TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Volume 1 Page 



LIST OF FIGURES (for all volumes) ix 



LIST OF TABLES (for all volumes) xvil 



ACKNOWLEDG^ffiNTS xxxi 



CHAPTER 1 

 CHAPTER 2 

 CHAPTER 3 



ORGANIZATION OF THE CHARACTERIZATION 1-1 



THE COASTAL flAINE ECOSYSTEM 2-1 



HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE ECOSYSTEM 3-1 



Volume 2 



LIST OF FIGURES 

 LIST OF TABLES 

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



CHAPTER 4: THE MARINE SYSTEM 4-1 



DATA SOURCES AND COMPILATION OF DATA 4-3 



DISTRIBUTION OF THE MARINE SYSTEM 4-5 



ABIOTIC FEATURES 4-7 



Geology 4-7 



Hydrography 4-11 



Long-term temperature trends 4-11 



Seasonal changes in temperature and salinity 4-13 



Spatial variability of coastal waters 4-14 



Water masses 4-17 



Tides 4-18 



Processes influencing coastal water 4-20 



Climate 4-25 



Wind 4-25 



Heat budget and precipitation 4-28 



Fog 4-28 



Atmospheric pressure 4-29 



Ice formation 4-29 



BIOTIC FEATURES 4-29 



Producers 4-29 



Phytoplankton 4-30 



Macroalgae and rooted vegetation 4-30 



Benthic diatoms 4-31 



Microbial producers 4-31 



Consumers 4-32 



Zooplankton 4-32 



Benthic invertebrates 4-33 



Squid 4-34 



Finfish 4-34 



Birds 4-35 



Marine mammals 4-39 



Decomposers 4-41 



FOOD WEBS 4-41 



11 



10-80 



