January 27, 2006 Heinz Center Releases 2005 Update to State of the Nation's Ecosystems
Today the Heinz Center released the second Web-only update of the State of the Nation's Ecosystems report. Additional information and links to the updated data can be found at http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems/intro/updates_05.shtml.
The State of the Nation's Ecosystems: Measuring the Lands, Waters, and Living Resources of the United States http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems/report.html was published in late 2002. Its goal, to which this Update contributes, is to provide periodic, high-quality, nonpartisan information on key indicators of the condition and use of U/S. ecosystems. New editions will be released every five years, with periodic updates available on the Web only. These Web-only updates are intended solely to provide access to newly released or updated data. New editions (the next one is due in 2007) will provide an opportunity for in-depth reviews of the indicators, revised interpretations of the significance of the data, and the like.
Update 2005 provides new data for 12 indicators. The data included in Update 2005 provide insight into key ecosystem characteristics such as the movement of nitrogen, fish and shellfish landings, freshwater use, crop yields, and ozone levels in urban and suburban areas. At least one indicator was updated in each of the ecosystem chapters except forests (i.e., coasts and oceans, farmlands, fresh waters, grasslands and shrublands, and urban and suburban areas), as well as in the chapter that describes overall national conditions ("core national indicators"). In several cases, Update 2005 revises previously published data based on changes made by the responsible agencies, in addition to extending the time series.
With two exceptions, the new data contained in Update 2005 demonstrate a continuation of existing trends with no major deviations reported. The exceptions (Movement of Nitrogen and Air Quality (High Ozone Levels) in Urban and Suburban Areas) are discussed in more detail in the attached material and at the web links listed above.
The Heinz Center is grateful to the following agencies and organizations that provided data for this update:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
USDA Economic Research Service
USDA Farm Service Agency
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey