Center for Coastal Resources Management

Research: Nearshore Habitats and Coastal Stressors

CCRM has been researching the effects of coastal stressors on nearshore habitats and biological communities for several years. These critical nearshore ecosystems serve as nursery and feeding grounds for many nekton and invertebrate species and given their proximity to upland activities, these communities may be particularly sensitive to changes in land use and developmental pressures.  Coastal Stressors include:

• Conversion of land to commercial or residential uses,

• Shoreline hardening and associated loss of intertidal habitat,

• Problems associated with development, such as stormwater runoff, vegetation removal, low dissolved oxygen and harmful algal blooms,

• Degradation of ecosystems from excess nutrients, sediments and contaminants; and

• Dredging or filling of important habitat.

Climate Change/Sea Level Rise Projects

	The Effects of Sea Level Rise on Tidal Wetlands in the Lynnhaven River Watershed
	Assessing the potential for climate-driven changes in Virginia's shallow tidal water habitats.
	Spring 2007 Seminar Presentation from "Sea Level Rise & Other Coastal Hazards: The Risks of Coastal Living"
	Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment - Research is examining how sea-level rise might affect local flooding and property values. (A CCRM subsite).
	Video Clips on Sea Level Rise (uses Real Player and Quicktime Player): Chesapeake Baywatch - Dr. Kirk Havens, VIMS - Sea-level rise in the Chesapeake Bay Sea-level Rise - Dr. Carl Hershner, VIMS 1 Mbps stream (best quality, but slowest download) 56 K (for dial-up modems)

Coastal Stressors Projects

	Ecosystem approaches to aquatic health assessment: linking subtidal habitat quality, shoreline condition and estuarine fish communities
	Estuarine & Great Lakes (EaGLe) Coastal Initiative - Atlantic Slope Consortium (ASC)
	Ghost Crabpots and Marine Debris
	Shallow water fish communities and coastal development stressors in the Lynnhaven River