Research Themes: Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science

The pink-colored rock in the foreground is the crustose coralline algae (CCA) community that commonly encrusts areas of the seafloor where hard substrate is exposed. [larger version]

Maintaining healthy and sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems relies on scientific understanding of how these areas function across landscape scales. Ecosystem-scale science addresses understanding important linkages between watersheds, estuaries, wetlands and offshore ocean regions. Human activities can impact or degrade the health and productivity of these resources by fragmenting habitats, altering drainage or circulation patterns, and introducing contaminants. USGS brings together multidisciplinary expertise focused on developing tools and models to improve understanding of how healthy ecosystems function as well as how they respond to environmental changes and human impacts including regional ecosystem restoration. Research studies address coral reef, coastal wetland, benthic habitat and groundwater resources.

Use the tabs below to see current research related to Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science or see all Research Themes.

• National Studies
• Regional Studies
• Applied Science

National Assessment of Shoreline Change Creating a comprehensive, regionally-consistent analysis of shoreline movement over the short and long term, including historical and modern shorelines. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study), Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study)

Coastal Model Applications and Field Measurements Field measurements, instrumentation and modeling applications for supporting coastal and marine research Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Sea-Level Rise Hazards and Decision Support Using combined scientific expertise in geology, hydrology, geography, biology, and ecology to understand and address the effects of sea-level rise on the Nation's coasts. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study)

Assessment of Physical Changes in Barrier Islands and Coastal Wetlands Associated with Hurricane Sandy Integrating wetland assessments with existing coastal-change hazard assessments for the adjacent dunes and beaches to create a more comprehensive look at coastal ecosystem vulnerability. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science)

Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems Quantifying estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Marine Aggregate Resources and Processes Providing information about offshore aggregate deposits such as grain size, composition, and extent, to support resource and habitat assessments, and sustainability. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study)

Reef History and Climate Change Analyzing coral skeletons to document past environmental changes and determine the relationships between the changing environment and coral growth. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study)

National Seafloor Mapping and Benthic Habitat Studies: Atlantic Monitoring and assessing diverse marine habitats at Stellwagen and Georges Banks to preserve and support a large fishing industry. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study)

Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments Finding solutions to environmental problems caused by sediment erosion and movement. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Applied Science), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins Understanding how and why coasts have changed in the past can provide insight into modern coastal behavior, future coastal evolution, the extent and quality of sediment resources, and spatial variability in the resilience of coastal ecosystems, all of which inform coastal resource management. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Climate Change Impacts to the U.S. Pacific and Arctic Coasts Understanding local and regional coastal response to forecasted changes. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events (Regional Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

USGS Science to support the Elwha River Restoration Project Providing scientific monitoring and analyses of the fish, waters, and sediment before, during, and following the removal of the Elwha and the Glines Canyon Dams Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Estuarine Response Assessing the estuarine and adjacent wetland responses of three Atlantic lagoonal estuaries to major storm events such as Hurricane Sandy. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Pacific Coral Reef Geology and Oceanography Providing scientific understanding of the natural physical processes and human-induced impacts that critically influence the development and sustainability of U.S. coral reefs. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Climate and environmental change in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Studying paleoceanographic, climatic, and environmental changes in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent land areas to determine cycles of natural climate variability and environmental change over the last 10,000 years. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST) Studying complex physical and biological processes that are impacting the health of coral reef ecosystems, such as climate change, ocean acidification, increasing fishing pressure, and occurrences of disease, to inform their sustainable management. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Assessment of Physical Changes in Barrier Islands and Coastal Wetlands Associated with Hurricane Sandy Integrating wetland assessments with existing coastal-change hazard assessments for the adjacent dunes and beaches to create a more comprehensive look at coastal ecosystem vulnerability. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science)

Sea-level and Storm Impacts on Estuarine Environments and Shorelines (SSIEES) Assessing the physical controls of sediment and material exchange between wetlands and estuarine environments along the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound (CHIPS) Developing scientific information and tools to support natural resource managers in the adaptive management of nearshore habitats of Puget Sound. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Fire Island Coastal Change Understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the Fire Island barrier island system to determine coastal resiliency based on sand availability and nearshore oceanographic processes. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

San Francisco Bay Coastal System Identifying the physical processes and human influences that have resulted in significant structural changes to San Francisco Bay. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study)

Coastal Aquifer Project II (CAPII) Quantifying the relative role of ground water in the delivery of fresh water and nutrients to geologically distinct coastal areas. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Barrier Island Evolution Addressing the research gap between the short time scale of individual storms and the longer time scales associated with the historic and geologic evolution of coastal systems. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Advanced Remote Sensing Methods for Coastal Science and Management Developing algorithms for characterizing and classifying features on the seafloor using data collected by both airborne and underwater instrumentation Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

Coastal Model Applications and Field Measurements Field measurements, instrumentation and modeling applications for supporting coastal and marine research Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Geologic Hazards and Catastrophic Events (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats encompasses mapping activities and the development of new mapping systems and methodologies, with emphasis on the role of geologic processes in the evolution of habitats Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

New Approaches for Coastal Observatories Providing observations from the coastal ocean in real time for ocean prediction, environmental monitoring, and ocean-process studies. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments Finding solutions to environmental problems caused by sediment erosion and movement. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Applied Science), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Ocean Acidification Conducting research on ocean acidification in polar, temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions including the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Florida coastal estuaries. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

Coral Reef Community Calcification and Metabolism Forecasting and hind-casting the future and past response of coral reef calcification and growth to changes in seawater carbonate chemistry from pre-industrial time to the year 2100. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

Coral Microbial Ecology Studying of the relationship of coral-associated microorganisms to each other, the coral host, and to their environment. Research Theme(s): Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)

Pacific Coral Reef Geology and Oceanography Providing scientific understanding of the natural physical processes and human-induced impacts that critically influence the development and sustainability of U.S. coral reefs. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST) Studying complex physical and biological processes that are impacting the health of coral reef ecosystems, such as climate change, ocean acidification, increasing fishing pressure, and occurrences of disease, to inform their sustainable management. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Coastal Aquifer Project II (CAPII) Quantifying the relative role of ground water in the delivery of fresh water and nutrients to geologically distinct coastal areas. Research Theme(s): Ocean Resources for America's Needs (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems Quantifying estuarine processes through observations and numerical modeling Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Applied Science), Ocean Resources for America's Needs (National Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Applied Science)

Barrier Island Evolution Addressing the research gap between the short time scale of individual storms and the longer time scales associated with the historic and geologic evolution of coastal systems. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Regional Study), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Regional Study, Applied Science)

Assessment of Physical Changes in Barrier Islands and Coastal Wetlands Associated with Hurricane Sandy Integrating wetland assessments with existing coastal-change hazard assessments for the adjacent dunes and beaches to create a more comprehensive look at coastal ecosystem vulnerability. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (National Study, Regional Study, Applied Science)

Lidar for Science and Resource Management Utilizing multi-spectral remote sensing to study coastal-marine and terrestrial environments. Research Theme(s): Understanding Coastal Change (Applied Science), Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Science (Applied Science)