Understanding the Connections Between Coastal Waters and Ocean Ecosystem Services and Human Health discusses the connection of ecosystem services and human health. This report looks at the state of the science of the role of oceans in ensuring human health and identifies gaps and opportunities for future research. The report summarizes a workshop convened by the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. Participants discussed coastal waters and ocean ecosystem services in the United States in an effort to understand impacts on human health. Understanding the Connections Between Coastal Waters and Ocean Ecosystem Services and Human Health focuses on key linkages by discussing the ecosystem services provided by coastal waterways and oceans that are essential for human health and well-being; examining the major stressors that affect the ability of coastal waterways and ocean systems to provide essential services; and considering key factors that can enhance the resiliency of these systems.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE WORKSHOP ON UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COASTAL WATERS AND OCEAN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND HUMAN HEALTH
• ROUNDTABLE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES, RESEARCH, AND MEDICINE
• Reviewers
• 1. Introduction
  • AIMS OF THE WORKSHOP
  • STRUCTURE OF THE SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Conceptual Issues
  • UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
  • INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND MARINE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Stressors Impacting Coastal and Ocean Ecosystem Services and Human Health
  • RELATIONSHIPS AMONG STRESSORS, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, AND HUMAN HEALTH
  • FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING MARINE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND HUMAN HEALTH
  • A U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PERSPECTIVE ON STRESSORS IMPACTING COASTAL AND OCEAN SYSTEMS
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Seafood Supplies and Food Security
  • FISH, FISHERIES, AND FOOD SECURITY
  • PUTTING THE WORLD ON A FORK
  • AQUACULTURE: ENSURING A FUTURE SEAFOOD SUPPLY FOR A HEALTHY POPULATION AND ENVIRONMENT
  • NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND CO-BENEFITS
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Opportunities for Medicines
  • CURRENT AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR PHARMACEUTICALS FROM THE SEA
  • REFERENCES
• 6. Coastal Change and Human Health
  • THE ROLE OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS IN PROTECTING GULF COAST COMMUNITIES
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 7. Ensuring Benefits of Recreational Waters Through Monitoring
  • USE OF INDICATOR ORGANISMS TO ASSESS PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH RECREATIONAL USE OF NATURAL WATERS
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 8. New Approaches to Protect Ecosystem Services and Human Health
  • FRAMING OF MANAGEMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
  • PROTECTING WATER QUALITY: TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA
  • OPTIMIZING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL INCREASES IN HUMAN CONSUMPTION AND POPULATION GROWTH
  • DISCUSSION
  • REFERENCES
• 9. Closing Observations
  Paul A. Sandifer, Ph.D.
• APPENDIXES
  • A Workshop Agenda
  • B Speaker Biographical Sketches

Rapporteurs: Rose Marie Martinez and Erin Rusch.

This activity was supported by contracts between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (HHSN26300033), The Kresge Foundation, Colgate-Palmolive Company, ExxonMobil Foundation, and Royal Dutch Shell. The views presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the activity.

Suggested citation:

IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2014. Understanding the connections between coastal waters and ocean ecosystem services and human health: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

NOTICE: The workshop that is the subject of this workshop summary was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

This summary is based on the proceedings of a workshop that was sponsored by the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine. It is prepared in the form of a workshop summary by and in the name of the rapporteurs as an individually authored document.