Should Geographic Areas be Classified as Endangered?

This may not be a serious question, since endangerment is set aside for species under the Endangered Species Act, but coastal areas represent the most vulnerable marine areas. Coastal development affects shore erosion, infrastructure increases coastal pollution, and harbors lead to a multitude of problems, from increasing non-native species to increased noise and debris pollution. Climate change, causing increased sea level rise, and increased storm occurrence, also threaten coastal areas. Importantly, coastal areas represent important habitats and support a wide range of biodiversity, and they act as natural filters before water reaches the open ocean. The loss of coastline threatens the global tourism industry and fisheries, and could cost millions or even billions of dollars in economic loss. 

However, coastal populations continue to increase, even as coastal cities are becoming more threatened by rising sea level. Increased population densities on the coast likely means increased microplastics pollution, since two major sources of microplastics in coastal systems are road runoff and wastewater treatment plants. My research area, St. Andrews Bay, represents the most densely populated coastal area in northwest Florida, though Florida is a plethora of densely populated coastal areas. However, St. Andrews Bay has multiple wastewater treatment plants that likely release microplastics into the bay that eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico, which is why I am using it as a field site.

Comparatively, St. Teresa, Florida, home of the marine lab, is rather sparsely populated, and doesn't have major infrastructure affecting microplastics levels along the coast. The major sources in the waters in St. Teresa are likely road runoff, which would be related to the population of the area and the amount of traffic along the coastal roads. While some of my research is done in the waters of the marine lab, it is more interesting to study densely populated areas like St. Andrews Bay, which may become more polluted in the next 10-20 years. I am luckily going to be out in the bay on Monday to collect more sediment after the month of red tide delays.

Although both of these areas are coastal systems, I would identify St. Andrews Bay as an endangered system, since humans are having a more detrimental affect on the local area than in St. Teresa. And while a classification system using the words endangered/extinct is not appropriate, we do have environmental quality statuses we can attach to geographic spaces. I've talked about environmental quality in a prior blog, so you can go back and read if you are interested, but I'm interested in whether microplastic pollution becomes a factor that researchers incorporate into environmental quality metrics in the near future, especially as we learn more about it and how it may affect biodiversity. 

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