(f) Bioeneregetic (tropic-dynamic) studies of material and energy flow through 

 communities, including group and individual contributions and drains, life histories, 

 growth rates, food webs, and recognition of key species or groups leading to development 

 of balance sheets and specific structural-dynamic information. 



(g) Model studies. 



(h) Studies in social and technological sciences. 

 4. Value Judgements and Reconciling Conflicts. 



Once the ecological studies are well in hand, the task has merely begun. The basic 

 ecological work must be layered with such sociological disciplines as the political, social, 

 economic, aesthetic, cultural, and historical that may apply in the study area. Each of 

 these must be examined as systematically, as objectively, as quantitatively, and within as 

 well-developed a framework, as was the ecology. This is probably the more difficult 

 undertaking, for here we deal with people. 



An operations-research approach is a necessity. Inputs from the natural and social 

 sciences should funnel into a coordinating group consisting of an abstract-sciences team of 

 computer, statistics, and model-development specialists, ecological mentors, and 

 representatives of the social groupings, and then to a decision-making body. Public 

 relations are extremely important. 

 II. SYNOPSIS OF ECOLOGY FOR APPLICATION TO OFFSHORE DREDGING AND 



BEACH NOURISHMENT 

 1. Synopsis of Background Ecology. 



There is a dearth of the ecological facts needed for decision making before making 

 environmental modifications. Definite needs have not been met, and are not being met by 

 most ecologists studying the environment. 



Investigation of over 1,500 references showed only a small amount of research directed 

 specifically at the "offshore dredging-beach fill" problem. This was expected because the 

 use of offshore borrow pits is relatively new. On the other hand, it was expected that 

 studies made for other reasons or in other situations would provide information applicable 

 to the problem and or provide background knowledge. This has proved to be so, for the 

 most part, but definite and important gaps still remain. Although beaches and the 

 Continental Shelf have received a share of research attention commensurate with their 

 apparent importance to man, much of the beach work has been more natural history than 

 dynamic ecology, because hard data was lacking, and much of the work has been 

 uncoordinated. 



Search of the literature and interviews with persons engaged in coastal ecological work 

 showed a need for: (a) coordination of effort, (b) directed imagination to accompany 

 quantified raw data, (c) interdisciplinary work, and (d) the application of methods 

 applying broad, general survey data to specific locations. 



Knowledge of our coastal ecosystems is incomplete. Perhaps estuaries, extremely 

 complex ecosystems in the coastal areas, are best understood as a result of recent 

 concerted efforts. The estuarine work, and the methods and concepts derived from that 

 work, should be applied to the more exposed beaches and offshore dredging sites. 



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