Northern Gulf of Mexico: USGS science contributions to a resilient coast, 2006-2011

Abstract

The devastating hurricane season of 2005 challenged U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to develop a science base for resource managers and policy makers that could provide an understanding of the multiple stressors and influence affecting the northern Gulf of Mexico coast and to rack changes in linked coastal systems. The complexity of the Gulf Coast requires a science strategy for data collection and data reporting that is consistent across regional ecosystems and that can be applied to both short-term and long-term responses to stressors.