| Introduction
Estuaries are a critical transition between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Gulf of Mexico Estuaries encompass approximately 30,000 square kilometers or 42% of the total estuarine surface area of the United States, excluding Alaska. The Gulf of Mexico drainage area covers 55% of the total area of the conterminous U.S. Furthermore, the Gulf of Mexico receives an average of 27,473 cubic meters per second of freshwater inflow daily, which is more that 50% of the daily average for the continental U.S. According to projections by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Gulf Coast’s total population will increase by 144% between 1960 and 2010. This dramatic population growth will have profound impacts on estuarine watersheds through an increase in industrial and agricultural discharges, and will place more demands on natural resources.
Many of the nation’s estuaries have been environmentally stressed since the turn of the century and will continue to be impacted in the future. Consequently, the USGS is planning a major program for studying the estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico with the goal of developing reliable and credible predictive capabilities based on the understanding of natural and anthropogenic influences on the ecosystems. Tampa Bay, one of the Gulf of Mexico’s largest estuaries, exemplifies the threats that our estuaries face, and has been selected for a five-year study as a pilot project.
One of the objectives of the pilot project is to develop a template for estuarine research that can be applied to other estuaries of the gulf. The first year of the pilot project will be dedicated to small-scale research and information management efforts to demonstrate the value of integrated science and GIS systems in addressing the goal. In the following four years, the project will expand on the results of the first year. The Gulf of Mexico Estuaries Integrated Science Workshop was held on January 23-26, 2001 in St. Petersburg, Florida as a forum for bringing together federal, state, and local agencies, universities and private entities to open a dialogue for developing an integrated science strategy for estuarine research. Eighty-five participants from 24 different agencies representing numerous scientific disciplines participated in the four-day workshop to address the following workshop objectives.
1.) Identify information needs of organizations currently participating in Tampa Bay investigations and other Gulf of Mexico estuarine research programs required for effective resource management.
2.) Define the role of USGS in meeting research needs.
3.) Develop an integrated science approach for USGS in Gulf of Mexico Estuaries emphasizing partnerships and multidisciplinary collaborations.
The advantageous location of the U.S.G.S. Center for Coastal and Regional Marine Studies, the rapidly increasing population, and the long history of research by other agencies in the Tampa Bay area make Tampa Bay an excellent choice for a pilot study to develop an integrated science strategy for estuarine research and monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 2 million people live in the Tampa Bay watershed, and the population continues to grow. Demand for freshwater resources, conversion of undeveloped areas to residential and industrial uses, increases in storm-water runoff, and increased air pollution from urban and industrial sources are some of the known human activities that impact Tampa Bay. Beginning in 2001, additional anthropogenic modifications will begin in Tampa Bay including construction of an underwater gas pipeline and a desalinization plant, expansion of existing ports, and increased freshwater withdrawal from three major tributaries to the bay.
Many federal, local, and state agencies, universities, and private entities have undertaken estuarine monitoring programs and research in Tampa Bay and other Gulf estuaries. However, representatives from these organizations have identified a critical need for participation from the USGS in providing multidisciplinary expertise to address complex research issues and critical science information gaps that are necessary to understand how anthropogenic and natural variations in the ecosystem impact estuarine health. It has become clear that it is no longer sufficient to simply examine individual system components of estuarine systems. It is necessary to understand the complex interrelation among system components. As a multidisciplinary organization, the U.S.G.S. possesses the unique capability of developing and coordinating an integrated science strategy for estuarine research founded on partnerships and collaborative efforts, multidisciplinary teams of scientists, and integrated field work, data analysis and interpretation, and product development.
The following summarizes an integrated science strategy developed for Gulf of Mexico Estuaries with immediate application to the Tampa Bay Pilot Study. This strategy is consistent with the recommendations of the National Research Council reports "Science for Decisionmaking" and "Future Roles and Opportunities for the U.S. Geological Survey", and the National Coastal Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. The Tampa Bay Pilot Study is anticipated to be a five-year project to hone the integrated science strategy presented below and to develop a model for other integrated science efforts.
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