The importance of coastal habitats | UK Hydrographic Office скачать в хорошем качестве

The importance of coastal habitats | UK Hydrographic Office

Learn about the importance of coastal habitats and how we can protect them using marine geospatial data. TRANSCRIPT: Coastal habitats are vital ecosystems from salt marshes and mangroves, to seagrasses and coral reefs. Not only are they home to a range of diverse species, they also buffer the effects of floods and storms, prevent coastal erosion, and help mitigate the effects of climate change. Coastal ecosystems are capable of absorbing considerable amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere – a process known as blue carbon. With mangroves, seagrass and saltmarshes across the globe sequestering tonnes of carbon each year. But these ecosystems are being lost at an alarming rate of 1-2% per year, driven by unsustainable coastal development. Nearly 50% of the world’s mangroves have been lost since the 1950s, posing a risk to low-lying coastal regions, and the planet. As we face the increasing pressures of climate change and sea level rise, monitoring, protecting and restoring these ecosystems is vital. And in doing so, the Blue Carbon industry is expected to grow to £2.8bn by 2030. But to understand these complex marine environments, having the right data is key. Bathymetry and coastline data can form the basis for habitat maps and help inform carbon sequestration projects. When paired with data science techniques, blue data can help us locate and monitor mangrove forests across the globe and map changing coastlines with satellite imagery. A better understanding of these ecosystems can inform better decisions when managing the marine environment. So that we can protect our coasts, the communities they are home to, and the future of our planet. Find out more: https://www.admiralty.co.uk/Admiralty...