Condition of the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries: Production of a State of the Environment Report

摘要: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a report entitled Condition of the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries. That summarizes findings several studies conducted by federal and state agencies academic institutions in Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Estuary, coastal bays Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, simultaneously addresses two distinct audiences: environmental managers general public. This paper documents process preparing Estuaries Report, emphasizing lessons learned merging information from wide-variety sources reporting results to multiple audiences. major difficulties included: 1) choosing format topics that adequately addressed both public, 2) resolving spatial temporal disparities assembled data sets, 3) establishing threshold values distinguished between acceptable unacceptable conditions indicators. Our solutions these challenges alternatives are discussed. We conclude small team knowledgeable scientists can effectively merge diverse into document is useful interested However, considerable interaction other was necessary resolve ambiguities assure relevancy accuracy. These support proposition vast existing be easily used assess ecological condition across large regions.