Editorial: Marine and coastal environments under extreme stress

Abstract

Marine and coastal ecosystems occupy the dynamic interface where land, water, and atmosphere interact and constantly are modified by natural events and human actions, causing the most immediate effects of environmental changes, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss. They are rich in biodiversity and of great economic importance by providing multiple uses and resources for over half of the population currently living in coastal areas. Also, coastal wetlands (mangrove forests, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows) constitute the blue carbon ecosystems and are among the most efficiently sequesters of carbon). The pressure that marine and coastal ecosystems across the coasts of the world now face is not new and highly varied, resulting in far-reaching implications for the ocean and adjacent areas. Nevertheless, apart from the known responses of marine environments to climate changes on their functioning and structure, significant knowledge gaps on the potential effects of catastrophic natural events and intense anthropogenic stress and destruction on ecosystem dynamics are still needed, requiring new approaches to solve this problem. This Research Topic aimed to contribute to the potential responses of marine and coastal ecosystems, when subject to extreme chronic stressors or catastrophic events, either by natural or anthropogenic actions, providing a broad overview of assessment and monitoring tools from case studies from different continents.