Description

In the United States, approximately two thirds of coastal rivers and bays are moderately to severely degraded by nutrient pollution. Rhode Island is in the formative stages of undertaking what many are calling a "grand experiment" in reducing nutrient input to the Narragansett Bay ecosystem, one of the best-studied estuaries in the world. This book sets the stage for conducting this experiment by compiling, within one volume, the best available science from preeminent experts on the Narragansett Bay ecosystem. Each chapter elucidates what is known about the various elements that make up the ecosystem, including interactions between biological, ecological, chemical and physical processes. The local approach adopted by this book provides managers with useful guidance and solutions, and at the same time it addresses the broader problem of coastal nutrient pollution.