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IAN Press is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.
Publications
Australia
Caribbean
Chesapeake Bay
Guam
War in the Pacific National Historical Park
Gulf of Mexico
Atchafalaya and Vermilion Bays
Mississippi and Atchafalaya Plume
Hawaii
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Kalaupapa National Historical Park
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site
Maryland
Maryland Coastal Bays
Mexico
Mid Atlantic
Antietam National Battlefield Park
Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park
Integration and Application Network
Monocacy National Battlefield Park
Mid West
North Atlantic
Kennebec and Androscoggin River
St. Croix River and Cobscook Bay
Pacific Coast
Bellingham and Padilla and Samish Bays
Central San Francisco and San Pablo and Suisun Bays
Palau
Panama
Philippines
Samoa
National Park of American Samoa
South Atlantic
St. Andrew and St. Simons Sounds
St. Catherines and Sapelo Sounds
St. Marys River and Cumberland Sound
South Caucasus
Virginia
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
West Virginia
agricultural aquatic assessment australia battlefield chesapeake bay chester climate change coastal coastal bays communication conceptual diagrams conference conservation coral creek dissolved oxygen document ecological ecosystem environmental estuarine federation fisheries flood forecast global habitat harbor harmful algal blooms health impacts indicators loading maps marine menhaden monitoring nitrogen nutrient ocean overall oyster park partners patuxent pollution predicted reef report card restoration river seagrass sediment solving spatially studies study threats tidal water quality watershed workshop zone
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2010 Summer Review 
Summer conditions for 2010 were influenced by above-average winter flow and below-average late spring and summer flow into the Bay. The timing of flow was important this year, in comparison to 2009, when the spatial pattern of flow into the Bay was important. Additionally, summer air temperatures in 2010 were above average, and combined with flow, can affect phytoplankton and fish in the Bay. 2010 summer conditions included below-average fish kills, less abundant sea nettles, and a smaller volume of low dissolved oxygen.
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Adapting to climate change
Maintaining ecosystem services for human well-being in the Verde Island Passage, Philippines
This report represents the climate change vulnerability assessment project conducted by Conservation International in the Verde Island Passage in 2009. It reviews the multiple impacts that threaten the marine biodiversity of this area, while focusing in particular on climate change effects. The Verde Island Passage has highly diverse coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows, as well as millions of people who rely on the health and sustainability of the marine resources for their livelihood.
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Living with the Sea: Local efforts buffer effects of global change
Produced by Conservation International in collaboration with the Integration & Application Network
Establishment of marine managed areas (MMAs) is a long-term investment in secure and sustainable ecosystems—secure for the people that depend on them for sustenance and livelihoods, sustainable in terms of the long-term persistence of habitats and species present. The goal of MMAs is to operate over timescales of multiple generations and deliver returns of increased diversity and abundance of native organisms and ecosystem resilience, as the expected return of ecosystem health and robustness can take decades. Living with the Sea examines the role of marine managed areas in restoring and sustaining healthy oceans, particularly the importance of local management efforts.
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People and Oceans: Managing marine areas for human well-being
Produced by Conservation International in collaboration with the Integration & Application Network
Author(s): Samonte G, Bunce Karrer L, Orbach M
Although much research has been done on the ecological benefits and challenges of marine resource management, comparatively little insight has been gained into the benefits and challenges of the human well-being aspects. This document addresses this gap by building on existing knowledge and synthesizing over 20 social science studies conducted over the past five years in 19 countries, involving over 35 scientists, and drawing on experiences in 52 marine managed areas (MMAs) worldwide.
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MMAs: What, why, and where
Produced by Conservation International in collaboration with the Integration & Application Network
Author(s): Orbach M, Bunce Karrer L
One approach to the development of better coastal and marine policy and management is the concept of marine managed areas (MMAs). A MMA is an area of ocean, or a combination of land and ocean, where all human activities are managed toward common goals. MMAs are a form of ecosystem-based management, where all elements—biophysical, human, and institutional—of a particular system are considered together. This document describes what MMAs are, why they are important, and where they are implemented.
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2010 Chesapeake Bay Forecast 
This summer it is predicted that the anoxic condition (no dissolved oxygen) in the Bay's mainstem will be moderately poor, with the average anoxic volume forecast to be 0.8 ± 0.3 km3. Compared to the previous 25 summers, 2010 could have the 5thsmallest anoxic volume if this prediction holds true.
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2009 Chesapeake Bay Summer Review
Produced by EcoCheck in collaboration with Chesapeake Bay Program's Tidal Monitoring and Analysis Workgroup.
Low winter and spring Susquehanna flow and loads led scientists to forecast smaller-than-average anoxia and hypoxia for 2009 summer season. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) were also forecasted to be less severe than usual, but still present. However, observed summer conditions were worse than what was predicted, due to higher precipitation amounts in Maryland and Virginia tributary watersheds compared to the Susquehanna River watershed, which falls mainly in Pennsylvania. HABs in the Bay were average this year, but interestingly, there was a large macroalgal bloom in Tangier Sound. Here we summarize summer conditions and offer some explanations as to why they may have occurred.
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Rock Creek Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment
Produced by the NPS National Capital Region Network and the Integration & Application Network.
Rock Creek Park (ROCR) is a forest and wetland oasis in the heart of Washington, D.C. A National Park Service natural resource condition assessment (NPS NRCA) was conducted using two synthetic frameworks: 1) an ecological monitoring framework, and 2) a habitat monitoring framework. Data metrics and thresholds were determined and monitoring data applied. This report is the result of the assessment and can be used by park management who are faced with many ecological challenges as a consequence of its urban surroundings.
** print copies are available - if you would like a copy, please send your name and mailing address to hawkey@umces.edu. **
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Report card for the Mesoamerican reef
Produced by the Healthy Reefs Initiative and the Integration and Application Network
This report describes the health of the Mesoamerican Reef by identifying key indicators and calculating an Integrated Reef Health Index. Additionally, it evaluates the human footprint and social well-being of the local community. Finally, it provides recommendations for government, NGOs, private, and research sectors for future work.
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2008 Chesapeake Bay Summer Review
Produced by EcoCheck in collaboration with Chesapeake Bay Program's Tidal Monitoring and Analysis Workgroup.
Several large river flow events during winter and spring were forecast to result in worse than average dissolved oxygen and harmful algal bloom conditions this summer. However, observed summer conditions were not as bad as predicted with dissolved oxygen levels being close to the long-term average and Potomac River harmful algal blooms (Microcystis) were relatively small and of shorter duration. These better than predicted levels may in part be attributed to the relatively dry summer. Despite the average mainstem Bay dissolved oxygen levels, harmful algal blooms and fish kills were reported in many of the Bays tributaries. Here we summarize summer conditions and offer some explanations as to why they may have occurred.
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About
"Writing crystallizes thought and thought produces action." Paul J. Meyer
Goals
A goal of IAN Press is to empower scientists to directly communicate their ideas and concepts. Publications from IAN Press are designed to transform the uninterested to interested; the interested to involved and the involved to engaged.
IAN Press products are designed to be examples of good science communication principles, and the hope is that others will employ these principles so that scientific understanding can be disseminated widely as possible. The production of IAN Press communication publications involves experimentation with communication techniques and, as such, provides various ideas for science communication that can be emulated.
The comparisons and contrasts that IAN Press provides on environmental subjects intend to stimulate scientists, managers, practitioners, policy makers, students and other readers to think more broadly and expansively about the region and issues that they face. The extensive use of visual elements accesses a broader cultural diversity as well, which allow for more global perspectives.
The conclusions and recommendations presented in IAN Press publications are crafted to empower actions, plant seeds of ideas and provide justification for people to take appropriate action to find solutions to environmental problems. The conclusions are made as explicit as possible by employing active titles and featuring them prominently (e.g., front section of books or back cover of newsletters).
On costs
IAN Press does not provide author royalties and the design and layout of the publications conducted by a talented team of Science Communicators is underwritten by various grants and contracts. Marketing is limited to the internet and word-of-mouth, also reducing costs. Thus, the price of IAN Press publications is solely to reimburse the actual printing costs entailed. The intent is to provide the broadest possible readership, thus keeping costs as low as possible is paramount. Typically, full color is used, virtually on every page, which does increase print costs, however, the use of color is a key element in providing accessible information to a wide audience and the lack of author royalties or design/layout charges.
Peer review
IAN Press undertakes a rigorous review process by both peer scientists and resource managers. In addition, Integration and Application Network Science Integrators and Science Communicators read, edit and review all aspects of IAN Press publications, including text, conceptual diagrams, photographs, maps, figures and tables. Many IAN Press publications are multi-authored, and each author contributes to the review and editing of the entire publication. This is not the classical peer review system of a limited number of anonymous reviewers working with an editor to recommend changes, rather a larger number of non-anonymous reviewers that develop consensus on each word, visual element and recommendation. The review process is often accelerated by IAN Press to accommodate timely publication.
Authorship
IAN Press attempts to be as authorship inclusive as possible and to provide attribution to each visual element. Authorship is not ranked or ordered, and the credibility of the IAN Press product should be based on the scientific data presented and the collective effort of a multiple of contributors, both with and without formal academic training.
Science Communicators are the key element in the production of IAN Press documents. They design the layout of the document, obtain and edit the visual elements, designate the amount and style of text, and orchestrate the review and editing process. IAN Press documents are produced using a 'storyboard' approach, in which the central message(s) are identified and various visual elements selected to support the central message(s). This is in contrast to the more traditional method of writing text and adding in visuals subsequently. In video and film production, storyboards are used and the producer is key to assembling the visual elements. Science Communicators serve in an equivalent role in terms of assembling all the pieces that go into the publication.
Color
IAN Press relies extensively on color for photographs, maps, conceptual diagrams, figures and even text and tables to a limited degree. The use of color allows for an increased data density and provides a bigger visual impact considering the amount of the human brain devoted to visual discrimination of colors. Color allows for greater discrimination of visual elements and in data presentation, a closer juxtaposition of different elements and greater comparative utility. The preponderance of color printers and the ability of electronic versions to be displayed in color promote the inexpensive dissemination of full color documents. In order to help color-blind people compensate, an effort is made to provide other visual clues in graphics, such as symbols with different shapes or map delineations with different shading or texture, but some of the visual impact will be compromised.
Audience
IAN Press does not target a narrow, specific audience, rather attempts to be as inclusive as possible. As the world becomes more specialized, with marketing forces that promote highly targeted advertising campaigns, IAN Press products attempt to reach the broadest audience possible. IAN Press attempts to raise the bar rather than dumb down the message by using non-technical language, defining all terms and reducing acronym use. By providing synthesis, visualizations and context, we feel that relatively sophisticated concepts can be grasped by a non-technical audience. In fact, science has become highly specialized and often the language, tools and approaches used in various scientific disciplines are relatively incomprehensible to specialists in other disciplines. Thus, one audience of IAN Press is scientists from other specialties to encourage inter-disciplinary thinking and approaches.
Why use print media?
With the growing popularity of electronic media, the carbon footprint involved in producing and distributing paper products, and the ability to provide infinite resources via the web, it could be argued that IAN Press should disseminate entirely via electronic means. While IAN Press provides downloadable, web accessible materials, IAN Press continues to produces written products for the following reasons:
- There is rigor and discipline required in producing science communication products that have limited 'real estate', that, is limited amounts of space to convey a message. A paper product maintains focus, while web links can lead to tangential issues. The priority setting required to establish the final layout and include various communication elements is important in conveying information. Fixed 'real estate' forces condensation, synthesis and integration. Every visual element is uniquely created for the purpose of conveying the specific information intended, rather than repurposed from other sources.
- The written product invites non-linear reading, and a quick scan allows readers to delve into the visual elements most interesting to them. If a reader is most attracted to photographs, maps, conceptual diagrams, or figures, they can migrate to these elements and the figure legends should be self explanatory. Alternatively, if reading text is the preferred way of obtaining information, the text is designed to be self sufficient. The juxtaposition of text and various visual elements also conveys important information, something that can be lost via hyperlinks on the web. In addition, electronic books with the current technology do not support color graphics.
- Since various IAN Press products are intended to inform a broad community from policy makers to the general public, the weight of scientific support that can be marshaled can be a factor in empowering people to action. In order to make an impact, the difference between hundreds of web pages and hundreds of printed pages is one reason to provide print versions of IAN products. In addition, internet access is not equally applied globally or socially, and in some societies and sectors of society, a written product provides a more accessible source, particularly through libraries and schools.
- Printed materials provide a 'time stamp', a fixed point of time when the data are assembled and the conclusions are reached. Rather than constantly updating the data and conclusions, drawing the line in the sand as to what is known at a particular time point is what printed products do. The shelf life of science communication products should be somewhat limited due to the increased scientific understanding based on ongoing research, yet the record of what is known, and when it is known, provides an important archival body of information.
- "The product drives the collaborative process"; in that the science communication product forces an intensely collaborative process of obtaining and refining visual elements, drafting and editing text, and experimenting with layout and design. While this collaborative process can be conducted with the production of web materials, print deadlines are a good way to insure timely delivery. In addition, to obtain buy-in from many scientists whose training and experience are in producing printed papers and books, printed copies are often necessary.