Developing scientific information to support decisions for sustainable coral reef ecosystem services

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently realigned its research enterprise around the concept of sustainability, including improving understanding of benefits derived from ecosystems. We provide an example of how EPA is applying structured decision-making (SDM) as a framework for guiding development of scientific information, data, and models to support watershed and marine-based management in coastal communities. In particular, we have been using the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) model as a tool in the SDM process to identify and assemble a broadly applicable suite of information with relevancy for coastal management, including 1) development of conceptual models to clarify the decision context, 2) identification of measurements of ecosystem attributes, ecosystem goods and services, and their connection to stakeholder objectives, 3) elaboration of potential decision alternatives, and 4) identification of ecosystem production and valuation functions for modeling consequences of decision alternatives on benefits derived from coral reefs. Finally, we overview how this information is being applied for two case studies: development of water quality criteria and watershed management to protect coastal resources. We posit that applying a systems thinking framework, such as DPSIR, within a structured decision-making approach will better enable marine ecosystem managers to utilize scientific information toward more sustainable decision-making.