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Maryland Coastal Bays Report Card 2009 (Page 1)

Maryland Coastal Bays Report Card 2009

Caroline Donovan, Heath Kelsey, Sara Powell, Melissa Andreychek ·
30 June 2010

The aim of this report card is to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of 2009 Coastal Bays health. Coastal Bays health is defined as the progressof four water quality indicators (TN, TP, Chl a, DO) and two biotic indicators (seagrass, hard clams) toward scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals. The six indicators are combined into one overarching Coastal Bays Health Index, which is presented as the report card score.

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Chesapeake Bay Report Card 2009 (Page 1)

Chesapeake Bay Report Card 2009

Caroline Donovan, Heath Kelsey, Sara Powell ·
18 May 2010

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of 2009 Chesapeake Bay habitat health. The overall health of Chesapeake Bay, assessed using water quality and biotic indicators, was the best it has been since 2002. The overall grade improved from C- in 2008 to C in 2009. Eight reporting regions had improved grades in 2009, four were unchanged, and two had slightly worse grades.

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Integrating and Applying Science: A handbook for effective coastal  ecosystem assessment (Page 1)

Integrating and Applying Science: A handbook for effective coastal ecosystem assessment

Longstaff BJ, Carruthers TJB, Dennison WC, Lookingbill TR, Hawkey JM, Thomas JE, Wicks EC, Woerner J ·
10 May 2010

Vast areas of the globe's coastal zone have experienced significant declines in ecosystem health. Deteriorating water quality, loss and alteration of vital habitats, and reduced populations of fish and shellfish are some of the major changes recorded. Establishing and running an effective assessment program is a complex process that necessitates strategic collaboration and partnerships between many individuals and agencies.

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A Guide to the Mid-Atlantic Tributary Report Cards (Page 1)

A Guide to the Mid-Atlantic Tributary Report Cards

Heath Kelsey, Emily Nauman, Sara Powell, Christine Thurber, Caroline Donovan ·
29 April 2010

A variety of organizations, both government and citizen-led, monitor the health of streams, rivers, and other waterbodies in the mid-Atlantic region. Recently, a number of groups concerned with the health of watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay region have begun to produce ecosystem health report cards much like EcoCheck’s annual Chesapeake Bay report card.

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Harmful Algae Impacts the Coast of Florida (Page 1)

Harmful Algae Impacts the Coast of Florida

Kris Beckert ·
13 April 2010

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in abundance and severity around the world in recent decades. Among coastal HABs, benthic cyanobacteria blooms, particularly Lyngbya spp., are becoming more numerous and persistent in tropical and subtropical environments. These species have become increasingly problematic in the near-shore waters of Florida, and it has been suggested that this may be in part caused by nutrient enrichment resulting from highly developed coastal habitats.

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2009 Magothy River Index (Page 1)

2009 Magothy River Index

17 February 2010

This report card is an assessment of the aquatic health of the Magothy River, which are based on data collected by the Magothy River Association and various partners. It reports the status of vital habitats and water quality in the Magothy during 2009 based on three different indicators.

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A hydrographic transient above the Salty Dawg hydrothermal field, Endeavour segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge

Kellogg JP and McDuff RE ·
2010

During systematic repeat hydrography cruises to the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the summers of 2004, 2005, and 2006, we encountered a transient increase in the water column heat content above the Salty Dawg hydrothermal field. First observed in July 2005 and mapped in greater detail in August 2005, this feature was not a typical event or megaplume since potential temperature anomalies were continuously elevated from the plume top to the seafloor.

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Chapter 10: Spatial analysis: Making maps and using spatial analyses

Kelsey RH and Longstaff BJ ·
2010

Although spatial analysis is technically a component of statistical analysis and environmental modeling, the important role it plays, or should play, in coastal assessment programs warrants specific attention in its own separate chapter. This chapter provides some of the basic principles for producing effective maps through to the process of undertaking complex spatial analyses.

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