CSCOR is committed to providing decision makers with high-quality scientific information and predictive tools that provide the underpinnings for ecosystem-based management in coastal regions. The development of ecological forecasts (i.e., the capability to predict the effects and interactions of environmental variability and anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems, and the impacts of management actions on ecosystems and coastal economies) has been the driving force behind CSCOR's and COP's ecosystem research for well over a decade. In much the same way a weather forecast or economic forecast can help society plan for future contingencies, an ecological forecasting capability is necessary for environmental managers to make informed decisions regarding alternative management scenarios. Ecological forecasts can lead to better decision-making, better communication between scientists and managers, and help to set science priorities for the future. More
For more information on ecological forecasting in other CSCOR programs, click here.
Cafe conversation session on NOAA ecosystem modeling priorities at Coastal Zone 07: CSCOR staff has led a project within the National Ocean Service to prioritize modeling activities based on user needs (link to report). A cafe conversation session at Coastal Zone 07 was held to solicit feedback on user needs related to modeling, and resulted in a short response (link to feedback document)
Modeling Related to the Regional Observing System in the Gulf of Maine