Global Ecological Coastal Units (ECUs) HOSTS: Roger Sayre (U. S. Geological Survey), Dawn Wright, and Sean Breyer (Esri) 30-31 OCT 2017 Esri Headquarters ELUs (land) EMUs (marine) ECUs (coastal)
Global Ecological Coastal Units (ECUs)HOSTS: Roger Sayre (U. S. Geological Survey), Dawn Wright, and Sean Breyer (Esri)
30-31 OCT 2017 Esri Headquarters
ELUs (land)
EMUs (marine)
ECUs (coastal)
UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDG 14
14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration, to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on best available scientific information.
GEO ECOSYSTEMS Initiative: Global Ecosystem Mapping
Develop a standardized, robust, and practical global ecosystems classification and map for the planet’s terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.
Global Ecological Marine Units (EMUs)
Global Ecological Land Units (ELUs)
Globally comprehensive
~4000 ELUs
Climate/Landform/Geology/Vegetation
250 m spatial resolution
Globally comprehensive and true 3D
37 EMUs
Temperature/Salinity/Oxygen/Nitrate/Phosphate/Silicate
27 km m spatial resolution
The ECU Mapping Approach – Environmental Stratification
We will quantitatively segment (stratify) the global coastal zone into environmentally distinct/ecologically meaningful units.
Emerita
The Global Shoreline Vector (GSV) from USGS
Coastal Zone – Bounding the Universe
Terrestrial
Aquatic
Coastal Land Areas
Nearshore Coastal Waters
Offshore Coastal Waters
Coastal Zone – Bounding the Universe
Coastal Land Areas
Nearshore Coastal Waters
Offshore Coastal Waters
ECUs – Distinct Abiotic Settings + Matrix-forming Biological Assemblages
Terrestrial
Aquatic
Coastal Land Areas
Nearshore Coastal Waters
Offshore Coastal Waters
Clustered Transects Along Segments
Next Up - Ecological Freshwater Units (EFUs)