Coastal and marine ecosystems: Potential Effects on U.S. Resources & Global climate change

This is the eighth in a series of Pew Center reports examining the potential impacts of climate change on the U.S. environment. It details the likely impacts of climate change over the next century on U.S. coastal and marine ecosystems, including estuaries, coral reefs, and the open ocean. Coordinator: Dr Victor Kennedy

• Temperature changes in coastal and marine ecosystems will influence organism metabolism and alter ecological processes such as productivity and species interactions.
• Changes in precipitation and sea-level rise will have important consequences for the water balance of coastal ecosystems.
• Climate change is likely to alter patterns of wind and water circulation in the ocean environment.
• Critical coastal ecosystems such as wetlands, estuaries, and coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

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