Abstract

Lagoons are the unsung hero of coastal environments. Common along low-lying coastlines around the world, these fragile aquatic environments delicately balance marine and terrestrial systems and cycles.
They occur on the landward side of beach barriers and have varying connectivity to the open ocean. Some are rarely connected to the sea, confined behind sandy barriers and deriving most of their water from land, while others have connections or inlets that allow the free flow of seawater.
Lagoons support high levels of biodiversity and are one of the most productive ecosystems on earth. Many are the sites of critical wetlands that act as natural carbon sinks. They also provide an abundance of other ecosystem services that cross ecological, social, cultural and economic boundaries.