Knowledge integration as a method to develop capacity for evaluating technical information on biodiversity and ocean currents for integrated coastal management

Abstract

An approach to coastal management has been proposed that will better address important social-environmental problems, using a concept called knowledge integration. Knowledge integration involves bridging previously distinct technical subject areas to allow holistic, generally better, and more effective environmental policy. Science-management integration is a specific type of integration which may precede and enable other types of integration efforts for coastal management. Technical information may be contributed from many scientific disciplines in making decisions about coastal environment. Additional knowledge may be necessary so that technical information from the sciences is used in a manner consistent with scientific applications. This manuscript illustrates this point by focusing on two different areas of science relevant to coastal management, biodiversity informatics from ecological science and ocean currents modelling from physical oceanography. In addition, a use case is presented for the Coral Triangle Initiative, which illustrates general issues involved in developing capacity for science-management integration by coastal managers. The use of knowledge integration technology is discussed as a method of providing coastal managers access to expert knowledge for reliable use of technical information in coastal management applications. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.