ReefLink Database
Topic List & Glossary
The Topic List and Glossary provides a list of all topic areas in the database, organized by DPSIR category. Definitions of each topic reflect its usage within the database, often as a category or sub-category for related topics. Use the keyword search to locate specific topics. Topics may be sorted hierarchically by DPSIR category, or alphabetically. Click any topic to navigate to database information, including concept maps, scientific citations, management options, and laws.
| Category | Topic | Definition | Synonyms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Agriculture | The Agriculture Sector includes both animal and crop production. Establishments primarily include farms, ranches, feedlots, orchards, and greenhouses (NAICS 2007). | Food & Raw Materials, Agricultur, Farm, Animal Production, Crop Production |
| Driver | Aquaculture | The Aquaculture sector is involved in the raising and production of aquatic animals and plants in controlled environments (NAICS 2007). | Food & Raw Materials, Aquaculture, fish farm, mariculture, seafarm, coral farm, oyster farm, grouper farm, |
| Driver | Aquarium & Pet Trade | Aquarium and Pet Trade involves the preservation and exhibition of aquatic species for public view or individual hobbies, and the sale of animals (NAICS 2007). | Tourism & Recreation, Aquarist, Ornamental fish, ornamental reef, marine ornamental, ornamental aquari, aquarium trade, aquaria, exhibition tank, aquarium fish, ornamental species, aquarium collectors, aquarium-fish, aquarium-fish, aquarium reef, saltwater aquarium, |
| Driver | Artisanal Fishing | Artisanal fishing or fisheries describe small scale commercial or subsistence fishing practices, particularly those using traditional techniques such as fishing rods, arrows, or traditional fishing boats. | Fishing Sector, |
| Driver | Banks, Credit, & Securities | Banks, Credit, and Securities are subsectors primarily engaged in financial transactions, including raising funds, making loans, and purchasing securities. | Finance & Insurance, Financ, |
| Driver | Beaches & Nature Parks | Beaches, Conservation Lands, and Nature Parks deals with the beautification and upkeep of outdoor areas for recreation, tourism, environmental protection, or aesthetic value, including their establishment, operation, and maintenance. | Tourism & Recreation, Nature Park, Conservation Land, beaches, sandy beach, beach go, beach-go, beach holiday, use the beach |
| Driver | Biotechnology Research & Development | Biotechnology Research and Development involves the study of coral reef organisms and cellular and biomolecular processes to develop pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. | Medical Care, medical application, medical equipment, Biotechnology, |
| Driver | Broadcasting, Publishing, & Libraries | Broadcasting, Publishing, and Libraries sectors include the preparation, distribution or sale, and storage of written, visual, and spoken content in print or on television, radio, or motion pictures (NAICS 2007). | Education & Information, |
| Driver | Building & Home Construction | Building and Home Construction includes sectors that construct commercial buildings and residences, and may include new construction, additions, or alterations. | Civil Engineering & Construction, build houses, housing construction, Building Construction, Home Construction, Home building, |
| Driver | Civil Engineering & Construction | Civil Engineering and Construction specializes in the design and construction of infrastructure, including buildings and homes, roads, utility lines, and ports. | Infrastructure, Civil Engineering, Construction project, Building & Home Construction, Coastal Engineering, Land-Based Civil Engineering, |
| Driver | Coal Mining | The Mining Industry consists of the operation of mines, quarries, and wells, and the extraction of natural resources, such as solid and liquid minerals and gases, from the earth (NAICS 2007). Coal mining removes coal from the ground, valued for energy production. | Mining, Coal Min, coal, coal-waste, coal-bearing, coal burning, |
| Driver | Coastal Defense | Coastal Defense is the protection of the country's coastline, including the Coast Guard and federal, state, or local agencies involved in coastal law enforcement. | Security, Coastal Defense, Coast Guard, Navy, |
| Driver | Coastal Engineering | The Coastal Engineering sector is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of engineering projects along the coast, including ports, harbors, docks, and marinas needed by boats, ships, and other water transportation, as well as to facilitate recreational activities (such as fishing and diving). | Civil Engineering & Construction, Coastal Engineering, Docks & Marinas, Ports & Harbors, |
| Driver | Commercial Fisheries | Commercial Fisheries harvest fish and invertebrates for commercial profit, including sale of consumable finfish and shellfish, as well as other marine products, such as sponges. | Fishing Sector, Commercial Fisher, commericial fish, commercially important species, commercial and recreational fish, commercially valuable, commercial fishing industry, industrial fishing, |
| Driver | Commercial Fishing Boats | Commercial Fishing Boats includes industries that operate fishing boats to harvest and transport aquatic species for commercial profit. | Water Transportation, commercial fishing vessels, commercial vessel, Commercial Fishing Boat, |
| Driver | Cruise Ships | The Cruise Ship industry utilizes large ships to transport tourists between coastal locations, providing food, entertainment, and accommodation. | Water Transportation, Cruise Ship, coral princess |
| Driver | Culture | Culture sectors contribute to the social, emotional, and intellectual well-being of the community. Sectors include social organizations, tourism, recreation, education, and information. | Sectors Filling Human Needs, Education & Information, Social Organizations, Tourism & Recreation, |
| Driver | Dam Construction & Maintenance | Dam Construction involves the construction and maintenance of dams in order to block and retain flowing water, or alter water flow for hydroelectric power generation. | Land-Based Civil Engineering, dam, Dam Construction, reservoir, |
| Driver | Dive, Snorkeling, & Swimming Tourism | The Dive, Snorkeling, and Swimming Tourism sector includes businesses that provide equipment, instruction, and location to allow tourists to swim, snorkel, and SCUBA dive. | Tourism & Recreation, Dive boat, Snorkeling, Recreational Swimming, Diving, recreational SCUBA div, snorkel, recreational div, sport div, dive tour, liveaboard dive, diving enthusiasts, |
| Driver | Docks & Marinas | Docks and marinas are coastal structures that facilitate operation and storage of boats. | Coastal Engineering, docks, Marina, Pilings, |
| Driver | Drinking Water Supply | The Drinking Water Supply subsector includes the drinking water systems that provide drinking water, including treatment and supply using aqueducts, pumping stations, distribution mains. | Water, drinking water, potable water, Drinking Water Supply, |
| Driver | Education & Information | The Education and Information sectors consists of schools, colleges, instruction and training programs that provide instruction in various subjects, organizations that conduct scientific research, and organizations that collect and distribute information (NAICS 2007). | Culture, Broadcasting, Publishing, & Libraries, Internet & Telecommunications, Scientific Research, Schools & Colleges |
| Driver | Entertainment & Accommodation Services | Entertainment and Accommodation Services are businesses that provide attractions, lodging, and food services for tourists, and to some degree for local residents. Businesses include hotel and food services, boat and car rental services, and recreational attractions such as golf courses, museums, and nature parks. | Tourism & Recreation, Golf Course Operations, Hotel & Food Services, Museums, Amusement Parks, Historical Sites, Travel Services & Tour Operators |
| Driver | Finance & Insurance | The Finance and Insurance sector is primarily involved in financial transactions and facilitating such financial transactions. This sector includes banks, credit unions, credit card companies, stock brokerages, investment funds, and insurance companies. | Infrastructure, Banks, Credit, & Securities, Insurance |
| Driver | Fishing Sector | The Fishing Sector includes the harvesting of fish for food and recreation. It includes retail goods & services related to recreational and artisanal fishing, as well as commercial fisheries. | Food & Raw Materials, Fishing Sector, Fishery, fisheries, Subsistence fish, seafood consumption, Artisanal Fishing, Commercial Fisheries, Recreational Fishing |
| Driver | Food & Raw Materials | The Food and Raw Materials sector includes groups that harvest natural resources from the earth, including agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and the oil and gas industry (NAICS 2007). | 0, Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fishing Sector, Forestry, Mining, Oil & Gas Industry |
| Driver | Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Products | Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Products is a subsector of the Manufacturing and Trade sector. This subsector deals with the production, distribution, and sale of food, beverages, and tobacco products. | Manufacturing & Trade, Beverage, Tobacco, Food Industry, |
| Driver | Forestry | The Forestry sector specializes in harvesting of wood resources for fuel, wood, and paper products, and often implements practices that will sustain resources, such as reforestation. | Food & Raw Materials, Forestry, timber, logging, |
| Driver | Golf Course Operations | The Golf Course Operations subsector of the Entertainment and Accommodation Services sector consists of establishments that operate golf courses, including country clubs that also offer dining and other recreational facilities. | Entertainment & Accommodation Services, Golf Course, Golfing, Golf club, |
| Driver | Health | The Health sector includes groups which provide for human health through medical and social care, and maintenance and disposal of waste. Sectors include medical care, social assistance, and waste management. | , Medical Care, Social Assistance |
| Driver | Hotel & Food Services | The Hotel and Food Services subsector of Entertainment and Accommodation Services provides accommodations, restaurants, and similar services for tourism and local recreation. | Entertainment & Accommodation Services, Hotel, Food Services, Restaurant, resort, Hotel, |
| Driver | Housing | Housing is a subsector of the Shelter Sector. It includes specialty trade construction of single family and multi-unit housing, household products, household retail, and real estate businesses (realtors, appraisers, etc). | Shelter, house, home owner, household, houses, homes, villages, Housing, Apartment |
| Driver | Infrastructure | Infrastructural sectors provide the physical, organizational, and technical support for the economy to function, including construction, utilities, transportation, finance, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and technical services. | Socio-Economic Drivers, Infrastructure, Civil Engineering & Construction, Finance & Insurance, Manufacturing & Trade, Technical Services, Transportation, Utilities, |
| Driver | Insurance | The insurance subsector includes brokers and agents engaged in selling annuities and insurance policies to pool risk, including health insurance, life insurance, and property insurance. | Finance & Insurance, insurance company, insurance industry, flood insurance, |
| Driver | Internet & Telecommunications | Internet and Telecommunications sectors deal with the operation of facilities that allow for transmission of data, video, sound, voice, and text, over the internet or telephone lines for the purpose of communication (NAICS 2007). | Utilities, online tool, Telecommunication, Internet, |
| Driver | Irrigation | Irrigation is needed for Agriculture, and involves the treatment and supply of water for irrigation purposes using aqueducts, pumping stations, and distribution mains. | Water, Irrigation, |
| Driver | Land & Air Transportation | Land and Air Transportation involves transportation of goods and people by either land or air. This subsector includes road, rail, air, and mass transit. | Transportation, airport, airfield, Land Transport, Air Transport |
| Driver | Land-Based Civil Engineering | Land-Based Civil Engineering includes the design, construction, and maintenance of engineering projects that provide physical public infrastructure, including highways, dams, and utility lines. | Civil Engineering & Construction, Civil Engineering, Dam Construction & Maintenance, Road Construction & Maintenance, Utility Line Construction & Maintenance |
| Driver | Landscaping & Household Services | Household and Landscaping Services are subsectors that provide for the maintenance of homes, buildings, and urban landscapes. This subsector includes landscaping, lawn care, maintenance services, gardening, and cleaning services. | Shelter, home garden, household service, Landscaping, |
| Driver | Large Ships | Large Ships includes commercial shipping and the military, which operate large watercraft for transportation of goods or people. | Water Transportation, Large Ship, shipping industry, naval ship, aircraft carrier, navy ship, |
| Driver | Manufacturing & Trade | Industries in the Manufacturing and Trade subsector produce and sell food, beverage, tobacco, wood, plastics, chemical products, metals, electronics, and machinery products, in both wholesale and retail trade. | Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade, Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Products, Metals, Electronics, & Machinery Products, Wholesale & Retail Trade, Wood, Plastics, & Chemical Products, |
| Driver | Medical Care | The Medical Care subsector of the Health sector includes the manufacturing of medical equipment, the operation of medical centers, biomedical research, and the production and sale of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. | Health, medical attention, medical biography, Medical Care, Medical Assistance, Biotechnology Research & Development, Medical Centers, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics, |
| Driver | Medical Centers | Medical centers are concerned with providing professional care and shelter to the sick and injured, as well as routine medical services to the public. | Medical Care, Medical Center, Hospital |
| Driver | Metals, Electronics, & Machinery Products | Metals, Electronics, and Machinery Products is a subsector of the Manufacturing and Trade sector, and includes the manufacture and sale of electronics and electric equipment, medical equipment, machinery, motor vehicles, and primary and fabricated metals products. | Manufacturing & Trade, smelting, Machinery, Electronics, |
| Driver | Military | The Military is authorized by the government to use force in order to defend its country, and includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, as well as organizations involved in the manufacturing and supply of military equipment. | Security, Military, Navy, Army, Armed Forces, Air Force, |
| Driver | Mineral, Rock, & Metal Mining | The Mining Industry consists of the operation of mines, quarries, and wells, and the extraction of natural resources, such as solid and liquid minerals and gases, from the earth (NAICS 2007). Mineral and metal mining includes extraction of geological materials such as limestone or rock salt, and metals such as gold or copper. | Mining, Ore-process, gold mine, mineral min, metal min, platinum min, iron ore, gold min, |
| Driver | Mining | The Mining Industry consists of the operation of mines, quarries, and wells, and the extraction of natural resources, such as solid and liquid minerals and gases, from the earth (NAICS 2007). This sector includes coal, mineral and metal mining. | Food & Raw Materials, mining compan, mining operat, mining corporat, mining activit, Coal Mining, Mineral, Rock, & Metal Mining |
| Driver | Museums, Amusement Parks, Historical Sites | Industries involved in the Museums, Amusement Parks, and Historical Sites subsector of the Entertainment and Accommodation Services sector preserve and exhibit objects, sites, and natural wonders of historical, cultural, and educational value, and operate amusement parks for public entertainment. | Entertainment & Accommodation Services, Museum, Historical Site, Amusement Park, |
| Driver | Natural Gas & Electric Power | Natural Gas and Electric Power Utilities are involved in the extraction of natural gases from the earth, the generation and transmission of electric power, and the provision of natural gas and electric power to the general public (NAICS 2007). | Utilities, Electric Power, Natural Gas |
| Driver | Oil & Gas Industry | The Oil and Gas Industry specializes in the finding of natural resources such as crude petroleum and natural gas, and the creation, maintenance, and operation of wells to extract the oil and gas from the earth and prepare it for sale (NAICS 2007). | Food & Raw Materials, Oil Industr, Gas Industr, oil Drilling, offshore Drilling, Oil & Gas Research & Exploration, Oil & Gas Rigs, Oil & Gas Tankers, Pipelines |
| Driver | Oil & Gas Research & Exploration | Oil and Gas Research and Exploration includes the search by petroleum geologists and geophysicists for hydrocarbon deposits beneath the Earth's surface, such as oil and natural gas, as well as research into technologies for the identification and extraction of the oil and gas. | Oil & Gas Industry, Oil Research, Oil Exploration, Gas Research, Gas Exploration, gas explorat, |
| Driver | Oil & Gas Rigs | Oil and Gas Rigs are the apparatus used to support drilling for natural oil and gas (both on land and off-shore). | Oil & Gas Industry, Oil Rig, Oil Platform, Gas Rig, Gas Platform |
| Driver | Oil & Gas Tankers | Oil and Gas Tankers deal with the bulk transport of gas and oil by ships. | Water Transportation, Oil Tanker, Gas Transport, Gas Tanker, Oil Transport |
| Driver | Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics | Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics industries are engaged in manufacturing drugs, medicines and related products for human or animal use. | Medical Care, hydroxyapatite, medicine, medical use, biomedical, medicinal products, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic, Cosmeceutical |
| Driver | Pipelines | Pipelines are constructed and used to transport oil and gas from source wells to market. | Transportation, Pipeline, |
| Driver | Ports & Harbors | Ports and harbors are coastal areas or structures, generally near deep water, which facilitate loading and unloading of large ships. | Coastal Engineering, Harbor *, Harbor., Harbour devel, harbour construct, port maintenance, |
| Driver | Public Administration | Public Administration includes government institutions that administer, oversee, and manage governmental programs. It includes the administration of economic programs, environmental quality, housing and urban development, public health, human resources, justice and public order, and space research and technology. | Security, Public Administration, Public Health Administration |
| Driver | Recreational Fishing | Recreational Fishing includes the activity of tourists and residents fishing for enjoyment, as well as the associated establishments, equipment, location, and/or instruction needed to support their activities. | Tourism & Recreation, Recreational Fish, sport fishing, sport-fishing, sportfishing, recreationally valuable, recreationally and commercially valuable, recreationally important fish, recreationally important species, recreationally and commercially important, recreational spearfishing, recreational linefish, recreational and commercial fish, recreational and commercial fish, |
| Driver | Road Construction & Maintenance | Road Construction includes constructions of roads, highways, interstates, airport runways, and other physical infrastructure to aid transportation. | Land-Based Civil Engineering, road buil, build road, Road Construction, |
| Driver | Schools & Colleges | Schools and Colleges sectors consist of institutions whose primary purpose is to educate students, including secondary schools, universities, and trade schools. | Education & Information, primary school, secondary school, classroom, universities, colleges, |
| Driver | Scientific Research | Scientific Research sectors consist of researching and conducting investigations and experiments in a systematic manner for the sake of knowledge and advancement (NAICS 2007). | Education & Information, |
| Driver | Sectors Filling Human Needs | Many socio-economic sectors are devoted to fulfilling basic Human Needs for food, shelter, health, social relations, culture, and security(Hassan et al. 2005). | 0, Culture, |
| Driver | Security | The Security Sector provides security to the country and its people effectively and under democratic principles. This sector includes the security and justice apparatus and the relevant civilian bodies responsible for its management. | , Coastal Defense, Military, Munitions, Public Administration |
| Driver | Sewage Treatment | Sewage Treatment is a subsector of the Waste Management sector. Industries in this subsector collect, treat, and dispose of sewage in sewage treatment facilities. | Waste Management, Sewage Treatment, Wastewater Treatment |
| Driver | Shelter | Shelter includes sectors that provide for the comfort and protection of humans in relation to their living spaces. Subsectors include housing, textiles and apparel, household and landscaping services, and building and home construction. | , Building & Home Construction, Housing, Landscaping & Household Services, Textiles & Apparel |
| Driver | Shipping, Storage, & Warehousing | Shipping, Warehousing, and Storing pertains to the transportation and safe storage of goods for wholesale or retail trade. | Transportation, Shipping, Warehous |
| Driver | Small Boats | Small Boats includes the provision, maintenance, and operation of small, privately owned boats used for recreation, fishing, tours, or other purposes. | Water Transportation, yacht, Small Boat, fishing boat, diving boat, dive boat, watercraft |
| Driver | Social Assistance | The Social Assistance subsector of the Health sector provides social assistance directly to clients at social assistance centers. This subsector includes services for youth, the elderly, the disabled, communities, and emergencies. | Health, grants program, Social Assistance |
| Driver | Social Organizations | Social Organizations are devoted to improving social well-being, and include churches, grant making organizations, and charities. | Culture, church, religious, spiritual, Environmental Education Foundation, volunteer program, conservation volunteer, volunteer labor, not-for-profit org, Community based monitor, project volunteer, Oceans Foundation, community volunteer, community volunteer, earthwatch, civic, |
| Driver | Socio-Economic Drivers | Socio-Economic Drivers include the sectors that fulfill human needs for Food & Raw Materials, Water, Shelter, Health, Culture, and Security, and the Infrastructure that supports the sectors. Socio-Economic Drivers were derived from the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. | DPSIR, Infrastructure, |
| Driver | Solid Waste Disposal | Solid Waste Disposal is a subsector of the Waste Management sector. This subsector deals with the safe collection, treatment, and disposal of garbage. | Waste Management, Solid Waste Disposal, Landfill, Trash Disposal, |
| Driver | Souvenir & Decorative Trade | The Souvenir and Decorative Trade is involved in producing and selling souvenirs and novelty decorative items, including those derived from marine products. | Tourism & Recreation, Souvenir, Decorative Trade, decorative or, jewellery industry |
| Driver | Stormwater Management | Stormwater management are practices to control the quantity and quality of stormwater discharges in order to reduce flooding, erosion, and stormwater runoff of contaminants into the environment. Actions may include establishing storm drains, stormwater collection, bioretention, or efforts to reduce or improve impervious surfaces. | Waste Management, |
| Driver | Textiles & Apparel | Textiles and Apparel is a subsector of the Shelter Sector. Industries in this subsector manufacture yarn or fabric into clothing or practical items such as sheets and towels. This sector also includes the manufacture and trade of jewelry. | Shelter, Textiles, Apparel, Clothing, Clothes |
| Driver | Tourism & Recreation | Tourism & Recreation sectors operate facilities and provide services for the varied cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests of residents and tourists. This sector consists of producing and promoting exhibits and events intended for the public and the operation of facilities for recreational activities, including the aquarium and pet trade, entertainment services, and accommodations. | Culture, Recreation, Tourism, tourist, Aquarium & Pet Trade, Beaches & Nature Parks, Cruise Ships, Dive, Snorkeling, & Swimming Tourism, Entertainment & Accommodation Services, Recreational Fishing, Souvenir & Decorative Trade |
| Driver | Transportation | The Transportation Sector involves comprises all modes of transportation (Aviation, Maritime, Mass Transit, Highway, Freight Rail, and Pipeline) The Transportation Systems Sector is segmented into six key subsectors, or modes, which operate independently within both a regulated and non-regulated environment, yet are also highly interdependent. Such interdependence is a defining characteristic of the transportation system. The six modes - Aviation, Maritime, Mass Transit, Highway, Freight Rail, and Pipeline - all contribute to transporting people, food, water, medicines, fuel, and other commodities. The combined efforts of the modes play an important role in maintaining the public health, safety, and economic well-being of our Nation. Yet, each does so with unique characteristics, operating models, responsibilities, and stakeholders. | Infrastructure, Land & Air Transportation, Pipelines, Shipping, Storage, & Warehousing, Water Transportation |
| Driver | Travel Services & Tour Operators | The Travel Services and Tour Operators subsector of the Entertainment and Accommodation Services sector provides travel arrangements, reservations, boat and car rentals, and guided tours for tourists. | Entertainment & Accommodation Services, Travel Service, Tour Guide, Tour operator, Convention & Visitors Centers |
| Driver | Utilities | Utilities specialize in providing basic services for public use, including telecommunications, water systems, natural gas, electric power, and waste management. | Infrastructure, Alternative Energy Sources, Internet & Telecommunications, Natural Gas & Electric Power, Utility Line Construction & Maintenance, Waste Management, Water |
| Driver | Utility Line Construction & Maintenance | Utility Line Construction is the construction and maintenance of utility lines to supply power, telecommunications, and water for public use. | Land-Based Civil Engineering, distribution system, line construction, transmission line, Utility Line |
| Driver | Waste Management | Waste Management is the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste. Subsectors include solid waste disposal, remediation and recovery services, sewage treatment, and waste collection. | Utilities, Waste Management, Waste Treatment, Managing Waste, Sewage Treatment, Solid Waste Disposal, Stormwater Management |
| Driver | Water | Water Sectors include those that pertain to provisioning of water for public use, including the drinking water supply, irrigation systems for agriculture, and water for critical services (such as firefighting and hospitals). | Utilities, water supply, Drinking Water Supply, Irrigation, Drinking Water Supply, Irrigation, |
| Driver | Water Transportation | Water Transportation pertains to all transportation of people and goods via waterways. This sector includes transportation by cruise ships, large ships, small boats, oil and gas tankers, commercial fishing boats, and the shipping industry. | Transportation, Commercial Fishing Boats, Cruise Ships, Large Ships, Oil & Gas Tankers, Small Boats, |
| Driver | Wholesale & Retail Trade | Wholesale and Retail trade is a subsector of the Manufacturing and Trade sector. Industries in this subsector include durable and nondurable goods suppliers, who sell goods in bulk at low prices, from fixed locations. | Manufacturing & Trade, Retail, wholesale market, wholesale group, wholesaler, Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade |
| Driver | Wood, Plastics, & Chemical Products | The Wood, Plastics, and Chemical Products subsector deals with the production and sale of wood products including paper and lumber, plastics and rubber products, and chemical products including paints, solvents, and fertilizers. | Manufacturing & Trade, Polyethyleneimine, polyethylene suture, polyethylene and silicone, enamel coating, polyethylene sheets *, Wood Products, Plastic Products, Chemical Products |
| Impact | Aquarium Stock | Aquarium Stock is aquatic life that humans collect for sale to commercial aquariums or individual hobbyists. | Provisioning Services, Aquarist, Ornamental fish, ornamental reef, marine ornamental, aquaria, exhibition tank, aquarium fish, ornamental species, aquarium collect, aquarium-fish, aquarium reef, saltwater aquarium, saltwater aquarium, |
| Impact | Beach & Land Formation | Sand production is the process by which calcified coral skeletons and invertebrate shells break down, forming sand which replenishes beaches. Historic reefs may provide the foundation for land formation, such as creation of islands. | Provisioning Services, Sand Production, Beach formation, land-building, Land Formation |
| Impact | Biochemical & Genetic Resources | Biochemical & genetic resources are the naturally available novel biochemicals and genetic information found in coral reef organisms that can be utilized for animal breeding or development of biotechnology. | Provisioning Services, Biochemical Resource, Genetic Resource, Fish-derived, Sponge-derived, coral compound, sponge compound, algal compound, coral-derived hydroxyapatite, derived natural products *, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Sources |
| Impact | Calcium Carbonate Deposition | A number of reef organisms, including stony coral, calcareous macroalgae, crustose coralline algae, crustaceans, mollusks, and bivalves, deposit calcium carbonate (CaCO3) during growth to form hard skeletons or shells. | Carbon Storage & Cycling, Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3, aragonite, |
| Impact | Carbon Storage & Cycling | Carbon storage and cycling is the ability of an ecosystem to utilize, process, and store carbon. Two methods by which reef organisms store carbon are primary production through photosynthesis, and calcium carbonate deposition. | Supporting Services, Carbon Cycling, Carbon sequestration, Carbon Storage, carbon sink, Calcium Carbonate Deposition, Primary Production |
| Impact | Climate Regulation | Climate regulation is the process by which ecosystems process and store carbon, which can modulate atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. | Regulating Services, climate regulation, |
| Impact | Complex Habitat & Resources | Complex habitat and resources reflects the complex architecture of sessile, plant-like organisms, such as octocoral and sponges, which provides shelter and protection for small fish and other invertebrates from predators. Nursery habitat, in particular, is essential for juvenile fish and invertebrates. | Supporting Services, Structural complexity, structured habitat, juvenile habitat, habitat structure, complex habitat, habitat complexity, reef habitat, spawning habitat, relief habitat, settlement habitat, groove habitat, structural habitat, structural habitat, rugosity, Nursery Habitat, |
| Impact | Cultural Services | Cultural services are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreational opportunities, aesthetic experiences, sense of place, and educational and research opportunities. | Ecosystem Services, Cultural Services, cultural diversity, Educational & Research Opportunities, Existence Value & Sense of Place, Recreational Opportunities, |
| Impact | Ecosystem Services | Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems (Hassan et al. 2005). Humans directly benefit from Regulating Services that regulate ecosystem processes, Provisioning Services that provide food & raw materials, and Cultural Services that provide opportunities for recreation and aesthetic value. Humans indirectly benefit from Supporting Services that maintain the functioning of the Reef Ecosystem. | Impact, Cultural Services, Provisioning Services |
| Impact | Educational & Research Opportunities | Educational & Research Value pertains to the value derived from a natural ecosystem in regards to knowledge, scientific research, study, and breakthroughs, and the ability to pass this knowledge on to others. | Cultural Services, Research Value, Knowledge Value, Educational Value, Scientific Value, research potential, |
| Impact | Existence Value & Sense of Place | Existence value is the economic value or meaning humans place in a particular area, resource or organism simply for existing, separate from any derived use value. Sense of place is the cultural identity of a community in part derived from its association, connection, and proximity to a natural ecosystem. | Cultural Services, Existence Value, Sense of Place, spiritual fulfillment, intrinsic value |
| Impact | Finfish & Shellfish Stock | Finfish and shellfish stock are fish (e.g., groupers and snappers) and invertebrates (e.g., lobster, crab, conch, octopus, squid, and bivalves) that are harvested for human consumption as seafood. | Provisioning Services, Finfish Stock, Shellfish Stock, Fishing Stock, Shellfish population, stock size, |
| Impact | Marine Products | Marine products are non-food goods derived from reefs that promote human well-being (e.g, aquarium fish or ornamental resources) and human health (e.g., pharmaceuticals and cosmetics). | Provisioning Services, Marine Products, Aquarium Stock, Ornamental Jewelry & Art, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Sources, Sand & Rock Production, |
| Impact | Nutrient & Contaminant Processing | Nutrient and contaminant processing refers to an ecosystem's ability to process and cycle contaminants and nutrients through its system. | Supporting Services, Contaminant Process, Nutrient Process, Nutrient Filter, Contaminant Filter, natural decontamination, denitrification |
| Impact | Ornamental Jewelry & Art | Ornamental Jewelry & Art includes products derived from reef species, including coral and sponges to make artistic products for display or retail sale as souvenirs, beads, or jewelry. | Provisioning Services, Ornamental Art, jewelry, jewellery, |
| Impact | Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Sources | Marine ecosystems provide sources and templates for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biochemicals, and other biomaterials. | Biochemical & Genetic Resources, natural products, hydroxyapatite, marine natural product, biomedical, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic, Cosmeceutical, |
| Impact | Primary Production | Primary Production is the production of organic compounds from carbon dioxide and sunlight, principally through the process of photosynthesis, forming the basis of the food web. | Carbon Storage & Cycling, Primary Production, Photosynthesis |
| Impact | Provisioning Services | Provisioning services are the products or ecosystem goods obtained from ecosystems, including seafood, genetic and biochemical resources, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources, and water resources. | Ecosystem Services, Provisioning Services, Biochemical & Genetic Resources, Beach & Land Formation, Aquarium Stock, Ornamental Jewelry & Art, Finfish & Shellfish Stock, Marine Products, Water Resources |
| Impact | Recreational Opportunities | Aesthetic & recreational value pertains to the value derived from the visual beauty and recreational opportunities provided by a natural ecosystem, including an assemblage of diverse, healthy, colorful, or unique species. | Cultural Services, Recreational Value, Aesthetic Value, beautiful underwater landscape, Aesthetic service, Non-market valuation, aesthetic, *, aesthetically valuable, aesthetic qualit |
| Impact | Regulating Services | Regulating Services are benefits obtained from ecosystem processes that regulate the environment, including erosion regulation, natural hazard regulation, and climate regulation. | , Regulating Service, Climate Regulation, Shoreline Protection, |
| Impact | Sand & Rock Production | Rock production is the processes by which calcified coral skeletons can be harvested to form rocks and building blocks. Sand production is the process by which calcified coral skeletons and invertebrate shells break down, forming sand can be used in construction, or sold as a product, for example in the aquarium trade. | Marine Products, |
| Impact | Shoreline Protection | Shoreline Protection is the attenuation of wave energy by reefs that protects coastal communities against shoreline erosion and flooding during storms, hurricanes, and tsunamis that can cause property damage and loss of life. | Regulating Services, Shoreline Protection, coastal protection, wave attenuation, wave energy attenuation, Storm protection, wave energy, wave height, erosion control |
| Impact | Supporting Services | Supporting services are ecological processes that indirectly benefit humans by maintaining a functional ecosystem for the production of other ecosystem goods and services. Supporting services include carbon storage and cycling, nutrient and contaminant processing, and provision of complex habitat and resources. | , Supporting Service, Carbon Storage & Cycling, Ecological Integrity, Complex Habitat & Resources, Nutrient & Contaminant Processing, Reef Structure |
| Impact | Water Resources | Water resources reflect the quality and quantity of seawater available for human use, including swimming, navigation, and other uses. | Provisioning Services, Navigable Water, Swimmable Water |
| Pressure | Accidental & Illegal Harvest | Accidental by-catch is damage or harvest of non-target species, including fish or marine vertebrates, by fishing gear while collecting targeted species. Illegal harvest, or poaching, is collection of species that are protected from harvest. | Biological Harvest, By-catch, By catch, Bycatch, Illegal Harvest, Illegal Fishing, Illegal catch, Accidental Harvest, |
| Pressure | Anchoring & Vessel Grounding | Anchoring may cause damage when boats or ships drop or drag anchors across reef habitat. Vessel Groundings occur when boats or ships move across shallow waters and accidentally make contact with ground, potentially causing damage to habitat. | Boating Activities, Anchoring Damage, Anchor Damage, Vessel Grounding, Ship Grounding, Boat Grounding, |
| Pressure | Applied Chemicals | Applied chemicals are chemicals applied to lands, vehicles, buildings, or during manufacturing for a variety of purposes, including maintaining pests, improving soil quality, or cleaning surfaces. Applied chemicals include fertilizers and pesticides, cleaners and solvents, and sunscreen. | Discharges, Cleaner & Solvent Use, Fertilizer & Pesticide Use, Sunscreen Use, |
| Pressure | Artificial Habitat | Artificial habitat includes structures such as oil rigs, debris, sunken ships, and even abandoned bombs that can provide substrate for coral and sponges, or habitat for fish and invertebrates, potentially creating an artificial coral reef ecosystem. | Biological Addition, Artificial Habitat, Artificial Reef |
| Pressure | Atmospheric Emissions | Atmospheric Emissions include discharges of atmospheric pollutants, including mercury, greenhouse gases, nitrogen and sulfur dioxides, and volatile organic compounds from the operation of factories, vehicles, and other sources. | Discharges, Atmospheric Emissions, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Non-Greenhouse Gas Emissions, |
| Pressure | Ballast Discharge | Ballast water discharges by ships can have a negative impact on the marine environment. Cruise ships, large tankers, and bulk cargo carriers use a huge amount of ballast water, which is often taken on in the coastal waters in one region after ships discharge wastewater or unload cargo, and discharged at the next port of call, wherever more cargo is loaded. Ballast water discharge typically contains a variety of biological materials, including plants, animals, viruses, and bacteria. These materials often include non-native, invasive species that can cause extensive ecological and economic damage to aquatic ecosystems. | Point Source Discharges, ballast water, ballast-water, ballast discharge, |
| Pressure | Biological Addition | Biological Addition refers to anthropogenic inputs of a biological nature into the reef ecosystem, including artificial habitat, domestic animal waste, supplemental feeding, and escape or release of non-native species. | Contact Uses, Biological Addition, Artificial Habitat, Domestic Animal Waste, Escape & Release of Non-natives, Supplemental Feeding, |
| Pressure | Biological Harvest | Biological Harvest is the collection of living things from the ecosystem for recreation, consumption, or sale of marine products. Harvest includes commercial and recreational fishing, invertebrate harvesting, live rock collection, accidental by-catch, and illegal harvest. | Contact Uses, Biological Harvest, Accidental & Illegal Harvest, Finfish Harvest, Invertebrate Harvest, Live Collection, |
| Pressure | Boat Movement | Boating activities include movement of boats and ships through deep or shallow water, as well as in and out of harbor or around buoys. | Boating Activities, Boat Movement, Boat Wake |
| Pressure | Boating Activities | Boating activities include movement in coastal waters and into ports that can lead to anchor drops or vessel groundings, or damage from trawling and other fishing gear. | Physical Damage, Boating Activit, Boating, Anchoring & Vessel Grounding, Boat Movement, Trawling & Fishing Gear Damage, |
| Pressure | Cleaner & Solvent Use | Cleaners and solvents are used to remove oil, grease, and other contaminants during industrial or household cleaning. | Applied Chemicals, cleaning system *, residue clean, detergent, CMP clean, household bleach, Industrial clean |
| Pressure | Coastal Development | Coastal Development is the construction of infrastructure, buildings, homes, and roads in coastal communities. It often results from increasing population growth or growth in the tourism sector. | Landscape Changes, Coastal Development, |
| Pressure | Contact Uses | Contact Uses, such as biological additions, physical damage, and biological harvesting, are activities in which humans create pressures through direct contact with the ecosystem. | Pressures, Biological Addition, Biological Harvest, Physical Damage, |
| Pressure | Deforestation & Devegetation | Deforestation and Devegetation are the removal of trees and plants, including clear-cutting, to provide clear land for farms, roads, homes, buildings, and other infrastructure. | Landscape Changes, deforested, Devegetat, Deforestat, Clearcut, Clear-cut, |
| Pressure | Discharges | Discharges are the intentional or unintentional distribution of chemicals, debris, or other pollution, into the environment as a consequence of human activities. Discharges may be point-source or non-point source, and includes application of chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides, atmospheric emissions, waterborne discharges, or littering. | , Discharge, Applied Chemicals, Atmospheric Emissions, Littering, Waterborne Discharges, |
| Pressure | Ditching & Soil Disturbance | Ditching & Soil Disturbance pertains to large-scale changes to the terrestrial landscape through channeling for irrigation, grading for roads & construction, and mining which disrupt and dislodge soil and can lead to sediment runoff into the watershed. | Landscape Changes, ass disturbance, Soil Disturbance, Land disturbance, disturbed soil |
| Pressure | Domestic Animal Waste | Domestic Animals Waste includes solid waste produced by animals, including pets, agricultural animals, as well as stray and feral animals. | Biological Addition, Manure, Animal Waste |
| Pressure | Dredging, Draining, & Filling | Dredging is the process of excavating material from an area to maintain ship channels and harbors for safe navigation. Filling and draining may be used to prepare coastal wetlands for development, either by adding sediment brought in from another location, or implementing hydrological projects to remove water. | Physical Damage, Dredging, Draining, Dredge, |
| Pressure | Escape & Release of Non-natives | The Escape and Release of Non-Natives pertains to the introduction of non-native and potentially invasive species into the coral reef ecosystem. | Biological Addition, aquarium release, Marine introduction, Accidental release, |
| Pressure | Fertilizer & Pesticide Use | Fertilizer & pesticide use is the application of chemicals designed to improve the nutrient quality of soil to promote plant growth, or to control weeds and pest species. Fertilizers typically contain nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Pesticides may include herbicides, insecticides, or fungicides and may be derived from natural or synthetic chemicals, including organophosphates, carbamates, or pyrethroids. | Applied Chemicals, Pesticide, Fertilizer, Fungicide, Herbicide, Insecticide, |
| Pressure | Finfish Harvest | Fishing is the activity of catching fish for recreational, commercial, or artesanal purposes using any of a variety of fishing gear, including nets, spear guns, or hook and line. | Biological Harvest, Fishing, |
| Pressure | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Greenhouse Gas Emissions affect the earth's climate and temperature, because they trap heat in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions include chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), and water vapor | Atmospheric Emissions, Greenhouse Gas, GHG |
| Pressure | Impervious Surfaces | Impervious surfaces are surfaces, such as asphalt roads and concrete sidewalks. Impervious surfaces prevent rain from soaking into the ground, thus increasing flows during storms and reducing stream flows during dry periods. This leads to runoff that brings sediment, nutrients, and contaminants into bodies of water. | Landscape Changes, Impervious Surface, Impenetrable Surface, impermeable surface, parking lot |
| Pressure | Invertebrate Harvest | Invertebrate Harvesting is the act of collecting marine invertebrates, including sponges, lobsters, and other invertebrates, for seafood or other marine products. | Biological Harvest, shrimp trawl, sponge div, coral collection by tourists, Invertebrate Harvest, Invertebrate Collection, |
| Pressure | Landscape Changes | Landscape Changes are alterations of the natural landscape through human activities, including coastal development, shoreline armoring, impervious surfaces, deforestation, or soil disturbance, which can alter water flow patterns and lead to pollutant runoff into coastal systems. | , Landscape Changes, Landuse change, Landcover change, Landscape change, Landuse alteration, Landcover alteration, Landscape alteration, LULC, land use change, land cover change, Coastal Development, Deforestation & Devegetation, Deforestation & Devegetation, Ditching & Soil Disturbance, Impervious Surfaces, Shoreline Armoring |
| Pressure | Littering | Littering is a type of pollution that occurs when garbage, including plastics, paper, and metal, are not disposed of properly and can enter coastal waters. | Discharges, litter *, |
| Pressure | Live Collection | Live collection is the collection of colorful or unique species from marine environments, particularly for the marine ornamental industry (e.g., aquariums). | Biological Harvest, live reef-fish trade, live reef fish trade, live fish trade, Live Collection |
| Pressure | Non-Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Non-Greenhouse Gas Emissions include emissions of non-methane hydrocarbon, nitrogen oxide, particulates, sulphur oxide, and volatile organic compounds. These emissions pollute the air, which has a negative effect on human health and the health of animals. | Atmospheric Emissions, |
| Pressure | Non-point Source Runoff | Non-point source pollution is runoff from diffuse sources that is caused by rainwater moving over and through the ground, carrying pollutants with it and depositing them in coastal waters. | Waterborne Discharges, Non-point source, Non-point-source, runoff, run-off, storm water, stormwater |
| Pressure | Petroleum Spills | Petroleum Spills are releases of oil or natural gas into the environment related to the development, transportation, and application of petroleum products. | Point Source Discharges, Petroleum Spill, Oil Spill, Oil Leak, Oil Discharge, Petroleum Leak, Petroleum Discharge, Gas Leak, Gas Spill, Gas Discharge, |
| Pressure | Physical Damage | Physical Damage to reef habitat and wetlands can occur from vessel groundings, dredging, trampling, boat movement, anchor drops, trawling, and fishing gear. | Contact Uses, Physical Damage, Boating Activities, Dredging, Draining, & Filling, Trampling |
| Pressure | Point Source Discharges | Waterborne point source discharges are pollution from a discernible, confined conveyance, such as a pipe, vehicle, ship, or animal feeding operation that directly enter the aquatic environment into streams or direct discharge into coastal waters. Point source discharges may include wastewater discharges, petroleum spills, and ballast discharges. | Waterborne Discharges, point source, point-source, Ballast Discharge, Nutrient Discharge, Petroleum Spills, Sediment Discharge, Wastewater Discharge, |
| Pressure | Pressures | Pressures are human activities that create stress on the environment. They include Landscape Changes resulting from alterations of the natural landscape, Discharges of pollutants, and Contact Uses that directly remove, damage, or add to the reef ecosystem. | , Contact Uses, |
| Pressure | Shoreline Armoring | Shoreline armoring is the construction of bulkheads, seawalls, riprap or any other structure used to harden a shoreline against erosion. | Landscape Changes, beach erosion control, shoreline stab, Shoreline Armor, retaining wall |
| Pressure | Sunscreen Use | Sunscreen is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn.. Sunscreen ingredients include Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone); PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA); Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate); Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate); Digalloyl trioleate; Menthyl anthranilate; or Avobenzone [butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789] | Applied Chemicals, Suntan Oil, Suntan Lotion, Sunscreen, |
| Pressure | Supplemental Feeding | Supplemental feeding occurs when humans supply wild animals (e.g., fish, dolphins, etc.) with food, such as bread crumbs, to attract them and alter their behavior. | Biological Addition, Supplemental Feeding, |
| Pressure | Trampling | Trampling occurs when humans walk on, kick, bump into, or touch corals. | Physical Damage, |
| Pressure | Trawling & Fishing Gear Damage | Activities of fishing boats can cause damage to reefs. Trawling is one type of fishing that usually occurs in deeper waters in which a large net is dragged behind a boat. Other fishing gear includes hooks, lines, spear guns, and seining nets. | Boating Activities, Trawling, Fishing Gear |
| Pressure | Wastewater Discharge | Wastewater Discharges are direct discharges of wastewater, including nutrients and chemicals, into streams, rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. | Point Source Discharges, Wastewater, Waste water |
| Pressure | Waterborne Discharges | Waterborne discharges include direct and indirect discharges of pollutants into the aquatic environment, including chemicals, nutrients, sediment, and pathogens. Discharges may be directly released into marine waters, or may be carried by surface water streams, groundwater, or coastal runoff. | Discharges, Waterborne Discharges, water Pollution, ocean pollution, marine pollution, Non-point Source Runoff, Point Source Discharges |
| Response | Agriculture, Aquaculture, & Forestry Policies | Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry policies regulate and control agriculture, aquaculture and forestry. | Food & Energy Policies, Agriculture Polic, Agricultural Polic, forest polic, forestry polic, Agricultural Incentives, Agriculture BMPs, Aquaculture/Mariculture BMPs, |
| Response | Biocriteria | Biocriteria are narrative expressions or numeric values that describe the biological condition (structure and function) of aquatic communities inhabiting waters of a designated aquatic life use. Biocriteria are based on the numbers and kinds of organisms present and are regulatory-based biological measurements (EPA 2009a). | Biological Monitoring & Restoration, Biocriteria, Biological criteria |
| Response | Biological Monitoring & Restoration | Biological monitoring is the use of a biological entity as a detector and its response as a measure to determine environmental conditions. Toxicity tests and ambient biological surveys are common biological monitoring methods. Biological restoration refers to responses to directly alter the condition of populations, communities, and habitat in the reef ecosystem through restoration activities, limits on degradation through biological criteria, or improving knowledge through monitoring, mapping, and scientific research. | Ecosystem Monitoring & Restoration, Biocriteria, Biological Monitoring, Mapping, & Scientific Research, Designate Protected Species, Marine Restoration Activities |
| Response | Biological Monitoring, Mapping, & Scientific Research | Biological monitoring, mapping, and scientific research are activities to track the condition of populations, communities, and habitat, and to understand the processes, stressors, and ecological interactions that affect that condition. | Biological Monitoring & Restoration, Scientific Research, Mapping, Monitoring, inventory, Biological, Biological, Biological, Biological |
| Response | Biomedical Research Policies | Biomedical research policies, including research funding and patent laws regarding natural biochemicals, can influence the demand for biochemicals and the activities of research and development. | Health Policies, biomedical research, medic, polic, Biotechnology Research Funding, Patenting Natural Biochemicals, |
| Response | Boating Regulations | Boating Regulations are restrictions placed on boating activities to promote safety for boaters and the natural environment, and can include mooring buoys, registration and licensing, and speed limits. | Resource Use Management, Boating Regulations, Boating Rules, Boating Laws, Boating Guidelines, marina, management, scar, boat safety, anchor, manage, boat, |
| Response | Chemical Use Regulations | Chemical use regulations are policies to control the production, distribution, and use of potentially toxic chemicals. Examples include scientific testing to evaluate risk, registration, labeling, or recommendations on use concentration or frequency. | Discharge Limitations, chemical use regulat, application of dispersant, application of chemical, policy, regulat, pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, chemical management, |
| Response | City Planning | City planning refers to the development of guidelines, integrating landuse and transportation planning, to improve the economic, social, and structural functioning of cities. Specific guidelines may be developed for Smart Growth, including compact neighborhoods and preservation of open spaces, urban-rural demarcation lines, or Low Impact Development. | Landuse Management, city planning, community planning, community-based development, Low Impact Development, Smart Growth, |
| Response | Collaboration & Partnering | Collaboration and partnering refers to working together to achieve a goal. Collaboration and partneringcan improve the effectiveness of monitoring, research, and decisions by integrating the efforts of academic and government institutions, or by utilizing the knowledge and support of local stakeholders. | Cultural Policies, collaborat, partnership, cooperative network, multidisciplinary, manage, manage, Utilizing Local Knowledge, Utilizing Local Knowledge |
| Response | Construction Codes & Projects | Construction codes and regulations control the location, number, and development of construction projects, including buildings, homes, and coastal structures. | Infrastructural Policies, Construction Code, Construction Regulation, Building permit, construct, permit, |
| Response | Corporate Responses | Corporate responses are the general reaction of private corporations and businesses to different issues, such as environmental responsibility. Corporate responses to environmental responsibility vary from no response at all, to companies publishing annual reports about their efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, to incorporating environmentally responsible practices into their business model. | Infrastructural Policies, companies, lobbying, self regult, industrial ecology, industry standards, Industries Association, industry association, world bank, sponsor, industry participant, industry involvement, private sector, private sector, financ, private sector, polic, regulat, polic |
| Response | Cultural Policies | Cultural policies are responses that impact the distribution and functioning of cultural sectors, including tourism, recreation, education, and social organization. Examples include policies to limit or increase tourism, educate the public to enhance environmental awareness, increase funding for scientific research and outreach, or improve the effectiveness of decisions through collaboration and partnering. | Responses, Cultural Policies, Cultural, polic, Cultural, Management, Collaboration & Partnering, Cultural Protections, Environmental Education & Outreach, Funding & Donations, |
| Response | Cultural Protections | Cultural protections are designed to preserve or protect buildings, landscapes, artifacts, or species of cultural or historic significance. | Cultural Policies, cultural protection, cultural, protect, Protection of Historical Sites, Religious Protections, |
| Response | Decision Support | Decision Support is a broad, generic term that encompasses all aspects related to supporting people in making decisions. Decision support disciplines include operations research, decision analysis, and decision support systems. Examples of decision support activities include developing management plans, conducting environmental assessments, utilizing decision support tools, managing data, or acquiring additional personnel. | Security & Public Administration Policies, decision support, Acquire Additional Management Personnel, Decision Support Tools, Develop a DPSIR, Environmental Project Review (NEPA), Management Plan, Strategic Planning Identifying Potential Areas, |
| Response | Designate Protected Species | Designating protected species is the process of legally establishing a species as threatened, endangered, or of special concern, often requiring that critical habitat must be designated as well and recovery plans implemented. | Biological Monitoring & Restoration, |
| Response | Designated Uses | Designated uses are a state�s concise statements of its management objectives and expectations for each of the individual surface waters under its jurisdiction. | Resource Use Management, Designated Use, designate use, exisiting use, designated beneficial, designate beneficial, beneficial use, desired use, alternat, material, Body Contact Recreation, Fish Consumption, Public Drinking Water, Public Drinking Water, Support Aquatic Life |
| Response | Discharge Limitations | Discharge limitations are responses to regulate and control the discharge of pollutants and the use of chemicals. Examples include point and non-point source controls, regulations on the use of chemicals, and technological improvements to reduce emissions. | , Discharge Regulation, discharge, regulation, limit discharge, limit the discharge, discharge limit, legislation, discharge, discharge, control, pollution, Chemical Use Regulations, Chemical Use Regulations, Hydrologic Management, Improved Technology, Non-point Source Controls, Point & Mobile Source Controls, |
| Response | Dredging Regulations | Dredging regulations are decisions or policies to control the location or intensity of physically damaging activities such as dredging, draining, or filling. | Resource Use Management, dredging management, dredging policy, dredging regulat, dredging program, prohibit, regulat, dredging, dredge |
| Response | Economic Markets & Policies | Economic markets and policies can influence financing and insurance, as well as drive consumer demand for certain types of goods and services. Markets, such as carbon credit markets, may be established to mitigate pollutant discharge or development. | Infrastructural Policies, Economic Market, Economic Polic, polic, economic study, taxation, polic, economic development, economic, institutional design, Carbon Credits |
| Response | Ecosystem Monitoring & Restoration | Ecosystem monitoring and restoration refers to responses to directly alter the condition of the reef ecosystem through restoration or remediation activities, setting limits on degradation through biological criteria or water quality criteria, or improving knowledge through monitoring, mapping, and scientific research. | , Biological Monitoring & Restoration, Develop & Manage an Ecosystem Database, Environmental Monitoring & Restoration, |
| Response | Energy Policy & Development | Energy management includes policies and regulations adopted to control the production, distribution, and consumption of energy. Examples include incentives for use of alternative energy sources, regulations on mining activities, and regulations on the oil and gas industry. | Food & Energy Policies, Energy Management, Energy Efficien, Energy star, Develop & Use Eco-friendly Technology, Develop Biofuels, Emissions Testing For Cars, Use of Alternative Energy Sources, |
| Response | Environmental Education & Outreach | Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to post-secondary. However, it is sometimes used more broadly to include all efforts to educate the public and other audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc. Environmental outreach is an umbrella term for a variety of activities by research institutes, universities, but also institutions such as science museums, aimed at promoting public awareness (and understanding) of environmental science and making informal contributions to environmental science education. | Cultural Policies, Environmental Outreach, Environmental Education, public education, educate the public, On-site Educational Methods, Outreach to Learning Institutions, Producing Educational Materials, Training For Tour Operators |
| Response | Environmental Monitoring & Restoration | Environmental monitoring describes the processes and activities that need to take place to characterize and monitor the quality of the physical and chemical environment. Environmental restoration refers to responses to directly alter the physical and chemical condition of the reef ecosystem through remediation activities or limits on degradation through water quality criteria. | Ecosystem Monitoring & Restoration, Air Quality Criteria, Environmental Monitoring, Mapping, & Scientific Research, Physical & Chemical Water Quality Criteria, Remediation |
| Response | Environmental Monitoring, Mapping, & Scientific Research | Environmental monitoring, mapping, and scientific research are activities to track the condition of the physical and chemical environment, and to understand the processes that affect it. | Environmental Monitoring & Restoration, inventory, Scientific Research, Mapping, Monitoring, environment, |
| Response | Fisheries & Hunting Policies | Fisheries and hunting policies control who can fish, harvest and hunt. This can be accomplished by setting seasons or limiting the number of licenses issued. Licenses can also limit what types of groups are able to participate. For example, a commercial fishing license is likely to differ from a sport fishing license. | Food & Energy Policies, Hunting Polic, Fishing Polic, Hunting License, Fishing License, hunting regulat, fishing tag, Hunting & Fishing Licenses, |
| Response | Fishing & Harvesting Management | Fishing & harvesting management controls the activities which harvest fish and invertebrates, including commercial and recreational fishing. Examples include incentives for sustainable fishing, catch limitations, gear restrictions, and establishing no take zones. | Resource Use Management, Fishing Regulation, Fishing Rule, Fishing Law, Fishing Guideline, Fishing Polic, Harvest Regulation, shellfish management, fisheries management, Fishing & Harvesting Gear Restrictions, Fishing & Harvesting Restrictions, No Take Zone, |
| Response | Food & Energy Policies | Food & energy policies are legislation, restrictions, and guidelines that pertain to sectors that harvest or extract natural resources. Examples including agricultural and aquacultural policies, policies that regulate and control forestry, energy management policies that regulate and control mining and the oil & gas industry, and fishing & harvesting policies that control and regulate commercial fishing. | , Food Polic, Energy Polic, Agriculture, Aquaculture, & Forestry Policies, Energy Policy & Development, Fisheries & Hunting Policies, |
| Response | Funding & Donations | Funding is to provide resources, usually in form of money or other values such as effort or time, for a project or to private or public institutions. A donation is a gift given, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. Funding and donations can provide monetary support to educational institutions or non-profit organizations for scientific research and monitoring, education, or outreach.. | Cultural Policies, Funding, Donation, Grants For Scientific Research & Monitoring, |
| Response | Funding & Incentives | Funding and incentives are budgetary decisions by public administration to improve the effectiveness of decisions through daily operations, research, monitoring, and outreach. Examples include requests for additional funding, budgeting, or providing incentives. | Security & Public Administration Policies, funding, incentive |
| Response | Health Care Policies | Health care policies are actions taken to change the provisioning, cost, or need for health care services, and may include modifications to health insurance, preventative care, and establishment or management of health care facilities. | Health Policies, |
| Response | Health Policies | Health policies are responses that impact the functioning of health sectors, including waste management facilities, biomedical research, and development and sale of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Examples include policies to regulate, install, or upgrade waste management, fund biomedical research, and influence patenting of natural biochemicals. | , Health Polic, Human Health, polic, Human Health, regulat, public health, regulat, public health, polic, Biomedical Research Policies, Health Care Policies, |
| Response | Hydrologic Management | Hydrological management refers to responses designed to limit discharges by directly controlling the flow of water. Examples include implementing or upgrading stormwater collection systems, altering water collection or delivery from reservoirs, or projects to modify discharge from rivers. | Discharge Limitations, hydrological management, water flow control, water volume control, water flow management, water volume management, |
| Response | Improved Technology | Improved technology refers to innovations in the production or distribution activities of factories, transportation, utilities, and other sectors that can lead to healthier, environmentally and economically improved practices that can save energy, resources, and money over time. | Discharge Limitations, Improved Factory Technology, water treatment, improve, water treatment, renovate, water treatment, upgrade, |
| Response | Infrastructural Policies | Infrastructural management are responses, including policies or regulations, that impact the distribution and functioning of socio-economic sectors that provide infrastructure. Examples include policies to manage transportation, regulations on manufacturing and trade, construction codes and regulations, construction projects, economic policies and market pressures, and responses by individual corporations. | , Infrastructural Management, critical infrastructur, infrastructur, polic, Construction Codes & Projects, Corporate Responses, Economic Markets & Policies, Manufacturing & Trade Policies, Transportation Policies, Utility Policies |
| Response | Landscape Conservation & Restoration | Landscape conservation and restoration refers to efforts to protect and restore disturbed natural landscapes, such as through hydroseeding or beach renourishment. | Landuse Management, land conservation, conservation land, conservatoin plan, conservation polic, conservation, land, forest, Beach Renourishment, Create Or Maintain Land-based Nature Parks & Conservation Areas, Designate Protected Lands, Hydroseeding, |
| Response | Landuse Management | Landuse management pertains to responses that determine the use of land for development and construction. Examples city planning, landuse zoning, building permitting, as well as efforts to restore natural landscapes, such as hydroseeding or beach renourishment. | , Landuse, Landuse Management, zoning, Land Management, develop, management, zoning, zoning, City Planning, Landscape Conservation & Restoration, Permitting & Zoning, |
| Response | Manufacturing & Trade Policies | Manufacturing and trade regulations are laws and policies enacted to control production, distribution, and sale of goods and services. Regulations may tax, limit, or prohibit trade of certain types of goods to protect resources, protect consumers, or influence competition among businesses. Manufacturing regulations seek to control production of goods to ensure environmental compliance, protect consumers, and promote workplace safety. | Infrastructural Policies, trade polic, ROHS, REACH, European Union, Trade regulation, embargo, tariff, |
| Response | Marine Protected Areas | Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are Any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural and cultural resources therein (EO 2000). | Resource Use Management, Marine Protected Area, Marine Park, M.P.A., |
| Response | Mining Policies | Mining policies are specific to where, when, what and how non-living natural resources can be extracted. These policies ensure the safety of workers during the removal process, as well as ensuring the safety of the communities and the natural environment in the surrounding area. In the US, many of these policies come from the department of the interior. However, externalities from mining may fall under the auspices of other departments, such as the environmental Protection agency, under the Clean Water Act when materials removed during mining pollute local waters. | , |
| Response | Mitigation | Mitigation is an effort to lessen or alleviate a burden on persons or the environment caused by some action or offense. When the offense is caused to the environment, compensatory mitigation may be required, where projects or programs must take place to offset or correct the offense. The extent to which these are affective is often questioned, as it is difficult to equate the environmental benefits of the offset to the original environmental benefits. Even when the original environment is restored, it may take centuries to regain its productivity. | Valuation, |
| Response | Monetary Valuation | Monetary valuation involves methods to quantify the worth of ecosystem goods and services in terms of economic units (e.g. US dollars). Methods include market values for market-traded goods, or non-market values for non-traded benefits using revealed or state preferences, or cost-avoidance techniques (Hajkowicz 2007). | Valuation, Market Valu, Monetary, willing to pay, willing-to-pay, willingness to pay, (WTP), economic valu, |
| Response | Non-Monetary Valuation | Non-monetary valuation methods are used to quantify ecosystem goods and services in terms of units other than economic ones, such as stakeholder preferences or quality of life. Formal methods for decision analysis, such as multi-attribute utility theory, have been developed (Hajkowicz 2007). | Valuation, Non-Market, Nonmarket, utility theory, non-monetary, nonmonetary, cultural value, aesthetic value, |
| Response | Non-point Source Controls | Non-point source controls are designed to monitor, regulate, and limit pollution from non-point sources, such as urban runoff, agricultural runoff, domestic animals, road construction, timber harvests, boats, and septic systems. Examples include setting and monitoring total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) from non-point source discharges. | Discharge Limitations, Non-point Source Control, limit, discharge, non-point source, regulation, non-point source, discharge, control, runoff, pollution, non-point source, legislation, legislation, |
| Response | Permitting & Zoning | Permitting is documentation required for new construction and remodeling/renovation, in compliance with national, regional, and local zoning and building codes. Zoning can be used to establish the distribution of land uses, from high intensity development to public parks. | Landuse Management, Building Permit, construction permit, zoning, landuse, zoning, land use, zoning, development, zoning decision, |
| Response | Physical & Chemical Water Quality Criteria | Physical and chemical water quality criteria, monitored and enforced by the EPA under the Clean Water Act, define the maximum and recommended amounts of chemicals and other contaminants that should be found in waterbodies. | Environmental Monitoring & Restoration, Water Quality Criteria, Water Quality Standards |
| Response | Point & Mobile Source Controls | Point & Mobile Source Controls are designated to monitor and limit water discharge pollution from point sources, such as factories, and mobile sources, such as boats. | Discharge Limitations, Point Source Control, Mobile Source Control, pollution control, pollution control, pollution control, point source, point-source, mobile source |
| Response | Political Pressure | Political pressure is public demand for government action on certain management or policy concerns. For example, pressure may come from higher levels of government, voting, feedback from public review periods, lawsuits, or protests. | Security & Public Administration Policies, Political Pressure, voter |
| Response | Remediation | Remediation is the removal of pollution or contaminants from soil, groundwater, sediment, or surface water for the protection of human health and the environment. | Environmental Monitoring & Restoration, Remediation, |
| Response | Resource Use Management | Resource use management pertains to responses to regulate or limit contact activities that may directly impact coastal species through harvesting or physical damage. Examples include regulating boating or fishing activities, controls on dredging activities, establishment of protected areas, designating areas for specific uses, or permitting for special uses such as scientific collection. | , Resource Use Management, resource management, Boating Regulations, Coastal Zone Management, Designated Uses, Dredging Regulations, Fishing & Harvesting Management, Marine Protected Areas |
| Response | Responses | Responses are actions taken by groups or individuals in society and government to prevent, compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in Ecosystem Services or their perceived value. Responses include policies, strategies, and interventions to address specific issues, needs, opportunities, or problems. In the context of ecosystem management, responses may be of legal, technical, institutional, economic, and behavioral nature and may operate at local or micro, regional, national, or international level and at various time scales (MEA 2009). | , Cultural Policies, |
| Response | Security & Public Administration Policies | Security and public administration policies are responses to improve the decision-making and enforcement abilities of governmental institutions. Examples include collaborations and partnering with academic scientists or local stakeholders, developing management plans, conducting environmental assessments, using decision support tools, political pressure, and law enforcement. | , Collaboration & Partnering, Decision Support, Funding & Incentives, Political Pressure, Security Policies, |
| Response | Security Policies | Security policies include all actions that ensure the public is safe and secure. These include policies concerning natural disasters (hurricane evacuation), public safety (law enforcement), and international disputes (military defense). | Security & Public Administration Policies, Law Enforcement, |
| Response | Special Use Permitting | Special use permitting is a documentation mechanism to allow activities that might otherwise be prohibited (e.g,, collection of species for scientific research in a protected area). | , regulation, special use permit, special use, special permit, use permit, permit use |
| Response | Tourism & Recreation Policies | Tourism and recreation policies can be use to control the distribution and intensity of recreational activities such as through advertising, incentives, or visitors centers. | , Tourism Policies, Tourism policy, Tourism Regulation, Tourism Guideline, Tourism, Policy, management, recreation, polic, manage, Modify Visitor Numbers & Activities, Tourism Marketing, Tourism Marketing, Visitor Education & Training |
| Response | Transportation Policies | Transportation management includes policies, regulations, and zoning designed to control the distribution and intensity of transportation networks, including roads and shipping channels, and vehicles, including cars, boats, and ships. | Infrastructural Policies, Transportation Management, paved, control, paved, mange, paved, regulat, paved, polic, marine transport, response, marine transport, marine transport, plan, maritime transport, plan |
| Response | Utility Policies | Utility policies are those that put controls on delivery of utilities to human populations. This includes but is not limited to chemical requirements for safe drinking water, and policies that increase energy efficiency during production and transmission. | Infrastructural Policies, Waste Management Policies, Water Utilities Policies |
| Response | Valuation | Valuation is the process of estimating the worth, merit, or desirability of benefits derived from ecosystems. Market value is usually in monetary terms, and reflects prices from the organized exchange of goods and services, such as marine products, between buyers and sellers. Non-market value reflect derived benefits, such as shoreline protection, which are not traded in conventional markets. | , land Value, Valuation *, recreation value, recreational value, use value, reef valu, ecosystem value, environmental value, valuing, Human Well-Being, Mitigation, Monetary Valuation, Monetary Valuation, Non-Monetary Valuation |
| Response | Waste Management Policies | Waste Management Policies include legislation and restrictions and guidelines for the environmentally safe and healthy management and disposal of waste. Policies can be implemented to regulate, install, or upgrade sewage treatment systems, stormwater collection, or solid waste disposal. Ordinances can be adopted to mandate clean cities. | Utility Policies, Waste Management, waste, polic, sewage treatment, Clean City Ordinances, Install & Upgrade Treatment Systems, Monitor & Remediate Landfills, Stormwater Collection |
| Response | Water Utilities Policies | Water utilities policies are policies that place requirements on water to used for public consumption or use in irrigation. Water utilities policies help to ensure safe and sanitary drinking water. | Utility Policies, |
| Response | Wetland & Reef Restoration | Wetland and reef restoration are activities to directly improve, reestablish, or repair degraded ecosystems. Examples include maintaining nurseries, replenishing native populations or establishing new populations, repairing damaged individuals, restoring wetland hydrology, or removing undesirable species. | Marine Restoration Activities, Wetland Restoration, restored wetland, reef restoration, |
| State | Algae | Algae are aquatic, photosynthetic plant-like organisms and include calcareous macroalgae, fleshy macroalgae, turf algae, and crustose coralline algae. | Reef Habitat, Algae, Calcareous Macroalgae, Coralline Algae, Fleshy Macroalgae, Turf Algae, Zooxanthellae, Calcareous Macroalgae, Coralline Algae, Fleshy Macroalgae, Turf Algae, Zooxanthellae, |
| State | Anemones & Zooanthids | Anemones & zooanthids are cnidarians very similar to coral, but are not characteristic reef builders. | Reef Habitat, Aiptasia, Zoanthid, Anemone, |
| State | Apex Fish Predators | Apex Fish Predators, are fish that are at the top of the food chain with virtually no predators of their own, such as sharks, barracudas, morays, and jacks. | Fish, shark *, sharks, Cephalopholis, Epinephelinae, Apex Fish Predator, Barracuda, Moray eel, Apex predator |
| State | Arthropods | Arthropods are invertebrates with jointed limbs and segmented bodies, such as lobster, crab, and shrimp. | State, Arthropod, Crustaceans, Plankton, Crustaceans, Plankton, Crustaceans, Plankton, |
| State | Bivalves | Bivalves are a class of molluscs known for their hinged shells, including clams, oysters, and scallops. | Molluscs, Bivalve, |
| State | Boring Sponges | Boring sponges bore into the calcium carbonate skeleton of coral. | Sponges, Boring Sponge, Clionid, Cliona, |
| State | Calcareous Macroalgae | Calcareous macroalgae are large algae which deposit calcium carbonate to form skeletons. | Algae, Halimeda, acetabularia, penicillus, udotea, amphiroa, Calcareous Macroalgae |
| State | Chemical Variables | The Chemicals in the ocean, such as the CO2, pH levels, and salinity, may vary depending on the drivers and pressures. Chemical Variables affect the growth, reproduction, and survival of coral. | Physical & Chemical Environment, Chemical Variables, CO2, Nutrients, Ocean Acidity, Salinity, Toxics |
| State | Climate | Climate reflects a region's temperature, humidity, air pressure, and weather. Marine climate, in particular, encompasses sea surface temperatures and storm events, including hurricanes. | Physical Variables, Climate, Drought, ENSO, Sea Temperatures, Storms & Hurricanes, |
| State | CO2 | Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas used by primary producers, such as plants and algae, to produce sugars. | Chemical Variables, CO2, Carbon Dioxide |
| State | Coral | Coral is a colonial marine animal consisting of polyps. Species of coral include stony coral, octocoral & soft coral, black coral, and hydrocoral. Stony coral, or schleractianians, form calcium carbonate skeletons which may persist in the marine environment long after the colony has died. | Reef Habitat, Hydrocoral, Octocoral, Skeletal Coral, Stony Coral, Hydrocoral, Octocoral, Skeletal Coral, Stony Coral |
| State | Coralline Algae | Coralline algae is a low-growing type of algae on reefs that has calcareous deposits. | Algae, (CCA), Coralline Algae |
| State | Corallivorous Fish | Corallivorous fish are fish whose diet primarily consists of live coral. | Fish, parrotfish, Corallivorous Fish, Butterfly, scarid, Coral-feeding fish, Coral-eating fish, Coral-grazing fish, |
| State | Cyanobacteria | Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) obtain their energy through photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" comes from the color of the bacteria. Aquatic cyanobacteria are probably best known for the extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in both freshwater and the marine environment and can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. The association of toxicity with such blooms has frequently led to the closure of recreational waters when blooms are observed. Cyanabacteria blooms can cause coral disease. | Microorganisms, Cyanobacteria, |
| State | Echinoderms | Echinoderms are radially symmetrical marine invertebrates, such as starfish and sea urchins. | State, Crinoid, sand dollar, holothur, sea cucumber, feather star, Echinoderm, Sea Urchins, Seastars, Sea Urchins, Seastars, Sea Urchins, Seastars, Seastars, |
| State | Encrusting Sponges | Encrusting sponges grow on top of the coral. This can lead to decreased growth and sruvival rates for the encrusted corals. | Sponges, caerulea, microsigmatosa, Tedania anhelans, Tedania ignis, Terpios, Encrusting Sponge |
| State | Fish | Fish are cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates that breathe through gills and usually have scales. | State, fish, Apex Fish Predators, Corallivorous Fish, Invertivorous Fish, Large Herbivorous Fish, Piscivorous Fish, Planktivorous Fish, Small Herbivorous Fish, Apex Fish Predators, Corallivorous Fish, Invertivorous Fish, Large Herbivorous Fish, Large Herbivorous Fish, Piscivorous Fish, Planktivorous Fish, Small Herbivorous Fish |
| State | Fleshy Macroalgae | Fleshy macroalgae is any large algae which does not deposit calcium carbonate in it's tissues. | Algae, sargassa, Sargassum, Lobophora, caulerpa, dictyota, Fleshy Macroalga, fleshy alga, |
| State | Hydrocoral | Hydrocorals (millepora) are a taxonomic class of very small, predatory cnidarians that can be solitary or colonial. | Coral, Millepora, hydrocoral |
| State | Invasive Species | Invasive species are plants, animals, or other organisms that are foreign to a particular environment, and whose introduction may be detrimental when invasives compete with or consume native species. Invasive species in Caribbean reefs include lionfish, batfish, and tubastraea coral. | , nonindigenous, exotic species, Invasive, Non-native |
| State | Invertebrates | An Invertebrate is any animal that lacks a backbone. Marine Invertebrates that are commonly found in coral reef ecosystems include clams, crabs, lobsters, conchs, squid, starfish, octopi, snails, worms, and sea urchins. | Reef Inhabitants, other Invertebrates, Invertebrate, Arthropods, Echinoderms, Molluscs, Marine Worms, Arthropods, Echinoderms, Molluscs, Marine Worms |
| State | Invertivorous Fish | Invertivorous fish are fish that primarily feed on invertebrates. | Fish, Invertebrate feeding fish, hogfish, Pomacanthidae, Invertivorous Fish, Invertebrate-eating fish, Invertebrate-feeding fish, goatfish, squirrelfish, filefish, porcupinefish, pufferfish, triggerfish, triggerfish, |
| State | Large Herbivorous Fish | Large herbivorous fish are any large bodied fish that primarily feed on algae, such as parrotfish and chubs. | Fish, parrotfish, Large Herbivorous Fish, scarid, |
| State | Light | Light is the level of visible and ultraviolet solar radiation that penetrates the water column. | Physical Variables, light level, solar radiation, ultraviolet, light availability, irradiance, PAR, Photosynthetically active radiation, Photosynthetically availible radiation |
| State | Lobster, Crab, & Shrimp | Lobster, Crab, and Shrimp are crustaceans that can be found in coral reef ecosystems. They consume corallivorous invertebrates, and provide food for larger animals. | Crustaceans, prawn, penaeid, decapod, Lobster, Crab, Shrimp |
| State | Mangroves | Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics � mainly between latitudes 25� N and 25� S. The word is used in at least three senses: (1) most broadly to refer to the habitat and entire plant assemblage or mangal, for which the terms mangrove forest biome, mangrove swamp and mangrove forest are also used, (2) to refer to all trees and large shrubs in the mangal, and (3) narrowly to refer to the mangrove family of plants, the Rhizophoraceae, or even more specifically just to mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora. Mangroves are often found in association with coral reefs. | Wetlands, Mangrove, |
| State | Marine Birds | Marine birds are birds that live near, and depend on the ocean environment | , seabird, sea bird, waterbird, shorebird, coastal bird, |
| State | Marine Debris | Marine debris includes garbage, plastics, glass, and metal, which are not disposed of properly and can enter coastal waters. | Physical Variables, Derelict fishing gear, Marine Debris |
| State | Marine Vertebrates | Marine vertebrates are aquatic animals with a backbone, such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins and marine birds. | Reef Inhabitants, Marine Vertebrate, Marine Birds, Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles |
| State | Marine Worms | Any worm that lives in a marine environment is considered a marine worm. Some marine worms such as the hermodice, or "fireworm" feed on stony coral. Many other marine worms, such as polychaetes and flatworms, make their homes in coral reefs, and are the prey of fish, are thus a valuable part of the ecosystem. | Invertebrates, polychaet, oligochaete, Echiura, nematode, Sipuncula, sipunculid, serpulid, tube worm, worm reef, Marine Worm, hermodice, fireworm, fireworm, |
| State | Microorganisms | Microorganisms are microscopic plants or animals, such as cyanobacteria and disease-causing pathogens that live in coral reef ecosystems. | , Microorganism, Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Pathogens |
| State | Molluscs | Molluscs are marine invertebrates with soft, unsegmented bodies, such as clams, squid, and snails. | Invertebrates, Mollusk, Mollusc, Bivalves, Octopus & Squid, Snails & Conch, Bivalves, Octopus & Squid, Snails & Conch |
| State | Nutrients | Nutrients are essential elements needed by plants and animals for growth and primarily include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as minor nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, or zinc. | Chemical Variables, Nutrient, Eutrophic, Nitrogen, Phosphorous |
| State | Ocean Acidity | Ocean acidity reflects the pH of the ocean's surface, and is determined by dissolution rates of atmospheric CO2 and sea surface temperatures. | Chemical Variables, Ocean Acid, |
| State | Octocoral | Octocorals are thick and fleshy, colonial marine animals resembling stony corals in polyp size, but lacking calcium carbonite skeletons. Octocorals include blue coral, soft corals, sea pens, and gorgonia. | Coral, Octocoral, gorgonia, alcyonaria, blue coral, soft coral, sea pen |
| State | Octopus & Squid | Octopi and Squid are Mollusks that can be found in coral reef ecosystems. Octopi and Squid eat crustaceans and a variety of fish. | Molluscs, Squid, Octopus, Octopi, cephalopod |
| State | Pathogens | Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. | Microorganisms, Epizootic, Pathogen, Disease, |
| State | Physical & Chemical Environment | The Reef Ecosystem includes a suite of abiotic variables that form the physical and chemical environment. Chemical variables include nutrients, toxic chemicals, and changes in ocean acidity. Physical variables include both freshwater and seawater flow, sediment, light, and benthic substrate, as well as a number of variables related to climate, including sea surface temperature and tropical storms. | Reef Ecosystem, Physical & Chemical Environment, Chemical Variables, Physical Variables, |
| State | Physical Variables | The Physical aspects of coral reef ecosystems, such as the depth, temperature, and light, vary depending on the drivers and pressures. Physical Variables affect the growth, reproduction, and survival of coral. | Physical & Chemical Environment, Physical Variable, Climate, Marine Debris, Erosion, Light, Seawater Flow, Sediment, Substrate, Surface & Groundwater Flow, Upwelling, Volcanos & Earthquakes, Water Depth & Sea Level, Water Depth & Sea Level, |
| State | Piscivorous Fish | Piscivorous fish are fish that primarily feed on other fish, such as snapper and grouper. | Fish, Piscivorous Fish, moray eel, grouper, snapper, barracuda, |
| State | Planktivorous Fish | Planktivorous Fish are fish that feed primarily on plankton. | Fish, wrasse, planktivorous damselfish, Planktivorous Fish, planktivore-feeding fish, wrasses, squirrelfish |
| State | Plankton | Plankton are any plants or animals that are too small to actively move against ocean currents. | Arthropods, Zooplankton, Plankton, Phytoplankton, |
| State | Reef Ecosystem | The state of the Reef Ecosystem is the condition, in terms of quantity and quality, of the abiotic and biotic components including physical, chemical, and biological variables. | , Physical & Chemical Environment, |
| State | Reef Habitat | Reef Habitat is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the benthic components of the reef ecosystem. Stony coral, algae, sponges, and other species provide habitat and resources for reef inhabitants, including fish and invertebrates. | , Algae, Anemones & Zooanthids, Coral, Sponges, Algae, Anemones & Zooanthids, Coral, Sponges, Wetlands, |
| State | Reef Inhabitants | Reef Inhabitants are all of the motile components of the reef ecosystem, including fish, invertebrates, marine reptiles and mammals, and are quantified by their abundance, distribution, and condition. | , Invertebrates, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Vertebrates, Plankton, Tunicates |
| State | Reef Life | Reef Life is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the biological components of the coral reef ecosystem. Stony coral, octocoral, algae, sponges and other species provide habitat for fish, invertebrates, and other inhabitants. Nearby wetlands are also an important component of the reef ecosystem, providing nursery habitat and refugia for many reef fish. Reef inhabitants, including fish & invertebrates, graze & maintain reef habitat, preventing overgrowth of algae. Microorganisms and invasive species can affect other reef species. | , Ecological Attributes, Ecological Process |
| State | Salinity | Salinity is the dissolved salt concentration in water, and is the key factor distinguishing ocean water from freshwater. Marine species typically tolerate a range of salinity from 33-37 parts per thousand. | Chemical Variables, Salinity, |
| State | Sea Temperatures | Sea temperature is a measure of the warmth of ocean waters, and depends on water depth, solar radiation, water circulation patterns, and atmospheric temperatures. | Climate, Sea Temperature, ocean Temperature, degree heating week, |
| State | Sea Turtles | Sea turtles are any of various large turtles with limbs modified into flippers. | , Hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle, green turtle, marine turtle, flatback turtle, sea-turtle, Sea Turtle, |
| State | Sea Urchins | Sea Urchins are small, spiny echinoderms that can be found in coral reef ecosystems. In particular, Diadema sea urchins are extremely valuable parts of reef life, because they are herbivores that prevent algae overgrowth that can kill corals. | Echinoderms, heart urchin, pencil urchin, Sea Urchin, Diadema |
| State | Seagrasses | Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow in marine, fully-saline environments. They are called seagrasses because the leaves are long and narrow and are very often green, and because the plants often grow in large "meadows" that look like grassland. Seagrass meadows are one type of ocatsal; wetland, that is often found in association with coral reefs. | Wetlands, Seagrass, Marine Plant |
| State | Seastars | Seastars are echinoderms that are notable for their five arms that extend from their central body. Many starfish, such as the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), prey on coral polyps. | Echinoderms, basket star, brittle star, sea star, seastar, Starfish, Crown of Thorns, Acanthaster, |
| State | Seawater Flow | Seawater flow reflects circulation patterns, currents, and wave action that move water throughout the ocean and towards the coastline. | Physical Variables, Seawater Flow, water flow |
| State | Sediment | Sediment includes dirt, sand, silt, clay, and small rocks that form soil on land or soft substrate in marine habitats, and may be transported by water, wind, or human activities. | Physical Variables, Sediment, |
| State | Skeletal Coral | Skeletal coral is the calcium carbonate structure that remains after the coral animals have died. | Coral, coral rubble, reef rubblerubble, rubble;, Skeletal Coral, dead coral, rubble, |
| State | Small Herbivorous Fish | Small herbivorous fish are small bodied fish species, such as damselfish, tangs, and surgeonfish that primarily feed on algae. | Fish, fishes graz, fish graz, acanthur, pomacentrid, kyphosid, aplodactylid, tangs, tang *, Herbivorous Fish, damselfish, surgeonfish, grazing fish, grazing fish, |
| State | Snails & Conch | Snails and Conch are Mollusks that can be found in the coral reef ecosystem. Snails and Conch often graze on algae, but can bring harm to coral in the process. | Molluscs, whelk, Conch, Snail, Drupella, Coralliophila, |
| State | Sponges | Sponges are sessile colonial animals with soft porous bodies supported by a fibrous skeletal framework. | Reef Habitat, Sponge, Boring Sponges, Encrusting Sponges, Tube, Barrel, & Finger Sponges, Boring Sponges, Encrusting Sponges, Tube, Barrel, & Finger Sponges, |
| State | Stony Coral | Scleractinian, or stony corals, are marine animals with hard skeletons composed of calcium carbonate. | Coral, Stony Coral, Acropora, Scleractinia, reef-building coral, Porites, Montastraea, coral colony, branching coral, massive coral, coral species, Pocillopora, Agaricia, Agaricia, Mycetophyllia, Diploria, Siderastrea, Solenastrea, hard coral |
| State | Storms & Hurricanes | Storms and hurricanes are periodic events of high precipitation, winds, wave action, and flooding that can potentially cause damage to reef habitat, property, or human lives. | Climate, Storm, Hurricane, Typhoon, |
| State | Substrate | Substrate is the surface upon which an organism grows or is attached, and may include sand, hardbottom, rock, or even other biota. | Physical Variables, |
| State | Surface & Groundwater Flow | Surface and groundwater flow reflects the patterns of water movement across the landscape, including rivers, streams, underground water, or stormwater. | Physical Variables, Surface Flow, Groundwater, Surface Water, Surfacewater, Ground water, storm water, stormwater, River, Stream, Lake |
| State | Toxics | Toxics are chemical pollutants that are poisonous, carcinogenic, or otherwise directly harmful to humans, plants, or animals. Toxic chemicals include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), metals such as lead or mercury, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and hydrocarbons. | Chemical Variables, chemical runoff, chemical contamin, Chemical pollution, chemical stressor, mercury, nitrogen oxide, Nitrous Oxide, Sulfur Oxide, Sulphur Oxide, Hydrocarbons, Inorganics, Metals, Metals, Organics, Volatile Organic Compounds, |
| State | Tube, Barrel, & Finger Sponges | Tube, barrel, and finger sponges have vertical morphologies. The tube sponge is distinguished by its long tube-shaped growths, and ranges in color from purple to blue, gray, and gray-green. The vase sponge is characterized by a large bell shape with a deep central cavity. The finger sponge is a sponge with finger-shaped lobes, or branches. | Sponges, Spheciospongia vesparium, Xestospongia muta, Chondrilla nucula, Callyspongia vaginalis, tubular sponge, Tube Sponge, Finger Sponge, Barrel Sponge |
| State | Tunicates | Tunicates, or "sea squirts," are marine filter-feeding animals. | , Tunicate, |
| State | Turf Algae | Turf algae is a type of low growing algae in reefs. | Algae, Turf Alga, |
| State | Water Depth & Sea Level | Water depth reflects the height between the bottom of the seafloor and water surface, and is often indicative of distinct ecological communities (shallow water species; deep water species). Sea level reflects the average height of the ocean surface, and determines water level and inundation patterns along coastlines. | Physical Variables, Sea Level, Water Depth, reef Depth, |
| State | Wetlands | A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally. Such areas may also be covered partially or completely by shallow pools of water A coastal wetland is an area that has wet and spongy soils, and is located in the "transition zone" between dry land and the ocean. Examples of coastal wetlands are marshes, swamps, or bogs. Plants in coastal wetlands include seagrasses and mangroves. | , Wetland, Mangroves, Seagrasses, Mangroves, Seagrasses, |
| State | Whales & Dolphins | Whales & Dolphins are marine mammals of the order cetacea | , Marine Mammal, Dolphin, whale, cetacean |
| State | Zooxanthellae | Zooxanthellae are flagellate protozoa that are golden-brown intracellular endosymbionts of various marine animals and protozoa, especially anthozoans such as the scleractinian corals | Algae, |