A ssessment A pproach Ecosystem issues are being addressed as part of the coastal , freshwater , and forest assessments, reflecting their importance as well as their cross-cutting nature. In addition, a separate effort was devoted to ecosystem impacts, to ensure that all relevant issues were addressed. This work will draw on existing literature to describe the current status of ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic region, current stresses on these systems, how climate change might interact with those stresses, potential management strategies, and research gaps.
Work is also underway on assessing stakeholders' perceptions of ecological impacts .