1 1.10 Application of estuarine and coastal classifications in marine ...

SYNOPSIS
Coastal and marine classifications, both spatially explicit in the form of maps and non-spatial
representations of the environment are critical to the effective implementation of management
strategies such as marine spatial planning. This chapter provides a wide range of classifications
and classified maps developed to simplify and communicate biological, physical, social and
economic patterns in support of enhanced management decision making. Examples are provided
from around the world and span a range of spatial scales from global classifications to those for
individual bays and estuaries. Limitations, future challenges and priority management needs are
discussed.
1.10.1 INTRODUCTION
In the coastal environment, ecological processes interact across land and sea to create
complex dynamic spatial patterns in physical, chemical, biological and socio-economic
attributes. The biophysical components (e.g., species, geology, climate, ocean circulation, etc.) of
coastal ecosystems provide the environmental template on which human activities occur and this
heterogeneity inevitably means that some places will be more productive, more diverse, more
stable, more commercially valuable, more susceptible to climate change or more resilient than
other areas. The widespread recognition that coastal environments are spatially heterogeneous
and are being adversely impacted by multiple stressors, many of which are directly related to
human activity, has reinforced the need for coordinated efforts to effectively monitor, assess and
judiciously manage ecosystems within a spatial framework (Crowder and Norse 2008). Here we
use the term “marine spatial management” to encompass a diverse range of management
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