NOAA Coastal Storms Program

Ecological Impacts

Next Steps and Emerging Research

The rapid rate of development along the U.S. coastline is leading to increased impervious surface and runoff, which will continue to degrade the quality of spawning, rearing, and migratory habitats for fish. In light of this, scientists have identified priority areas for new research, modeling, and risk assessment. Advances in each of these areas will substantially improve the scientific foundation for sustaining fish populations and the ecosystems that support them.

Priority Research

  • Indirect effects of contaminated stormwater on coastal and aquatic ecosystems.
  • Indirect effects on fish populations may include disease susceptibility or diminished food supply.
  • Cumulative impacts and multiple stressors on aquatic species and communities. Studies often focus on just one contaminant when, in reality, fish and other species are exposed to multiple pollutants and stressors simultaneously.
  • Effects of degraded water quality on species’ populations. Research may examine how exposure to polluted stormwater affects the reproductive success of individuals, particularly of threatened and endangered species.
 

Modeling and Risk Assessment

Image of fishing boats

Fishing boats indicate one of the many uses of coastal areas by humans.

  • Forecasting the impact of climate change on habitat quality.  Increases in storm frequency and intensity will lead to increases in stormwater runoff.
  • Applying geospatial technology to identify at-risk coastal habitats and populations.
  • Geospatial tools allow for transparent analyses at the ecosystem scale, as well as local or regional scales.
  • Modeling the reproductive success of individuals in a population. Models contribute to forecasting future extinction risks associated with nonpoint source pollution at a community and ecosystem scale.
  • Forecasting the impact of coastal development and human population growth on aquatic ecosystems. Forecasts may assist in strategic conservation and recovery planning for vulnerable coastal habitats.