TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Ocean Science Series SN - DO - 10.17226/13353 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13353/ocean-science-series PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - In one way or another, every landform and creature on Earth reflects the presence of the oceans. Understanding the Earth's oceans is essential to our understanding of human history, the origin of life, weather and climate, medicines, the health of the environment, energy sources, and much more. Reports from the National Academies provide in-depth analysis and useful advice for policymakers and the general public on topics ranging from exploring the ocean's incredible biodiversity and resources to reducing threats to human safety from toxic algal blooms, contaminants, and coastal storms. This series is intended to help readers interpret information about the state of our oceans and better understand the role of ocean science. Contains five booklets: Oceans and Human Health, Coastal Hazards, Pollution in the Ocean, Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries, and Ocean Exploration. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Understanding and Predicting the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current: Critical Gaps and Recommendations SN - DO - 10.17226/24823 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24823/understanding-and-predicting-the-gulf-of-mexico-loop-current-critical PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - One of the most significant, energetic, yet not well understood, oceanographic features in the Americas is the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current System (LCS), consisting of the Loop Current (LC) and the Loop Current Eddies (LCEs) it sheds. Understanding the dynamics of the LCS is fundamental to understanding the Gulf of Mexico's full oceanographic system, and vice versa. Hurricane intensity, offshore safety, harmful algal blooms, oil spill response, the entire Gulf food chain, shallow water nutrient supply, the fishing industry, tourism, and the Gulf Coast economy are all affected by the position, strength, and structure of the LC and associated eddies. This report recommends a strategy for addressing the key gaps in general understanding of LCS processes, in order to instigate a significant improvement in predicting LC/LCE position, evolving structure, extent, and speed, which will increase overall understanding of Gulf of Mexico circulation and to promote safe oil and gas operations and disaster response in the Gulf of Mexico. This strategy includes advice on how to design a long-term observational campaign and complementary data assimilation and numerical modeling efforts. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Florida Bay Research Programs and Their Relation to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan SN - DO - 10.17226/10479 PY - 2002 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10479/florida-bay-research-programs-and-their-relation-to-the-comprehensive-everglades-restoration-plan PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - This report is a product of the Committee on Restoration of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem (CROGEE), which provides consensus advice to the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. The Task Force was established in 1993 and was codified in the 1996 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA); its responsibilities include the development of a comprehensive plan for restoring, preserving and protecting the South Florida ecosystem, and the coordination of related research. The CROGEE works under the auspices of the Water Science and Technology Board and the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology of the National Research Council. The CROGEE's mandate includes providing the Task Force not only with scientific overview and technical assessment of the restoration activities and plans, but also providing focused advice on technical topics of importance to the restoration efforts. One such topic was to examine "the linkage between the upstream components of the greater Everglades and adjacent coastal ecosystems." This report addresses this issue by breaking it down into three major questions: What is the present state of knowledge of Florida Bay ("the Bay") on scientific issues that relate to the success of the overall CERP? What are the potential long-term effects of Everglades restoration as currently designed on the nature and condition of the Bay? What are the critical science questions that should be answered early in the restoration process to design a system that benefits not only the terrestrial and freshwater aquatic Everglades but the Bay as well? This study was inspired in part by the 2001 Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Conference held on April 23-26, 2001 in Key Largo, Florida. An overlapping meeting of the CROGEE was held at the same location on April 26-28, 2001. The conference was organized by the Program Management Committee (PMC) of the Florida Bay and Adjacent Marine Systems Science Program. The PMC organized the conference around five questions suggested by the Florida Bay Science Oversight Panel. These questions related to circulation, salinity patterns, and outflows of the Bay; nutrients and the nutrient budget; onset, persistence and fate of planktonic algal blooms; temporal and spatial changes in seagrasses and the hardbottom community; and recruitment, growth and survivorship of higher trophic level species. Some of these issues are discussed in the present report. However, as noted earlier, this report focuses on the subset of questions that relate to linkages between the Bay and the upstream portion of the Everglades system that arose at the 2001 Florida Bay Conference. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution SN - DO - 10.17226/9812 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9812/clean-coastal-waters-understanding-and-reducing-the-effects-of-nutrient PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - Environmental problems in coastal ecosystems can sometimes be attributed to excess nutrients flowing from upstream watersheds into estuarine settings. This nutrient over-enrichment can result in toxic algal blooms, shellfish poisoning, coral reef destruction, and other harmful outcomes. All U.S. coasts show signs of nutrient over-enrichment, and scientists predict worsening problems in the years ahead. Clean Coastal Waters explains technical aspects of nutrient over-enrichment and proposes both immediate local action by coastal managers and a longer-term national strategy incorporating policy design, classification of affected sites, law and regulation, coordination, and communication. Highlighting the Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone," the Pfiesteria outbreak in a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, and other cases, the book explains how nutrients work in the environment, why nitrogen is important, how enrichment turns into over-enrichment, and why some environments are especially susceptible. Economic as well as ecological impacts are examined. In addressing abatement strategies, the committee discusses the importance of monitoring sites, developing useful models of over-enrichment, and setting water quality goals. The book also reviews voluntary programs, mandatory controls, tax incentives, and other policy options for reducing the flow of nutrients from agricultural operations and other sources. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - From Monsoons to Microbes: Understanding the Ocean's Role in Human Health SN - DO - 10.17226/6368 PY - 1999 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/6368/from-monsoons-to-microbes-understanding-the-oceans-role-in-human PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - What can sharks teach us about our immune system? What can horseshoe crabs show us about eyesight? The more we learn about the ocean, the more we realize how critical these vast bodies of water are to our health and well-being. Sometimes the ocean helps us, as when a marine organism yields a new medical treatment. At other times, the ocean poses the threat of coastal storm surges or toxic algal blooms. From Monsoons to Microbes offers a deeper look into the oceans that surround us, often nurturing yet sometimes harming humankind. This book explores the links among physical oceanography, public health, epidemiology, marine biology, and medicine in understanding what the ocean has to offer. It will help readers grasp such important points as: How the ocean's sweeping physical processes create long-term phenomena such as El Nino and short-term disastrous events such as tsunamis—including what communities can do to prepare. What medicines and nutritional products have come from the ocean and what the prospects are for more such discoveries. How estuaries work—where salt and fresh water meet—and what can go wrong, as in the 7,000 square mile "dead zone" at the out-flow of the Mississippi River. How the growing demand for seafood and the expansion of ocean-going transport has increased our exposure to infectious agents—and how these agents can be tracked down and fought. Why "red tides" of toxic algae suddenly appear in previously unaffected coastal areas, and what happens when algal toxins find their way into our food supply or the air we breathe. The book recommends ways we can implement exciting new technologies to monitor the physics, chemistry, and biology of the ocean to recognize change as it happens. From the impact of worldwide atmospheric warming to the significance of exotic bacteria from submarine hydrothermal vents, the ocean has many depths left to explore. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - The Global Ocean Observing System: Users, Benefits, and Priorities SN - DO - 10.17226/5580 PY - 1997 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5580/the-global-ocean-observing-system-users-benefits-and-priorities PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - The Global Ocean Observing System is a study by the Ocean Studies Board intended to provide information and advice to federal agencies (the U.S. GOOS Interagency ad hoc Working Group) to help define and implement an effective, affordable, and customer-based U.S. contribution to GOOS. In particular, the committee was asked to provide advice to U.S. agencies regarding a practical concept for GOOS, identify potential applications and users of GOOS during the next 3 to 5 years and beyond, recommend appropriate roles for industry and academia in GOOS, and prioritize observational and infrastructure activities that should be undertaken or continued by the United States in its initial commitments to GOOS. In response to its charge, the committee reviewed the status of GOOS planning and implementation at both the national and international levels, invited presentations by relevant federal agencies and members of the private sector, and examined the range of potential uses and benefits of products derived from information to be collected by GOOS. Finally, the committee drew upon this information and its own expertise to develop a number of recommendations intended to help move the implementation of GOOS forward. ER - TY - BOOK TI - Opportunities in Ocean Sciences: Challenges on the Horizon DO - 10.17226/9500 PY - 1998 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9500/opportunities-in-ocean-sciences-challenges-on-the-horizon PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Progress Toward Restoring the Everglades: The Eighth Biennial Review - 2020 SN - DO - 10.17226/25853 PY - 2021 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25853/progress-toward-restoring-the-everglades-the-eighth-biennial-review-2020 PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Earth Sciences AB - During the past century, the Everglades, one of the world's treasured ecosystems, has been dramatically altered by drainage and water management infrastructure to improve flood management, urban water supply, and agricultural production. The remnants of the original Everglades now compete for water with urban and agricultural interests and are impaired by contaminated runoff from these two sectors. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a joint effort launched by the state and the federal government in 2000, seeks to reverse the decline of the ecosystem. The multibillion-dollar project was originally envisioned as a 30- to 40-year effort to achieve ecological restoration by reestablishing the natural hydrologic characteristics of the Everglades, where feasible, and to create a water system that serves the needs of both the natural and the human systems of South Florida. In establishing the CERP, Congress also requested that an independent scientific review be conducted on progress toward restoration with biennial reports. The National Academies' Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Progress has provided biennial reviews of restoration progress and advice on scientific and engineering issues that may impact progress since 2004. This eighth study of the series describes substantive accomplishments over the past 2 years and reviews developments in research, monitoring, and assessment that inform restoration decision making. Progress Toward Restoring the Everglades: The Eighth Biennial Review - 2020 also reviews the recently developed Combined Operational Plan, which is a prerequisite for CERP progress in the central Everglades, and examines issues facing the northern and southern estuaries, including priorities for science to support restoration decision making. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Opportunities for Environmental Applications of Marine Biotechnology: Proceedings of the October 5-6, 1999, Workshop SN - DO - 10.17226/9988 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9988/opportunities-for-environmental-applications-of-marine-biotechnology-proceedings-of-the PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Biology and Life Sciences AB - This 2-day workshop is the culmination of a study of the status and future of marine biotechnology. The overall goal of this workshop is to examine what was initially called "Opportunities for Marine Biotechnology in the United States," to consider where we are now in this field of "Environmental Marine Biotechnology," to envision the field in the future, and to discuss any impediments that might be encountered along the way. Opportunities for Environmental Applications of Marine Biotechnology: Proceedings of the October 5-6, 1999, Workshop addresses the question of where the federal government should invest its limited funds and what future initiatives should be planned. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Bridging Boundaries Through Regional Marine Research SN - DO - 10.17226/9772 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9772/bridging-boundaries-through-regional-marine-research PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - As appreciation of the interdisciplinary and multidimensional character of environmental issues has increased, there have been attempts to address regional needs more directly. One of these, the Regional Marine Research Program (RMRP), was established by Congress in 1990 to provide a mechanism to fund coastal marine research based on regionally-defined priorities. The RMRP legislation established a system of nine regional marine research boards around the United States. Each board was responsible for planning marine research to address issues of water quality and ecosystem health on a regional scale. Although all nine regions received funding for planning activities and development of a research plan, only the Gulf of Maine RMRP received funding for program implementation. The completion of the Gulf of Maine program, in 1997, presents an opportunity to evaluate whether the process for planning and managing the Gulf of Maine research was adequate, whether the research fulfilled the goals of the program, and whether this experience should serve as a model for similar regional programs elsewhere. Bridging Boundaries through Regional Marine Research is a study of the RMRP, with a specific review of the Gulf of Maine program as well as an assessment of other modesl for regional marine research. This report assesses the need for regional marine research,reviews processes by which regional marine research needs can be defined, and discusses existing programs for regional marine research in the United States. It also identifies short- and long-term approaches that might be taken by NOAA. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Review of the St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study: Final Report SN - DO - 10.17226/13314 PY - 2012 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13314/review-of-the-st-johns-river-water-supply-impact-study PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Earth Sciences AB - The St. Johns River Water Management District is responsible for managing water resources in the St. Johns River basin, which comprises 23 percent of Florida. Approximately 4.73 million people (one-quarter of Florida's population) live in the area served by the District, which contains the growing cities of Jacksonville, Orlando, and Gainesville. In order to meet the increasing water supply needs of the District's residents and other water users, the District is considering supplementing its historical supply of groundwater with water from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers. To better understand the potential ecological impacts of such withdrawals, in 2008 the District began a large scientific study called the Water Supply Impact Study (WSIS). In late 2008, the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) of the National Academies was asked to review the progress of the WSIS, including such scientific aspects as hydrologic and water quality modeling and how river withdrawals will affect wetlands, biogeochemical processes, plankton, benthos, the littoral zone, fish, and wetlands wildlife in the basin. For two and a half years, the WSTB Committee has followed the activities of eight District workgroups as they modeled the relevant river basins, determined the criteria to evaluate the environmental impacts of water withdrawals, evaluated the extent of those impacts, and coordinated with other ongoing projects. The first report of the Committee reviewed the Phase 1 hydrologic and environmental assessment tools and relevant data, and made recommendations regarding proposed work for the second phase of the WSIS. The Committee's second report focused on how the District was responding to the recommendations in its first report. The third Committee report primarily evaluated the hydrologic and hydrodynamic work being performed by the District. Review of the St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study, the fourth and final product of the Committee focuses on the ecological impact analyses conducted by the environmental workgroups, presents final thoughts about the hydrologic and hydrodynamic studies, and provides some overall perspectives on the WSIS. ER - TY - BOOK TI - Challenges in Ocean Policy DO - 10.17226/10074 PY - 2001 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10074/challenges-in-ocean-policy PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - Challenges in Ocean Policy summarizes the main messages of recent reports from the Ocean Studies Board, calling attention to two significant ocean issues — nutrient pollution and sustainable fisheries — that are likely to require high-level attention and policy decisions during the coming four years. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Transforming Remote Sensing Data into Information and Applications DO - 10.17226/10257 PY - 2001 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10257/transforming-remote-sensing-data-into-information-and-applications PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Space and Aeronautics KW - Engineering and Technology AB - Over the past decade renewed interest in practical applications of Earth observations from space has coincided with and been fueled by significant improvements in the availability of remote sensing data and in their spectral and spatial resolution. In addition, advances in complementary spatial data technologies such as geographic information systems and the Global Positioning System have permitted more varied uses of the data. During the same period, the institutions that produce remote sensing data have also become more diversified. In the United States, satellite remote sensing was until recently dominated largely by federal agencies and their private sector contractors. However, private firms are increasingly playing a more prominent role, even a leadership role, in providing satellite remote sensing data, through either public-private partnerships or the establishment of commercial entities that serve both government and private sector Earth observation needs. In addition, a large number of private sector value-adding firms have been established to work with end users of the data. These changes, some technological, some institutional, and some financial, have implications for new and continuing uses of remote sensing data. To gather data for exploring the importance of these changes and their significance for a variety of issues related to the use of remote sensing data, the Space Studies Board initiated a series of three workshops. The first, "Moving Remote Sensing from Research to Applications: Case Studies of the Knowledge Transfer Process," was held in May 2000. This report draws on data and information obtained in the workshop planning meeting with agency sponsors, information presented by workshop speakers and in splinter group discussions, and the expertise and viewpoints of the authoring Steering Committee on Space Applications and Commercialization. The recommendations are the consensus of the steering committee and not necessarily of the workshop participants. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Priorities for Coastal Ecosystem Science SN - DO - 10.17226/4932 PY - 1994 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4932/priorities-for-coastal-ecosystem-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - This book describes critical environmental issues that face coastal ocean and Great Lakes areas, including eutrophication, habitat modification, hydrologic and hydrodynamic disruption, exploitation of resources, toxic effects on ecosystems and humans, introduction of nonindigenous species, global climate change and variability, and shoreline erosion and hazardous storms. These issues can be approached through science activities (including research, monitoring, and modeling) discussed in this book and through coordination among federal agencies. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond SN - DO - 10.17226/11820 PY - 2007 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11820/earth-science-and-applications-from-space-national-imperatives-for-the PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences KW - Space and Aeronautics AB - Natural and human-induced changes in Earth's interior, land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans affect all aspects of life. Understanding these changes requires a range of observations acquired from land-, sea-, air-, and space-based platforms. To assist NASA, NOAA, and USGS in developing these tools, the NRC was asked to carry out a "decadal strategy" survey of Earth science and applications from space that would develop the key scientific questions on which to focus Earth and environmental observations in the period 2005-2015 and beyond, and present a prioritized list of space programs, missions, and supporting activities to address these questions. This report presents a vision for the Earth science program; an analysis of the existing Earth Observing System and recommendations to help restore its capabilities; an assessment of and recommendations for new observations and missions for the next decade; an examination of and recommendations for effective application of those observations; and an analysis of how best to sustain that observation and applications system. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Managing Wastewater in Coastal Urban Areas SN - DO - 10.17226/2049 PY - 1993 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2049/managing-wastewater-in-coastal-urban-areas PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - Close to one-half of all Americans live in coastal counties. The resulting flood of wastewater, stormwater, and pollutants discharged into coastal waters is a major concern. This book offers a well-delineated approach to integrated coastal management beginning with wastewater and stormwater control. The committee presents an overview of current management practices and problems. The core of the volume is a detailed model for integrated coastal management, offering basic principles and methods, a direction for moving from general concerns to day-to-day activities, specific steps from goal setting through monitoring performance, and a base of scientific and technical information. Success stories from the Chesapeake and Santa Monica bays are included. The volume discusses potential barriers to integrated coastal management and how they may be overcome and suggests steps for introducing this concept into current programs and legislation. This practical volume will be important to anyone concerned about management of coastal waters: policymakers, resource and municipal managers, environmental professionals, concerned community groups, and researchers, as well as faculty and students in environmental studies. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Future Water Priorities for the Nation: Directions for the U.S. Geological Survey Water Mission Area SN - DO - 10.17226/25134 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25134/future-water-priorities-for-the-nation-directions-for-the-us PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - Solving problems related to use of water resources will be of paramount importance in coming decades as increasing pressure from growing populations, climate change, extreme weather, and aging water-related infrastructure threaten water availability and quality. The Water Mission Area (WMA) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a long-established reputation for collecting and delivering high-quality, unbiased scientific information related to the nation's water resources. WMA observations help inform decisions ranging from rapid responses during emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, and forest fires, to the long-term management of water resources. Produced at the request of USGS, this report identifies the nation's highest-priority water science and resources challenges over the next 25 years. Future Water Priorities for the Nation summarizes WMA's current water science and research portfolio, and recommends strategic opportunities for WMA to more effectively address the most pressing challenges. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Oceanography and Naval Special Warfare: Opportunities and Challenges DO - 10.17226/5916 PY - 1997 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5916/oceanography-and-naval-special-warfare-opportunities-and-challenges PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues KW - Earth Sciences AB - Missions by Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) teams and other naval units involved in Naval Special Warfare encompass some of the most unique and arduous challenges facing naval personnel in combat situations. Real-time decision- making is crucial, and the need for adequate and accurate environmental data is paramount for minimizing uncertainty, reducing risk, and ensuring mission success. Based on discussions among more than 100 scientists, managers, and warfighters during the fifth in a series of symposia, this book summarizes the SEAL teams' mission and methods, the importance of environmental data in planning and executing naval special operations, and ways to expand the Navy's ability to support this elite group of warfighters. (Color photographs and satellite imagery) ER - TY - BOOK TI - A Review of the Accomplishments and Plans of the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program DO - 10.17226/9260 PY - 1994 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9260/a-review-of-the-accomplishments-and-plans-of-the-noaa-coastal-ocean-program PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Illuminating the Hidden Planet: The Future of Seafloor Observatory Science SN - DO - 10.17226/9920 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9920/illuminating-the-hidden-planet-the-future-of-seafloor-observatory-science PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Earth Sciences AB - Despite our reliance on the ocean and its resources, it remains a frontier for scientific exploration and discovery. Seafloor observatories—unmanned systems of instruments, sensors, and command modules—will have power and communication capabilities to provide support for spatially distributed sensing systems and mobile platforms. Illuminating the Hidden Planet is a voyage to the bottom of the sea, advancing oceanographic science further through long time-series measurements, to discover the mysteries of the deep that have, until now, avoided scientific opportunity. ER -