ABSTRACT
Because of the large nutrient inœow from river water and the resuspension of decomposed organic matter in the bottom sediments, estuaries and fringe wetlands are considered among the world’s most productive ecosystems, making them critical habitats for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife to live, feed, and reproduce. It has been estimated that around 60% of the world’s human population lives along estuaries and near the coast (Lindeboom 2002), two areas that comprise only about 5% of the earth’s surface (Wolanski 2007). Although estuary regions constitute approximately 12.6% of the land area of the United States’ contiguous 48 states, 43% of the country’s population resides within them. This 43% make up 40% of the workforce, and produce 49% of the GDP of the U.S. economy (Colgan 2009). With the ascendance of late-industrial society, recreational aspects of the coastal zone have increased in relevance (Wilson and Farber 2008) and have served as a center for both shipping and commerce.
