Five critical questions of scale for the coastal zone

摘要: Abstract Social and ecological systems around the world are becoming increasingly globalized. From standpoint of understanding coastal ecosystem behavior, system boundaries not sufficient to define causes change. A flutter in stock market Tokyo or Hong Kong can affect salmon producers Norway farmers Togo. The globalization opportunistic species disempowerment people trying manage their own affairs on a local scale seem coincide with trade. Human-accelerated environmental change, including climate exacerbate this sense disenfranchisement. structure functioning ecosystems have been developed over thousands years subject forces constraints imposed mainly scales. However, phenomena that transcend these conventional scales emerged explosion human population, especially rise modern global culture. Here, we examine five broad questions zone: (1) How big why should care? (2) Temporal change waters watersheds: Can detect shifting baselines due economic development other drivers? (3) Are footprints more important than boundaries? (4) What makes decision big? tyranny small decisions regions. (5) Scales complexity waters: simple, complicated complex? These do straightforward answers. There is no single “scale” for ecosystems; multiscale nature complicates our management them. Coastal depend watersheds as well spatially-diffuse “footprints” associated trade material flows. Change occurs both rapidly slowly time scales, observing responding changes environments fundamental challenge. Apparently collectively potentially enormous consequences quality, success managing effects will determine quality life zone 21st century beyond. Vigilant monitoring, creative synthesis information, continued research be necessary properly understand govern into future.