Upland areas of southeastern United States tidal creek watersheds are popular locations for development, and they form part of the estuarine ecosystem characterized by high economic and ecological value. The primary objective of this work was to define the relationships between coastal development, with its concomitant land use changes and associated increases in nonpoint source pollution loading, and the ecological condition of tidal creek ecosystems including related consequences to human populations and coastal communities. Nineteen tidal creek systems, located along the southeastern US coast from southern North Carolina to southern Georgia, were sampled in the summer, 2005 and 2006. Within each system, creeks were divided into two primary segments based upon tidal zoning—intertidal (i.e., shallow, narrow headwater sections) and subtidal (i.e., deeper and wider sections)—and then watersheds were delineated for each segment. Relationships between coastal development, concomitant land use changes, nonpoint source pollution loading, the ecological condition of tidal creek ecosystems, and the potential impacts to human populations and coastal communities were evaluated. In particular, relationships were identified between the amount of impervious cover (indicator of coastal development) and a range of exposure and response measures including increased chemical contamination of the sediments, increased pathogens in the water, increased nitrate/nitrite levels, increased salinity range, decreased biological productivity of the macrobenthos, alterations to the food web, increased flooding potential, and increased human risk of exposure to pathogens and harmful chemicals. The integrity of tidal creeks, particularly the headwaters or intertidally dominated sections, was impaired by increases in nonpoint source pollution associated with sprawling urbanization (i.e., increases in impervious cover). This finding suggests that these habitats are valuable early warning sentinels of ensuing ecological impacts and potential public health and flooding risk from sprawling coastal development. The results also validate the use of a conceptual model with impervious cover thresholds for tidal creek systems in the southeast region.

中文翻译：

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沿海开发对美国东南部潮汐溪生态系统生态的影响，包括对人类的影响。

美国东南部的潮汐小溪流域的高地地区是受欢迎的开发地点，它们构成了以高经济和生态价值为特征的河口生态系统的一部分。这项工作的主要目的是确定沿海发展及其伴随的土地利用变化和非点源污染负荷的相应增加之间的关系，以及潮汐小河生态系统的生态状况，包括对人口和沿海社区的相关影响。在2005年夏季和2006年夏季，从美国北海岸从北卡罗来纳州南部到乔治亚州南部的19个潮汐小河系统进行了采样。根据潮汐分区，每个系统中的小河分为两个主要部分：潮间带（即浅水区）。 ，狭窄的上游水域）和潮下带（即，更深，更宽的区域），然后为每个路段划定分水岭。评价了沿海发展，伴随的土地利用变化，面源污染负荷，潮汐小河生态系统的生态状况以及对人类和沿海社区的潜在影响之间的关系。特别是，在不透水的覆盖量（沿海发展的指标）与一系列暴露和应对措施之间确定了关系，包括增加沉积物的化学污染，增加水中的病原体，增加硝酸盐/亚硝酸盐含量，增加盐度范围，大型底栖动物的生物生产力下降，食物网的变化，洪水泛滥的可能性增加，并且人类接触病原体和有害化学物质的风险增加。与蔓延的城市化有关的非点源污染增加（即不透水覆盖面积增加），会损害潮汐小河的完整性，特别是上游水域或以河滩为主的部分。这一发现表明，这些栖息地是宝贵的预警哨兵，可用于随之而来的生态影响以及潜在的公共健康和沿海发展的潜在洪灾风险。结果还验证了东南部潮汐小溪系统采用不透水覆盖阈值的概念模型的有效性。这一发现表明，这些栖息地是宝贵的预警哨兵，可用于随之而来的生态影响以及潜在的公共健康和沿海发展的潜在洪灾风险。结果还验证了东南部潮汐小溪系统采用不透水覆盖阈值的概念模型的有效性。这一发现表明，这些栖息地是宝贵的预警哨兵，可用于随之而来的生态影响以及潜在的公共健康和沿海发展的潜在洪灾风险。结果还验证了东南部潮汐小溪系统采用不透水覆盖阈值的概念模型的有效性。