IAN 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.

2020 Mississippi River Watershed Report Card (Page 1)

2020 Mississippi River Watershed Report Card

Kimberly Lutz, Frank Morton, Bob Beduhn, Joan Freitag, Stephen Gambrell, Steve Mathies, Dan Mecklenborg, Michael Reuter, David Simmons, Larry Weber (Chair), Heath Kelsey, Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen, Katie May Laumann, Steven Guinn, Sky Swanson, Jane Hawkey. and AWI Board of Directors: Kimberly Lutz, AWI Executive Director Bob Beduhn, HDR Inc. Sean Duffy Sr., Big River Coalition Joan C. Freitag, Hanson Professional Services Stephen Gambrell, Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association Teri Goodmann, City of Dubuque, Iowa Steve Mathies, Stantec Consulting Services Dan Mecklenborg, Ingram Barge Company Frank Morton, Turn Services LLC Rachel Orf, National Corn Growers Association Michael Reuter, The Nature Conservancy Rainy Shorey, Caterpillar, Inc. Robert “Bob” Sinkler, Streamside Systems Inc, and Dawson & Associates BG (Ret.) C. David Turner, American Water Military Services Group Kirsten Wallace, Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Larry Weber, University of Iowa ·
10 December 2020

Stretching across 31 US states and 2 Canadian provinces, America’s Watershed benefits millions of people and thousands of communities. It supports our many economic activities while remaining a natural and recreational treasure of global importance.

Read more

Coral reef condition : A status report for U.S. Coral Reefs (Page 1)

Coral reef condition : A status report for U.S. Coral Reefs

Donovan EC, Towle E, Kelsey RH, Allen M, Barkley H, Besemer N, Blondeau J, Eakin M, Edwards K, Enochs I, Fleming C, Geiger E, Grove LJ, Groves S, Johnson M, Johnston M, Kindinger T, Manzello D, Miller M, Oliver T, Samson J, and Viehman S. ·
11 November 2020

Pacific and Atlantic data from 2012–2018 indicate that U.S. coral reefs are in fair condition. Most themes did not meet their historical references, meaning they are moderately to very impacted. There are exceptions, but overall, the data suggest that reefs are vulnerable to further decline due to threats from ocean warming and acidification, coral disease, and fishing impacts. Download the document to learn more about U.S. Coral Reef condition.

Read more

2020 Status Report Scoring Methodology for Atlantic Jurisdictions (Page 1)

2020 Status Report Scoring Methodology for Atlantic Jurisdictions

Donovan EC, Towle EK, Blondeau J, Eakin M, Edwards K, Edwards P, Enochs I, Fleming C, Formel N, Geiger E, Gorstein M, Grove J, Groves S, Johnson M, Kelsey RH, Manzello D, Miller N, and Viehman S ·
6 November 2020

The primary purpose of this document is to describe the scoring process used for all the Atlantic jurisdictions: Florida, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), Puerto Rico, and the Flower Garden Banks.

Read more

Lower Kafue River Basin Report Card (Page 1)

Lower Kafue River Basin 2019 Report Card

Simon Costanzo, Heath Kelsey, Annie Carew, Emily Nastase, Brianne Walsh ·
5 October 2020

The first-ever Lower Kafue River Basin Report Card examines the health of the Kafue River in Zambia. Sixteen indicators in five categories were assessed across seven regions within the basin. The basin received a moderate score of 49, a C, illustrating that some regions of the basin are in better condition than others. This report card includes a detailed summary of the process and indicators as well as proposed management interventions and strategic actions to improve basin and river health.

Read more

Unfamiliar Territory: Emerging Themes for Ecological Drought Research and Management (Page 1)

Unfamiliar Territory: Emerging Themes for Ecological Drought Research and Management

Crausbay SD, Betancourt J, Bradford J, Cartwright J, Dennison WC, Dunham J, Enquist CAF, Frazier AG, Hall KR, Littell JS, Luce CH, Palmer R, Ramirez AR, Rangwala I, Thompson L, Walsh BM, Carter S ·
2020

Novel forms of drought are emerging globally, due to climate change, shifting teleconnection patterns, expanding human water use, and a history of human influence on the environment that increases the probability of transformational ecological impacts. These costly ecological impacts cascade to human communities, and understanding this changing drought landscape is one of today’s grand challenges.

Read more

Western Lake Erie Report Card (Page 1)

Western Lake Erie 1st Report Card

Alexandra Fries, Brianne Walsh, Annie Carew ·
14 August 2020

About one-third of the total population of the Great Lakes Basin lives within the Lake Erie Watershed. The lake provides drinking water for 11 million residents and is home to one of the largest freshwater commercial and recreational fisheries in the world. The lake and surrounding areas provide many recreational opportunities, such as camping, kayaking, boating, hiking, birding, and fishing, and are vital to the economy of the region.

Read more

Evaluating Transdisciplinary Approaches (Page 1)

Evaluating Transdisciplinary Approaches

Emily Nastase, Heath Kelsey, Bill Dennison, Max Hermanson, Katie May Laumann, Sky Swanson ·
28 July 2020

The Evaluating Transdisciplinary Approaches Workshop was convened by the Belmont Forum at the National Science Foundation and facilitated by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Alexandria, VA, USA on 26–28 June 2019. Participants of the workshop are part of a growing community of transdisciplinary research supporters and practitioners. Their efforts contribute to our fundamental and applied understanding of complex systems.

Read more

Anthropogenic, Direct Pressures on Coastal Wetlands (Page 1)

Anthropogenic, Direct Pressures on Coastal Wetlands

Newton A, Icely J, Cristina S, Perillo GME, Turner RE, Ashan D, Cragg S, Luo Y, Tu C, Li Y, Zhang H, Ramesh R, Forbes DL, Solidoro C, Béjaoui B, Gao S, Pastres R, Kelsey RH, Taillie D, Nguyen Nhan N, Brito AC, Lima RD, Kuenzer C ·
2020

Coastal wetlands, such as saltmarshes and mangroves that fringe transitional waters, deliver important ecosystem services that support human development. Coastal … wetlands are complex social-ecological systems that occur at all latitudes, from polar … regions to the tropics. This overview covers wetlands in five continents. The wetlands … are of varying size, catchment size, human population and stages of economic … development.

Read more