In temperate marine ecosystems, loss of biogenic habitat (i.e., habitat formed by the growth and architecture of particular species) has contributed to declines in fish and invertebrate popilations and loss of species diversity. In estuarine ecosystems, habitat provisioning by eelgrass (Zostero marina) is critical to maintaining the ecological roles played by these estuaries as nursery and foraging habitats.
In the presence of naturally varying tides and storm conditions, intertidal organisms occupy certain ranges, or zones, within intertidal areas. These zones vary in width and location depending on local topography and wave/tide reach. As sea levels change and storm conditions intensify with climate change, these zones will be altered in location, with some organisms occupying new territory and others potentially being excluded from certain areas due to lack of habitat. The intertidal monitoring program LIMPETS is tracking occupied zones over time, comparing their new records (collected by high school students) with records collected over the last 30+ years by Dr. John Pearse of UC Santa Cruz.
Number of conservation and restoration projects. The presence of these types of projects may indicate both social commitment to the environment and changing environmental quality.
The Ecological Footprint (EF) is a measure of the amount of biological productive land and sea area are required to meet the consumption and waste production patterns of a population or human process.
Extent of floodplain restoration and connection between channel and floodplain. Both the absolute amount of protection and restoration and the proportion of the historic area are informative.
Flow pattern variability / alteration (both important seasonally and annually). Ecosystems depend on natural flow patterns and variability. High flows are needed to move sediment and re-work riparian and floodplain areas.
Sufficient flows and timing of flows for maintaining historically-present native fish. Native fish, including anadromous species, need sufficient in-stream water to complete life-cycles, forage, disperse, seek thermal refuge, and escape predation.
Forest land conversion: Total acreage over time. When forests are converted to housing and other developments, many environmental qualities will be negatively impacted.
Proportion of watershed covered by impenetrable materials such as roads, parking lots, and buildings preventing water from leaching directly into the soil. The greater the proportion of watershed with impervious surfaces, the greater the likelihood of geomorphic processes and conditions being degraded due primarily to modifications of stormwater runoff dynamics.
Proportion of watershed covered by impenetrable materials such as roads, parking lots, and buildings preventing water from leaching directly into the soil. Water quality is affected by impervious surface development in watersheds. The more impervious surfaces are developed, the greater the chance that water quality will be degraded.
