A common assumption is that ecosystem services respond linearly to changes in habitat size. This assumption leads frequently to an all or none choice of either preserving coastal habitats or converting them to human use. However, our survey of wave attenuation data from field studies of...

The global decline in estuarine and coastal ecosystems (ECEs) is affecting a number of critical benefits, or ecosystem services. We review the main ecological services across a variety of ECEs, including marshes, mangroves, nearshore coral reefs, seagrass beds, and sand beaches and dunes. Where...