OOS 77

Science at the Frontier of Understanding "Natural Infrastructure": Societal Benefits of Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

This session will focus on the many, varied benefits that healthy coastal ecosystems provide to people. This represents science at the frontier of the intersection of ecological and social science where multidisciplinary science is important for a full understanding of ecosystem services provided by coastal ecosystems. These services include climate mitigation benefits (carbon sequestration and storage), climate adaptation benefits (such as storm and erosion protection benefits), nutrient cycling, fishery support, and more. This session will discuss both the ecological functions and processes that provide these benefits to people, the valuation of these services, and some of the current or emerging opportunities to include these benefits in policy and decision making that could result in more coastal ecosystem conservation and help to make coastal communities more resilient in the face of climate change.