How Does NOS Study Ecosystems?
NOS uses research, monitoring, and assessments to better understand, and manage, things that stress coastal ecosystems. The programs and projects that support this effort are lengthy. They span from broad ecosystem-wide and watershed-scale projects to microbiological and analytical chemistry projects that delve into DNA analysis and bio-chemical reactions. To synthesize the array of many science investigations on an ecosystem scale, NOS develops integrated assessments. These describe the ecosystem, assess its current condition or health, forecast future ecological health based on current management, and evaluate alternative management options and their consequences. • Coastal Oceans The coastal ocean encompasses a broad range of saltwater ecosystems, from estuaries and coral reefs to rocky shores and mangrove forests. NOS works to understand and anticipate changes in coastal ecosystems as they become stressed. For example, scientists from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
