Land–Sea Interactions and Ecosystem Services: Research Gaps and Future Challenges

Abstract

The land–sea interface is essential for understanding the interconnectedness of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and provides ecosystem services to people. Although research has been conducted on both ecosystems, knowledge about their interactions remains limited. While there has been growing research interest on land–sea interactions over the last decade, other types of knowledge system such as local or indigenous knowledge have not yet been included. The goal of this study is to review the literature related to land–sea interactions using an ecosystem services framework to help classify existing research. A systematic review of the literature was employed by searching peer-reviewed publications in Web of Science using land–sea interaction keywords. The synthesis identified 166 publications. The findings indicate that the primary disciplines that have investigated land–sea interactions were biogeochemistry and ecology, with a focus on nutrients and interactions. In terms of ecosystem services, supporting and regulating services were the most researched, with urbanization and agricultural and forestry effluents as main studied drivers. Results reveal a need for a more comprehensive view of land–sea interactions that recognizes the critical role that social factors play in shaping the sustainability of these systems. Therefore, a future challenge involves using a more holistic approach to the study and management of land–sea interactions.