%0 Book %A National Research Council %T Understanding Marine Biodiversity %@ 978-0-309-08397-3 %D 1995 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4923/understanding-marine-biodiversity %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4923/understanding-marine-biodiversity %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %K Earth Sciences %P 128 %X The diversity of marine life is being affected dramatically by fishery operations, chemical pollution and eutrophication, alteration of physical habitat, exotic species invasion, and effects of other human activities. Effective solutions will require an expanded understanding of the patterns and processes that control the diversity of life in the sea. Understanding Marine Biodiversity outlines the current state of our knowledge, and propose research agenda on marine biological diversity. This agenda represents a fundamental change in studying the ocean—emphasizing regional research across a range of space and time scales, enhancing the interface between taxonomy and ecology, and linking oceanographic and ecological approaches. Highlighted with examples and brief case studies, this volume illustrates the depth and breadth of undescribed marine biodiversity, explores critical environmental issues, advocates the use of regionally defined model systems, and identifies a series of key biodiversity research questions. The authors examine the utility of various research approaches—theory and modeling, retrospective analysis, integration of biotic and oceanographic surveys—and review recent advances in molecular genetics, instrumentation, and sampling techniques applicable to the research agenda. Throughout the book the critical role of taxonomy is emphasized. Informative to the scientist and accessible to the policymaker, Understanding Marine Biodiversity will be of specific interest to marine biologists, ecologists, oceanographers, and research administrators, and to government agencies responsible for utilizing, managing, and protecting the oceans. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Neon: Addressing the Nation's Environmental Challenges %@ 978-0-309-09078-0 %D 2004 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10807/neon-addressing-the-nations-environmental-challenges %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10807/neon-addressing-the-nations-environmental-challenges %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 132 %X The book endorses the National Science Foundation's concept of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) for providing a nationwide network of facilities and infrastructure for ecological and environmental research that is impossible with existing infrastructure. The committee identified six grand challenges in environmental biology - biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, climate change, ecology and evolution of infectious diseases, invasive species and land and habitat use—that deserves high priority for research and needs to be addressed on a regional or continental scale. However, the book says that NEON needs a refined focus and a more detailed plan for its implementation to ensure the maximization of its contribution to science and to better fit within the purview of Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction funding. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects %@ 978-0-309-10834-8 %D 2007 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11935/environmental-impacts-of-wind-energy-projects %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11935/environmental-impacts-of-wind-energy-projects %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Energy and Energy Conservation %P 394 %X The generation of electricity by wind energy has the potential to reduce environmental impacts caused by the use of fossil fuels. Although the use of wind energy to generate electricity is increasing rapidly in the United States, government guidance to help communities and developers evaluate and plan proposed wind-energy projects is lacking. Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects offers an analysis of the environmental benefits and drawbacks of wind energy, along with an evaluation guide to aid decision-making about projects. It includes a case study of the mid-Atlantic highlands, a mountainous area that spans parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. This book will inform policy makers at the federal, state, and local levels. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Watershed Research in the U.S. Geological Survey %@ 978-0-309-05739-4 %D 1997 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5589/watershed-research-in-the-us-geological-survey %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5589/watershed-research-in-the-us-geological-survey %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 96 %X Watershed research is conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to expand our understanding of basic hydrologic mechanisms and their responses at the watershed scale and to provide information that serves as the basis for water and environmental management activities carried out largely by other governmental and private entities. The work of the USGS in this area is carried out by its Water Resources Division and occurs in three general program areas: basic research, regional and site assessments, and data collection. These activities are becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of water and environmental management, where contemporary problems are being approached more than ever on an integrated ecosystems or watershed basis and where the underlying physical, chemical, and biological science is complex. Although the value of this type of hydrologic research is well recognized within the USGS, available financial resources to support it remain modest. Thus, this study seeks to help maximize the effectiveness of the agency's work. The study took two years, during which time the committee visited field sites, received briefings, reviewed descriptive materials, deliberated toward conclusions, and wrote this report. Recommendations are intended to assist the USGS in improving its overall strategy for work in this area; descriptions of a number of scientific opportunities are included, and appropriate circumstances for collaboration with and support for others are identified. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest %@ 978-0-309-05325-9 %D 1996 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4976/upstream-salmon-and-society-in-the-pacific-northwest %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/4976/upstream-salmon-and-society-in-the-pacific-northwest %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Agriculture %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 472 %X The importance of salmon to the Pacific Northwest—economic, recreational, symbolic—is enormous. Generations ago, salmon were abundant from central California through Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to British Columbia and Alaska. Now they have disappeared from about 40 percent of their historical range. The decline in salmon numbers has been lamented for at least 100 years, but the issue has become more widespread and acute recently. The Endangered Species Act has been invoked, federal laws have been passed, and lawsuits have been filed. More than $1 billion has been spent to improve salmon runs—and still the populations decline. In this new volume a committee with diverse expertise explores the complications and conflicts surrounding the salmon problem—starting with available data on the status of salmon populations and an illustrative case study from Washington state's Willapa Bay. The book offers specific recommendations for salmon rehabilitation that take into account the key role played by genetic variability in salmon survival and the urgent need for habitat protection and management of fishing. The committee presents a comprehensive discussion of the salmon problem, with a wealth of informative graphs and charts and the right amount of historical perspective to clarify today's issues, including: Salmon biology and geography—their life's journey from fresh waters to the sea and back again to spawn, and their interaction with ecosystems along the way. The impacts of human activities—grazing, damming, timber, agriculture, and population and economic growth. Included is a case study of Washington state's Elwha River dam removal project. Values, attitudes, and the conflicting desires for short-term economic gain and long-term environmental health. The committee traces the roots of the salmon problem to the extractive philosophy characterizing management of land and water in the West. The impact of hatcheries, which were introduced to build fish stocks but which have actually harmed the genetic variability that wild stocks need to survive. This book offers something for everyone with an interest in the salmon issue—policymakers and regulators in the United States and Canada; environmental scientists; environmental advocates; natural resource managers; commercial, tribal, and recreational fishers; and concerned residents of the Pacific Northwest. %0 Book %A National Research Council %E Betts, Kellyn %E Sawyer, Keegan %T Modeling the Health Risks of Climate Change: Workshop Summary %@ 978-0-309-37098-1 %D 2015 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/21705/modeling-the-health-risks-of-climate-change-workshop-summary %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/21705/modeling-the-health-risks-of-climate-change-workshop-summary %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 49 %X Climate change poses risks to human health and well-being through shifting weather patterns, increases in frequency and intensity of heat waves and other extreme weather events, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and other environmental effects. Those risks occur against a backdrop of changing socioeconomic conditions, medical technology, population demographics, environmental conditions, and other factors that are important in determining health. Models of health risks that reflect how health determinants and climate changes vary in time and space are needed so that we can inform adaptation efforts and reduce or prevent adverse health effects. Robust health risk models could also help to inform national and international discussions about climate policies and the economic consequences of action and inaction. Interest in resolving some of the challenges facing health effects modelers and health scientists led the National Research Council's Standing Committee on Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions to hold a workshop on November 3-4, 2014, in Washington, DC, to explore new approaches to modeling the human health risks of climate change. Throughout the workshop, the discussions highlighted examples of current application of models, research gaps, lessons learned, and potential next steps to improve modeling of health risks associated with climate change. Modeling the Health Risks of Climate Change summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T The Geological Record of Ecological Dynamics: Understanding the Biotic Effects of Future Environmental Change %@ 978-0-309-09580-8 %D 2005 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11209/the-geological-record-of-ecological-dynamics-understanding-the-biotic-effects %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11209/the-geological-record-of-ecological-dynamics-understanding-the-biotic-effects %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %K Earth Sciences %P 214 %X In order to answer important questions about ecosystems and biodiversity, scientists can look to the past geological record—which includes fossils, sediment and ice cores, and tree rings. Because of recent advances in earth scientists’ ability to analyze biological and environmental information from geological data, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Geological Survey asked a National Research Council (NRC) committee to assess the scientific opportunities provided by the geologic record and recommend how scientists can take advantage of these opportunities for the nation’s benefit. The committee identified three initiatives for future research to be developed over the next decade: (1) use the geological record as a “natural laboratory” to explore changes in living things under a range of past conditions, (2) use the record to better predict the response of biological systems to climate change, and (3) use geologic information to evaluate the effects of human and non-human factors on ecosystems. The committee also offered suggestions for improving the field through better training, improved databases, and additional funding. %0 Book %T Improving the Management of U.S. Marine Fisheries %D 1994 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9045/improving-the-management-of-us-marine-fisheries %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9045/improving-the-management-of-us-marine-fisheries %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Agriculture %P 72 %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Review of the St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study: Report 1 %@ 978-0-309-14222-9 %D 2009 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12733/review-of-the-st-johns-river-water-supply-impact-study %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12733/review-of-the-st-johns-river-water-supply-impact-study %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 96 %X The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida, containing extensive freshwater wetlands, numerous large lakes, a wide estuarine channel, and a correspondingly diverse array of native flora and fauna. Water resource management in the river's watershed is the responsibility of the St. Johns River Water Management District (the District). The District must provide water for the region's 4.4 million residents as well as numerous industrial and agricultural users, all while protecting natural systems within the river basin. With population growth in the watershed expected to surpass 7.2 million in 2030, the District, through its water resources planning process, has begun to identify alternative sources of water beyond its traditional groundwater sources, including the potential withdrawal of 262 million gallons per day from the St. Johns River. To more comprehensively evaluate the environmental impacts of withdrawing this water from the river, the District embarked on a two-year Water Supply Impact Study (WSIS), and requested the involvement of the National Research Council. The present volume reviews the Phase I work of the WSIS and provides recommendations for improving Phase II. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Effects of Trawling and Dredging on Seafloor Habitat %@ 978-0-309-08340-9 %D 2002 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10323/effects-of-trawling-and-dredging-on-seafloor-habitat %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10323/effects-of-trawling-and-dredging-on-seafloor-habitat %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %K Agriculture %P 136 %X Concerns over the potential ecological effects of fishing have increased with the expansion of fisheries throughout the marine waters of the United States. Effects of Trawling and Dredging on Seafloor Habitat describes how assessment of fishing impacts depends on gear type, number and location of bottom tows, and the physical and biological characteristics of seafloor habitats. Many experimental studies have documented acute, gear--specific effects of trawling and dredging on various types of habitat. These studies indicate that low mobility, long--lived species are more vulnerable to towed fishing gear than short--lived species in areas where the seabed is often disturbed by natural phenomena. Trawling and dredging may also change the composition and productivity of fish communities dependent on seafloor habitats for food and refuge. The scale of these impacts depends on the level of fishing effort. This volume presents color maps of fishing effort for all regions with significant bottom trawl or dredge fisheries -- the first time that such data has been assembled and analyzed for the entire nation. %0 Book %T Monitoring Southern California's Coastal Waters %@ 978-0-309-04327-4 %D 1990 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1607/monitoring-southern-californias-coastal-waters %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/1607/monitoring-southern-californias-coastal-waters %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 170 %0 Book %T Improving Interactions Between Coastal Science and Policy: Proceedings of the Gulf of Maine Symposium %D 1995 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9151/improving-interactions-between-coastal-science-and-policy-proceedings-of-the %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9151/improving-interactions-between-coastal-science-and-policy-proceedings-of-the %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 268 %0 Book %A National Research Council %T Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences %@ 978-0-309-07254-0 %D 2001 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9975/grand-challenges-in-environmental-sciences %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9975/grand-challenges-in-environmental-sciences %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 106 %X Scientists have long sought to unravel the fundamental mysteries of the land, life, water, and air that surround us. But as the consequences of humanity’s impact on the planet become increasingly evident, governments are realizing the critical importance of understanding these environmental systems—and investing billions of dollars in research to do so. To identify high-priority environmental science projects, Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences explores the most important areas of research for the next generation. The book’s goal is not to list the world’s biggest environmental problems. Rather it is to determine areas of opportunity that—with a concerted investment—could yield significant new findings. Nominations for environmental science’s “grand” challenges were solicited from thousands of scientists worldwide. Based on their responses, eight major areas of focus were identified—areas that offer the potential for a major scientific breakthrough of practical importance to humankind, and that are feasible if given major new funding. The book further pinpoints four areas for immediate action and investment. %0 Book %A National Academy of Sciences %E Avise, John C. %E Hubbell, Stephen P. %E Ayala, Francisco J. %T In the Light of Evolution: Volume II: Biodiversity and Extinction %@ 978-0-309-12743-1 %D 2008 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12501/in-the-light-of-evolution-volume-ii-biodiversity-and-extinction %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12501/in-the-light-of-evolution-volume-ii-biodiversity-and-extinction %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 432 %X The current extinction crisis is of human making, and any favorable resolution of that biodiversity crisis--among the most dire in the 4-billion-year history of Earth--will have to be initiated by mankind. Little time remains for the public, corporations, and governments to awaken to the magnitude of what is at stake. This book aims to assist that critical educational mission, synthesizing recent scientific information and ideas about threats to biodiversity in the past, present, and projected future. This is the second volume from the In the Light of Evolution series, based on a series of Arthur M. Sackler colloquia, and designed to promote the evolutionary sciences. Each installment explores evolutionary perspectives on a particular biological topic that is scientifically intriguing but also has special relevance to contemporary societal issues or challenges. Individually and collectively, the ILE series aims to interpret phenomena in various areas of biology through the lens of evolution, address some of the most intellectually engaging as well as pragmatically important societal issues of our times, and foster a greater appreciation of evolutionary biology as a consolidating foundation for the life sciences. %0 Book %T Saving Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from the Sea: Options and Policy Implications %D 1988 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9502/saving-cape-hatteras-lighthouse-from-the-sea-options-and-policy %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9502/saving-cape-hatteras-lighthouse-from-the-sea-options-and-policy %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K %P 150 %0 Book %A Transportation Research Board %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %E Lantin, Anna %E Larsen, Laura %E Vyas, Ankita %E Barrett, Michael %E Leisenring, Marc %E Koryto, Kevin %E Pechacek, Linda %T Approaches for Determining and Complying with TMDL Requirements Related to Roadway Stormwater Runoff %D 2019 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25473/approaches-for-determining-and-complying-with-tmdl-requirements-related-to-roadway-stormwater-runoff %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25473/approaches-for-determining-and-complying-with-tmdl-requirements-related-to-roadway-stormwater-runoff %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Transportation and Infrastructure %P 144 %X State DOTs are increasingly subject to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for water quality improvement that are implemented through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.As a result, state DOTs may incur significant costs to construct, operate, maintain, and monitor performance of best management practices and other stormwater treatment facilities that treat stormwater from sources outside the right-of-way, as well as stormwater from roadway sources.TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Report 918: Approaches for Determining and Complying with TMDL Requirements Related to Roadway Stormwater Runoff describes how to evaluate TMDLs and develop a plan to comply with the requirements of a TMDL. The methods provide a robust approach to determining the pollutants of concern and how to assess the contribution of the roadway while understanding other important factors that affect overall pollutant loads, including adjacent land uses and watershed conditions and characteristics.A set of presentation slides summarizing the project that developed the report is available for download. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T The Scientific Bases for Preservation of the Mariana Crow %@ 978-0-309-05581-9 %D 1997 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5372/the-scientific-bases-for-preservation-of-the-mariana-crow %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5372/the-scientific-bases-for-preservation-of-the-mariana-crow %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Environment and Environmental Studies %P 103 %X This book, while focusing on current preservation challenges posed by the Aga, or Mariana crow, also reflects the larger issues and challenges of biodiversity conservation in all oceanic island ecosystems. It evaluates causes for the continuing decline of the Aga, which exists on only the two southernmost islands in the Mariana archipelago, Guam and Rota, and reviews actions to halt or reverse the decrease. This book reminds us of the importance and challenge of preserving the unique environmental heritage of islands of the Mariana archipelago, the need for increased knowledge to restore and maintain native species and habitats, and the compelling and lasting value of extensive public education to stimulate environmentally informed public policy development. %0 Book %T Striking a Balance: Improving Stewardship of Marine Areas %@ 978-0-309-06369-2 %D 1997 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5797/striking-a-balance-improving-stewardship-of-marine-areas %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5797/striking-a-balance-improving-stewardship-of-marine-areas %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 192 %X America's ocean and coastal regions—which provide wildlife habitat, commercial fish stocks, mineral reserves, travelways, recreation, and more—are under increasing pressure as more and more people exploit marine resources, leaving environmental damage in their wake. Striking a Balance responds to the urgency for sound decision-making in the management of marine resources. An expert committee proposes principles, goals, and a framework for marine area governance, including new governance structures at the federal and regional levels and improvements for existing governing and regulatory systems. Recommendations include using tools—such as zoning and liability—for resolving conflicts between users, controlling access to marine resources, and enforcing regulations. The book describes the wide-ranging nature and value of marine resources, evaluates their current management, and explores three in-depth case studies. It also touches on the implications of newer, more flexible, less hierarchical approaches to organizational behavior. Striking a Balance will be of interest to everyone concerned about marine resource management, especially federal and state marine managers and regulators, marine scientists and policy analysts, companies and organizations with interests in marine and coastal resources, and advocacy groups. %0 Book %A National Research Council %T River Basins and Coastal Systems Planning Within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers %@ 978-0-309-09220-3 %D 2004 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10970/river-basins-and-coastal-systems-planning-within-the-us-army-corps-of-engineers %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10970/river-basins-and-coastal-systems-planning-within-the-us-army-corps-of-engineers %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Earth Sciences %P 183 %X The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) has played a large and important role in shaping water resources systems in the United States since Congress first tasked it in 1824 to improve navigation on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Since then, rivers have been modified for navigation and flood control, harbors have been dredged for shipping, and coastlines are routinely fortified against erosion and beach loss. Recent decades have seen an overall decline in budgets for civil works project construction, yet the range of objectives for water resources projects has broadened as society places more value on environmental and recreational benefits. Thus, the Corps' portfolio of water resources projects has changed considerably. There is a reduced emphasis on traditional construction projects and an increased focus on maintenance and reoperation of existing projects such as locks, dams, and levees and on environmental restoration projects. An integrated approach to water resources planning at the scale of river basins and coastal systems is widely endorsed by the academic and engineering communities. The Corps' mission, expertise, and experience give it immense potential to alter the structure and functioning of the nation's waterways and coasts. As might be expected in a large and complex organization answering to a range of public and private demands, implementation of these new policies and objectives is neither consistent nor complete. River Basins and Coastal Systems Planning within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommends improvements in the Corps' water resource project planning and review process. This report compares economic and environmental benefits and costs over a range of time and space scales, suggests multiple purpose formulation and evaluation methods, and recommends integration of water development plans with other projects in the region. %0 Book %A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine %T A Research Strategy to Examine the Taxonomy of the Red Wolf %@ 978-0-309-68147-6 %D 2020 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25891/a-research-strategy-to-examine-the-taxonomy-of-the-red-wolf %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25891/a-research-strategy-to-examine-the-taxonomy-of-the-red-wolf %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Biology and Life Sciences %P 138 %X A Research Strategy to Examine the Taxonomy of the Red Wolf provides independent guidance about taxonomic research on the red wolf, Canis rufus. Building from the 2019 report Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf, this report reviews and ranks research applications to determine the taxonomy of wild canid populations in southern Louisiana and other relevant locations. The report then develops a research strategy to examine the evolutionary relationships between ancient red wolves, the extant managed red wolf populations, and the unidentified canid populations.