Book excerpt: San Diego Bay is a shallow estuary surrounded by a large population center. Geological forces and changes in sea levels from the last Ice Age combine to make the Bay and the adjacent highlands and mesas. Human activity has also influenced the Bay. Humans built several major cities and filled significant parts of the Bay. This book describes the natural history and evolution of the San Diego Bay Area over the last 50 million years through the present and into the future. Key Features Summarizes a complex geological, geographical, and ecological history Reviews how the San Diego Bay has changed and will likely change in the future Examines the different roles of various drivers of Bay ecosystem function Includes the role of humans—both first people and modern populations—on the Bay Explores San Diego Bay as an example of general bay ecological and environmental issues Related Titles Howard GC and Kaser MR. Making and Unmaking of the San Francisco Bay (ISBN 9781138596726) Wang Y, ed. Remote Sensing of Coastal Environments (ISBN 978-1-1381-1638-2) Gonenc IE, Wolfin JB, eds. Coastal Lagoons: Ecosystem Processes and Modeling for Sustainable Use and Development (ISBN 978-0-3675-7814-5) Mossop E, ed. Sustainable Coastal Design and Planning (ISBN 978-0-3675-7075-0)