Table of Contents

Aquatic Ecosystems and Global Climate Change

Foreword       ii

Executive Summary       iii

I. Introduction    1

II. Climate, Environmental Drivers, and Aquatic Ecosystems    4

III. Responses of Inland Freshwater Ecosystems to Climate Change   7
        A. Streams and Rivers     7
        B. Lakes                         13
        C. Freshwater Wetlands     18
        D. Coastal Ecosystems     23

IV. Limits to Ecosystem Adaptation and the Importance of
            Human Adaptation     32

V. Conclusions      34

Endnotes     36