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Key Stressors
NCCOS has identified five categories of ecosystem stress: land & resource use, pollution, extreme natural events, climate change and invasive species. These stressors often occur together and their cumulative effects are poorly understood. As an NCCOS research facility, the Hollings Marine Laboratory is committed to understanding these stressors individually and as they interact.
Stressor Research at HML
Land & Resource Use
Changes in land and resource use can result in exhausted fisheries, loss of habitat, degraded water quality and increased chemical and sediment runoff. scientists are working to understand the consequences of the human interaction with the environment which in time will better support decision making leading to regulation and balancing of social and economic demands on environmental sustainability for community resilience. HML researchers focus on the following areas of land and resource use:
Pollution
Non-point source pollution from agricultural and suburban runoff has become a significant stressor of coastal
ecosystems. Researchers at the HML develop new methods to measure contaminants, investigate the effects of these pollutants and
identify the way marine organisms respond to pollution. HML researchers focus on the following areas of pollution:
Extreme Natural Events
Hurricanes, coastal storms, floods and droughts produce profound ecosystem changes both directly and indirectly. HML scientists are working to understand how the changes resulting from extreme natural events may impact commercial and recreational activities in the affected region and adversely affect the health of marine organisms. HML researchers focus on the following areas of pollution:
Climate Change
NCCOS has identified five key categories of ecosystem stress: Climate change may alter sea level, temperature, water current, storm frequency and intensity, and change precipitation delivery of freshwater, sediments, and pollution to the coastal zone. NCCOS studies seek to better understand the relationship of human-induced and natural climate change forces so that potential impacts on critical coastal ecosystems can be predicted and, where possible, mitigated. Learn more »
More on Stressor Research
Coastal ecosystems change naturally, but external stressors can influence the types and rates of those changes and pose risks to the ecosystems. Although the following stressor is not currently a focus for the research staff at HML, it is equally important in working to understand the individual and combined effects of multiple stressors.Invasive Species
Exotic plants and animals brought to the U.S. from other countries, or moved to new areas from within the U.S., can damage native plants and animals, change native community structure, and produce enormous economic impacts. NCCOS aims to predict the potential risk from non-indigenous species introduction by understanding species tolerances and life cycles. This will provide the focus to address high-risk species and the tools for mitigating their effects. Learn more »