The coastal zone comprises less than 10% of the total ocean area, but is biologically diverse and ecologically important. The coastal zone includes intertidal habitats such as salt marshes and mangroves; nearshore areas such as estuaries and embayments; and the open water of the continental shelf.

Coastal Research in the UGA department of Marine Sciences includes:

> The Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Program (Hollibaugh, Joye, DiIorio, Alber, Cai, Moran, Hodson, Burd)

> Coastal and estuarine ecosystem dynamics modeling (Alber, Burd, Joye, Tilburg, Yager)

> Watershed effects on coastal water quality (Alber, Joye, Hollibaugh)

> Influence of freshwater inflow on estuarine salinity structure (Alber, DiIorio)

> Controls of salt marsh plants, animals, and microbes (Alber, Moran, Joye)

> Food web dynamics in coastal systems (Alber)