Major threats to marine biodiversity

Biodiversity is important for the survival and development of human society affects various aspects of our lives and is suffering from the rapid expansion of modern society and economy. At present marine biodiversity faces various anthropogenic threats including land-based pollution eutrophication destructive fishing habitat alteration invasion of non-indigenous species and global climate change. Since such threats are commonly found in various areas in the NOWPAP region NOWPAP is responsible for coordination of regional activities for assessment of the state of the marine and coastal environment trying to develop a new marine environmental assessment method for marine biodiversity conservation. This book is one of NOWPAP activities on marine biodiversity which assessed the status of biodiversity and environment protection in typical coastal zones of northern China and investigated the impacts of socio-economic development to the local biodiversity in a relatively long period using the PSR framework based on the data of social economic development during 2004-2013 and related ecological environment studies.