Data issues
Data sets regarding marine and coastal ecosystems show a trend in un-co-ordinated and generally incomplete knowledge on issues of greatest concern. New and updated research on marine and coastal systems and resources is needed. Two examples of often cited references which highlight this deficiency include: Lubke and de Moor (1998) and Branch and Branch (1983). Many other references highlight the need for a national rather than provincial focus on research.
Further research and continued monitoring is required for sustainable development and management of marine and coastal ecosystems. It is encouraging that there are projects such as the development of estuarine health indices (funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism). The approach used to develop these indices is to condense multi disciplinary and often complex data collected in each estuary into an easily understood format (an index) for non specialists for use in the sustainable management of South Africa's estuaries.
|
There is also information about Terrestrial Ecosystems in the following reports:
|
|
Metropolitan reports:
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 1999 Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism. All Rights Reserved.
Site maintained by the Directorate Environmental Information and Reporting
Last update: October 1999
| 
.gif){kind=small}