This international collection of papers represents a selected and up-to-date overview of some of the main areas of research into the application of the geospatial technologies, including geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing, digital mapping, global positioning systems (GPS), databases, Internet technology, and mobile field-data collection and mapping, to coastal and marine environments around the World. Aimed at the researcher, editor, practitioner and student, this volume seeks to expand the available literature in a rapidly expanding and evolving area, namely the coastal and marine environment. The book comes at a time when there is growing concern about global warming, climate change, and sea level rise, all of which will have an impact upon coastal areas. These geospatial technologies offer the possibility to gather unique environmental data to study the coast, to process the data into information, to visualise data and landscapes, to gather data in the field, and to involve stakeholders in coastal management amongst other things.
Considerable potential now exists to raise awareness, to educate and to embrace these technologies as one way to promote greater knowledge and understanding of our marine and coastal environments.
