Vegetation’s role in coastal protection: response

A common assumption is that ecosystem services respond linearly to changes in habitat size. This assumption leads frequently to an “ all or none ” choice of either preserving coastal habitats or converting them to human use. However, our survey of wave attenuation data from field studies of mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass beds, nearshore coral reefs, and sand dunes reveals that these relationships are rarely linear. By incorporating nonlinear wave attenuation in estimating coastal protection values of mangroves in Thailand, we show that the optimal land use option may instead be the integration of development and conservation consistent with ecosystem-based management goals. This result suggests that reconciling competing demands on coastal habitats should not always result in stark preservation-versus-conversion choices.

Fil: Barbier, Edward B. University of Wyoming; Estados Unidos

Fil: Koch, Evamaria W.. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Estados Unidos

Fil: Silliman, Brian Red. University of Florida; Estados Unidos

Fil: Hacker, Sally D.. Oregon State University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Wolanski, Eric. James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science; Australia

Fil: Primavera, Jurgenne. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center; Filipinas

Fil: Granek, Elise F.. Portland State University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Polasky, Stephen. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos

Fil: Aswani, Shankar. University of California; Estados Unidos

Fil: Cramer, Lori A.. Oregon State University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Stoms, David M.. University of California; Estados Unidos

Fil: Kennedy, Chris J.. University of Wyoming; Estados Unidos

Fil: Bael, David. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos

Fil: Kappel, Carrie V.. University of California; Estados Unidos

Fil: Perillo, Gerardo Miguel E.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina

Fil: Reed, Denise J.. University of New Orleans; Estados Unidos