A caveat in the concluding section of our paper states that it would be impossible to provide a comprehensive sample of synthesis case studies that reflects all the major research areas in estuarine and coastal science. In retrospect, however, we realize that the paper generally ignores two key fields of study, which are particularly active coastal research topics. Here we correct that omission by providing a few representative studies of synthesis in these two research areas: sediment biogeochemistry and seagrass ecology.