‘ecosystem services’, from biodiversity and culture to carbon storage and flood protection. Yet across the world, these resources are fast-diminishing under the weight of pollution, land clearance, coastal development, overfishing, natural disasters and climate change. This book shows how economic instruments can be used to incentivize the conservation of marine and coastal resources. It is shown that traditional approaches to halt the decline focus on regulating against destructive practices, but to little effect. A more successful strategy could be to establish schemes such as payments for ecosystem services (PES), or incorporate an element of financial incentives into existing regulatory mechanisms. Examples, both terrestrial and marine, from across the world suggest that PES can work to protect both livelihoods and environments. But to succeed, it is shown that these schemes must be underpinned by robust research, clear property rights, sound governance structures, equitable benefit sharing, and sustainable finance. Case studies are included from south and east Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. The book explores the prospects and challenges, and draws lessons from PES and PES-like programmes from across the globe.

Bob Earll explores what marine conservation involves in practice by providing a synthesis of the main developments from the viewpoints of 19 leading practitioners who have shape its progress and successes. Case studies describe a wide range of European and international projects.

This major textbook provides a broad coverage of the ecological foundations of marine conservation, including the rationale, importance and practicalities of various approaches to marine conservation and management. The scope of the book encompasses an understanding of the elements of marine biodiversity - from global to local levels - threats to marine biodiversity, and the structure and function of marine environments as related to conservation issues. The authors describe the potential approaches, initiatives and various options for conservation, from the genetic to the species, community and ecosystem levels in marine environments. They explore methods for identifying the units of conservation, and the development of defensible frameworks for marine conservation. They describe planning of ecologically integrated conservation strategies, including decision-making on size, boundaries, numbers and connectivity of protected area networks. The book also addresses relationships between fisheries and biodiversity, novel methods for conservation planning in the coastal zone and the evaluation of conservation initiatives.

"Written for the upper-level undergraduate or graduate-level course, Marine Environmental Biology and Conservation provides an introduction to the environmental and anthropogenic threats facing the world's oceans and outlines the steps that can and should be taken to protect these vital habitats"--