Revised and updated periodically, The State of the Nation's Ecosystems is widely recognized as America's most comprehensive report on the condition of our lands, waters, and living resources. Like the acclaimed first edition, this second edition provides nonpartisan, scientifically reliable information for policymakers, scientists, journalists, and anyone who is interested in the state of America's environment.
The State of the Nation's Ecosystems provides a way to take the pulsea of America's environment. It is organized around the nation's primary ecosystems: farmlands, forests, fresh waters, coasts and oceans, grasslands and shrublands, urban and suburban areas, and the nation as a whole. For each, it identifies what should be measured, counted, and reported so that decision makers and others can understand the changes that are occurring, set priorities for action, and measure whether we are achieving our environmental goals. Conditions are tracked using approximately 100 indicators, agreed upon by hundreds of experts from universities, government agencies, corporations, and environmental organizations. The new report refines the set of indicators and supplies data.
Until its publication, there was no environmental equivalent to the kind of key economic indicatorsa that help to gauge the economic health of the nation, like gross domestic product. The State of the Nation's Ecosystems provides our first set of key environmental indicators.a It won't eliminate differences of opinion about environmental policy, but it will provide a common set of data to inform the debate as well as a common yardstick for measuring the effectiveness of our actions. Most importantly, it will provide much-needed assistance in setting our future agenda.
State of the Nation' s Ecosystems Project Participants Acknowledgments Support for The State of the Nation' s Ecosystems 2008
Chapter 1. The State of the Nation' s Ecosystems 2008: Information Matters -The Indicators at a Glance
Chapter 2. The Nation' s Ecosystems: Core Indicators -Ecosystems at a Glance: Summary Table -Ecosystem Extent -Pattern of Naturala Landscapes -The Movement of Nitrogen -Carbon Storage -Chemical Contamination -Change in Stream Flows -At-Risk Native Species -Established Non-native Species -Native Species Composition -Plant Growth Index -Production of Food and Fiber and Water Withdrawals -Outdoor Recreation -Natural Ecosystem Services
Chapter 3. Coasts and Oceans -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Coastal Living Habitats -Shoreline Types -Pattern in Coastal Areas -Areas with Depleted Oxygen -Contamination in Bottom Sediments -Coastal Erosion -Sea Surface Temperature -At-Risk Native Marine Species -Established Non-native Species in Major Estuaries -Unusual Marine Mortalities -Harmful Algal Events -Condition of Bottom-Dwelling Animals -Chlorophyll Concentrations -Commercial Fish and Shellfish Landings -Status of Commercially Important Fish Stocks -Selected Contaminants in Fish and Shellfish -Recreational Water Quality
Chapter 4. Farmlands -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Total Cropland -The Farmland Landscape -Proximity of Cropland to Residences -Patches of Naturala Land in the Farmland Landscape -Nitrate in Farmland Streams and Groundwater -Phosphorus in Farmland Streams -Soil Organic Matter -Pesticides in Farmland Streams and Groundwater -Potential Soil Erosion -Soil Salinity -Stream Habitat Quality -Status of Animal Species in Farmland Areas -Established Non-native Plant Cover in the Farmland Landscape -Soil Biological Condition -Major Crop Yields -Agricultural Inputs and Outputs -Monetary Value of Agricultural Production -Recreation in Farmland Areas
Chapter 5. Forests -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Forest Area and Ownership -Forest Types -Forest Management Categories -Pattern of Forest Landscapes -Nitrate in Forest Streams -Carbon Storage -At-Risk Native Forest Species -Established Non-native Plant Cover in Forests -Forest Age -Forest Disturbance: Fire, Insects, and Disease -Fire Frequency -Forest Community Types with Significantly Reduced Area -Timber Harvest -Timber Growth and Harvest -Recreation in Forests
Chapter 6. Fresh Waters -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Extent of Freshwater Ecosystems -Altered Freshwater Ecosystems -In-Stream Connectivity -Phosphorus in Lakes, Reservoirs, and Large Rivers -Freshwater Acidity -Water Clarity -Stream Habitat Quality -At-Risk Native Freshwater Species -Established Non-native Freshwater Species -Animal Deaths and Deformities -Status of Freshwater Animal Communities: Fish and Bottom-Dwelling Animals -At-Risk Freshwater Plant Communities -Water Withdrawals -Groundwater Levels -Waterborne Human Disease Outbreaks -Freshwater Recreational Activities
Chapter 7. Grasslands and Shrublands -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Area of Grasslands and Shrublands -Land Use in Grasslands and Shrublands -Pattern of Grassland and Shrubland Landscapes -Nitrate in Grassland and Shrubland Groundwater -Carbon Storage -Number and Duration of Dry Periods in Grassland and Shrubland Streams and Rivers -Depth to Shallow Groundwater -At-Risk Native Grassland and Shrubland Species -Established Non-native Grassland and Shrubland Plant Cover -Population Trends in Invasive and Non-invasive Birds -Fire Frequency -Riparian Condition -Cattle Grazing -Recreation on Grasslands and Shrublands
Chapter 8. Urban and Suburban Landscapes -Ecosystem at a Glance: Summary Table -Area and Composition of the Urban and Suburban Landscape -Total Impervious Area -Stream Bank Vegetation -Housing Density Changes in Low-Density Suburban and Rural Areas - Naturala Lands in the Urban and Suburban Landscape -Nitrate in Urban and Suburban Streams -Phosphorus in Urban and Suburban Streams -Urban and Suburban Air Quality -Chemical Contamination -Urban Heat Island -Species Status -Disruptive Species -Status of Animal Communities in Urban and Suburban Streams -Publicly Accessible Open Space per Resident -Natural Ecosystem Services
Appendixes and Technical Notes Appendix A: State of the Nation' s Ecosystems Project: History and Design Process Appendix B: Indicator Development Since 2002 and Future Research Needs Appendix C: Changes in Data Availability Since 2002 and Remaining Data Gaps Appendix D: Maps of Regions Used throughout the Report Technical Notes (Including Major Monitoring Program Descriptions) Index
