Selection of Suitable Ecosystem Indicators as Tools to Assess the Ecosystem Health of Coastal Lagoons and Their Implications in Management

Abstract

In recent years, coastal lagoons have been recognized for their significance as productive ecosystems as well as for their important roles in maintaining ecological balance. However, for understanding the structure and functioning of coastal lagoons for preserving their natural quality one has to take into account the rapid degradation of these unique ecosystems. Hence, tools for indicating rapid changes in lagoon ecosystems in order to assess and maintain their health are the needs of the hour. Ecological indicators available to ecosystem managers for this purpose are numerous and often inappropriately selected within the context of lagoon management. Thus it is important to select suitable ecosystem indicators to accurately determine the status of the lagoon ecosystems. This article provides a comprehensive review of the existing ecosystem indicators used in the monitoring of lakes and lagoons. Further, it explores the functionalities of these indicators and correlates them with their applicability in conservation and management of a coastal lagoon. The purpose of this work is to provide a chart of reference for managers of coastal lagoons for easy and suitable selection of ecosystem indicators as tools for use in a cogent environmental monitoring programme.