VI-98 



research and study needs to not conveniently fall into categories or 

 disciplines. In fact, most of them do not, reflecting the complex 

 interacting nature of the estuary itself: a complex of air, sediment, 

 ocean, freshwater influx, marsh, beach, or rock, and the estuary 

 itself. Because of this, problem areas have been identified largely 

 on the basis of kinds of approaches that will yield meaningful 

 results. 



A study of all our sources of information, recommendations received, 

 replies to specific requests, and symposia on research needs leads to 

 the opinion that our most important knowledge gaps and thus the most 

 imperative research and study needs lie in the following major areas: 



(1) Ecology, taken to include baseline studies, broad 

 ecological studies, biology, water quality, natural 

 variability, and interface factors; 



(2) Toxicity, taken to include bioassay and methodology, 

 sublethal effects, and mortality phenomena; 



(3) Microbiology, taken to include the regeneration 

 of plant nutrients, biodegradation of organic wastes, 

 the phenomenon of eutrophi cation or over-fertilization 

 to cause nuisance conditions, and pathogenic organisms 

 to either humans or aquatic organisms; 



(4) Physics and mathematics, taken to include hydraul- 

 ics, sedimentation, effects of structures and physical 

 modifications, physical and mathematical modeling; 



