This summary suggests a series of questions which will enable environmental managers and scientists to understand the potential for unexpected risks, and to develop strategies for handling unexpected environmental outcomes.
Managing coastal ecosystems can be further complicated by the effects of multiple stressors, where more than one small issue can result in large ecological shifts. Ecological evidence can provide insight into how the effects of stressors will impact an ecosystem network, and which ecological components should be prioritised for management of these stressors.
Case studies from research by the Ecological responses to cumulative effects project have highlighted that a single activity or issue can often generate multiple stressors. Rather than focusing solely on reducing the issue, considering how each stressor impacts different parts of the ecological network can help identify the highest priorities for environmental management.
