Implications of Observed Anthropogenic Changes to the Nearshore Ecosystems in Puget Sound

This report by the PSNERP Nearshore Science Team presents a synthesis of the most significant physical changes to the nearshore ecosystems of Puget Sound and implications of these changes to ecosystem functions, goods, and services. Documented historical changes to the shoreline environment of Puget Sound have caused widespread losses in connectivity, increased fragmentation of the landscape and simplification of nearshore landscapes. These impacts have disrupted many nearshore ecosystem processes that support important species and have impaired the system’s capacity to support biological diversity and production.