I. B. Organization of the Report |
This report is organized to assist the reader in understanding the nearshore ecosystem and the associated effects of human modifications. Chapter II provides a brief overview of nearshore ecological concepts, defines key terms, and provides a conceptual model that establishes a framework for understanding the impacts of human shoreline alterations to nearshore ecosystems. Subsequent chapters are organized on the basis of this conceptual model. Chapter III discusses nearshore physical characteristics and dynamics, Chapter IV discusses nearshore habitats, and Chapter V discusses nearshore biological resources. Chapter VI discusses the effects of nearshore modifications, while Chapter VII provides summary conclusions and recommendations. Because this document is intended to be a summary, the reader is encouraged to refer to the bibliographic references for additional information (Chapter VIII). This document, although written for a broad audience, includes many technical terms and concepts. The reader is encouraged to refer to the extensive glossary (Chapter IX) and list of acronyms and abbreviations (Appendix C). .
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