Definition of the Subject and Its Importance
Oceans and Human Health is a “meta-discipline” comprising elements of oceanography, marine biology and ecology, biomedical science, environmental health science, medicine, and public health. It focuses principally on water- and food-borne causes of human and animal illness associated with exposure to ocean, coastal and/or Great Lakes waters, habitats, and organisms. It seeks to integrate information across many disciplines to achieve a fuller understanding of health risks and benefits associated with these environments and how they can be managed to protect or enhance public health.
Introduction
That the health of the oceans and humans are tightly and inextricably connected has been recognized by some scientists for many years [1–3]. However, only in the last few decades have these connections – and the implications of human health effects of degraded coastal and ocean environments – come clearly into focus as an important emerging arena...
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Abbreviations
- Antibiotic resistance:
-
Situation where microorganisms, particularly bacteria, are able to survive exposure to antibiotics. Of major concern when resistant microorganisms are the causative agents of significant human or animal diseases.
- Coastal and marine spatial planning:
-
“A comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning process, based on sound science, for analyzing current and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas” (Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (IOPFT) (2010) Final recommendations of the interagency ocean policy task force. The White House Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC, 96 pp).
- Ecological forecasting:
-
Combining environmental and biological information to predict effects that biological, chemical, physical, and human-induced changes will have on ecosystems in general or more typically specific ecological components (e.g., harmful algae, fishery populations, jellyfish).
- Epidemiological:
-
Pertaining to the study of the incidence, distribution, causes, and prevention of diseases.
- Harmful algal blooms:
-
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are proliferations (blooms) of microscopic algae that produce toxins that may cause serious illness or death in both animals and humans. HABs are caused by numerous species of algae and may occur in salt, brackish, and fresh waters.
- One health:
-
The paradigm that links environmental, human, and animal health.
- Pathogens:
-
Microorganisms that cause infectious disease.
- Zoonotic:
-
Referring to diseases of animals that may be transmitted to and cause illness in humans.
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Sandifer, P.A., Collier, T.K., Trtanj, J.M. (2012). Coastal Ecosystems , Sustainable Management . In: Meyers, R.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_884
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