Ecological models of the Mississippi deltaic plain region: data collection and presentation

This technical report consists of quantified ecosystem models with input-output matrices of the biology, hydrology, geology, and socioeconomics of the major habitats of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain Region. The quantitative framework characterizes the region and provides a data base for future ecological models. The habitats modeled are aggregated from those previously identified. Detailed descriptions of the biological, physical, and socioeconomic interconnections within this coastal ecosystem allow coastal managers and decision makers to better assess the impacts of human activity on the region's natural resources. It is hoped that future modeling attempts based on the data collected in this report will help predict human impacts on coastal ecosystems and aid in the arduous task of assessing tradeoffs between nonrenewable resource development and renewable resource preservation.