Laguna Watershed Knowledgebase

Despite the fact that 71% of the earth is covered in salt water, and >90% of all habitats on the planet are marine, we know despairingly little about marine ecosystems and climate change impacts. The warmest global ocean temperatures on record were observed in summer 2009. In our region, upwelling, sea level, currents, temperature, salinity, to name a few, have changed, often unexpectedly, precipitating dramatic ecological and socioeconomic damage; for example, as of 2009 costs to the state of California for the “salmon crisis” alone have exceeded $1B. Is a “no-analog” environment resulting in “no-analog” biological communities? Do normal variations in the environment now result in abnormal biological responses? These and other perspectives from the coastal ecosystems of Northern California will be discussed relative to linked watersheds and watershed science and management in the region.