| dc.description.abstract | Estuaries in temperate regions represent the confluence or transition of three major biomes: terrestrial ecosystems, freshwater outflows, and nearshore habitats and they face a variety of external stressors. To help mitigate the impacts of external stressors on temperate estuaries, this systematic literature review identified and synthesized the spatial and temporal scales of ecological functions, the main stressors, and factors supporting resilience in estuaries. Dominant stressors were water quality threats, coastal modification, and hydrology changes. Temporal and spatial scales of stressors varied, with anthropogenic stressors generally occupying larger spatial scales and shorter temporal scales than natural processes. Functional redundancy, habitat complexity, and healthy food webs were identified as indicators of resilience at multiple scales. My research identifies tools available for measuring resilience to guide localized management of external stressors in temperate estuaries. Importantly, management actions should consider ecological functional integrity as a critical measure of the success of those actions. | |
