- Title Pages
- In Memory of Dr. Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro (1944–2009)
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Presentation
- Preface
-
Chapter 1 Costa Rica’s Ecosystems: Setting the Stage -
Chapter 2 Climate of Costa Rica -
Chapter 3 Geology, Tectonics, and Geomorphology of Costa Rica: A Natural History Approach -
Chapter 4 Soils of Costa Rica: An Agroecological Approach -
Chapter 5 The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 6 The Gulf of Nicoya Estuarine Ecosystem -
Chapter 7 Isla del Coco: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 8 Isla del Coco: Terrestrial Ecosystems -
Chapter 9 The Northern Pacific Lowland Seasonal Dry Forests of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula -
Chapter 10 Biodiversity Conservation History and Future in Costa Rica: The Case of Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) -
Chapter 11 The Central Pacific Seasonal Forests of Puntarenas and the Central Valley -
Chapter 12 The Southern Pacific Lowland Evergreen Moist Forest of the Osa Region -
Chapter 13 The Montane Cloud Forests of the Volcanic Cordilleras -
Chapter 14 The Montane Cloud Forests of the Cordillera de Talamanca -
Chapter 15 The Páramo Ecosystem of Costa Rica’s Highlands -
Chapter 16 The Caribbean Lowland Evergreen Moist and Wet Forests -
Chapter 17 The Caribbean Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 18 Rivers of Costa Rica -
Chapter 19 Lakes of Costa Rica -
Chapter 20 Bogs, Marshes, and Swamps of Costa Rica -
Chapter 21 Costa Rican Ecosystems: A Brief Summary - Acronyms
- Subject Index
- Systematic Index of Common Names
- Systematic Index of Scientific Names
The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
- Chapter:
- (p.97) Chapter 5 The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
- Source:
- Costa Rican Ecosystems
- Author(s):
Jorge Cortés
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
Costa Rica’s situation on the Central American Isthmus between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans produces a great deal of species diversity within and between the various ecosystems. This chapter presents a description the main coastal and marine ecosystems of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and a discussion of the relationship between these ecosystems and human activity. The first section is a brief history of marine research, followed by an overview of the state of scientific knowledge regarding the coast and descriptions of its physical conditions. The coastal and marine ecosystems are described and the main natural and anthropogenic impacts on those ecosystems are discussed. This information is leveraged to present several conservation initiatives, and propositions for the future in terms of research, management, and conservation, ultimately arguing that protection and conservation of the marine and coastal ecosystems is not only an obligation of the government, but a need and responsibility of everyone.
Keywords: Costa Rica, pacific coast, conservation, ecosystem, marine, species diversity
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- Title Pages
- In Memory of Dr. Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro (1944–2009)
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Presentation
- Preface
-
Chapter 1 Costa Rica’s Ecosystems: Setting the Stage -
Chapter 2 Climate of Costa Rica -
Chapter 3 Geology, Tectonics, and Geomorphology of Costa Rica: A Natural History Approach -
Chapter 4 Soils of Costa Rica: An Agroecological Approach -
Chapter 5 The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 6 The Gulf of Nicoya Estuarine Ecosystem -
Chapter 7 Isla del Coco: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 8 Isla del Coco: Terrestrial Ecosystems -
Chapter 9 The Northern Pacific Lowland Seasonal Dry Forests of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula -
Chapter 10 Biodiversity Conservation History and Future in Costa Rica: The Case of Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) -
Chapter 11 The Central Pacific Seasonal Forests of Puntarenas and the Central Valley -
Chapter 12 The Southern Pacific Lowland Evergreen Moist Forest of the Osa Region -
Chapter 13 The Montane Cloud Forests of the Volcanic Cordilleras -
Chapter 14 The Montane Cloud Forests of the Cordillera de Talamanca -
Chapter 15 The Páramo Ecosystem of Costa Rica’s Highlands -
Chapter 16 The Caribbean Lowland Evergreen Moist and Wet Forests -
Chapter 17 The Caribbean Coastal and Marine Ecosystems -
Chapter 18 Rivers of Costa Rica -
Chapter 19 Lakes of Costa Rica -
Chapter 20 Bogs, Marshes, and Swamps of Costa Rica -
Chapter 21 Costa Rican Ecosystems: A Brief Summary - Acronyms
- Subject Index
- Systematic Index of Common Names
- Systematic Index of Scientific Names
