Showing papers in "Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science in 2016"

Microplastics as vector for heavy metal contamination from the marine environment

Abstract: The permanent presence of microplastics in the marine environment is considered a global threat to several marine animals. Heavy metals and microplastics are typically included in two different classes of pollutants but the interaction between these two stressors is poorly understood. During 14 days of experimental manipulation, we examined the adsorption of two heavy metals, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), leached from an antifouling paint to virgin polystyrene (PS) beads and aged polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fragments in seawater. We demonstrated that heavy metals were released from the antifouling paint to the water and both microplastic types adsorbed the two heavy metals. This adsorption kinetics was described using partition coefficients and mathematical models. Partition coefficients between pellets and water ranged between 650 and 850 for Cu on PS and PVC, respectively. The adsorption of Cu was significantly greater in PVC fragments than in PS, probably due to higher surface area and polarity of PVC. Concentrations of Cu and Zn increased significantly on PVC and PS over the course of the experiment with the exception of Zn on PS. As a result, we show a significant interaction between these types of microplastics and heavy metals, which can have implications for marine life and the environment. These results strongly support recent findings where plastics can play a key role as vectors for heavy metal ions in the marine system. Finally, our findings highlight the importance of monitoring marine litter and heavy metals, mainly associated with antifouling paints, particularly in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

Drivers, trends, and potential impacts of long-term coastal reclamation in China from 1985 to 2010

Abstract: The reclamation of coastal land for agricultural, industrial, and urban land use—a common worldwide practice—has occurred extensively in the coastal region of China. In recent decades, all coastal provinces and metropolises in China have experienced severe coastal reclamation related to land scarcity caused by rapid economic growth and urbanization. However, the value of coastal wetlands and ecosystems has not been well understood and appreciated until recent development of advantageous methods of restoring reclaimed land to coastal wetlands in many developed countries. The overall objective of this study is to provide detailed spatial and temporal distributions of coastal reclamation; analyze drivers such as coastal economy, population growth, and urbanization; and understand the relationships among the drivers and land reclamation. We used long-term Landsat image time series from 1985 to 2010 in 5-year intervals, in combination with remotely sensed image interpretation and spatial analysis, to map the reclamation status and changes across the coastal region of China. The Landsat images time-series analysis was also conducted to evaluate the effects of the economy, population, and urbanization drivers on coastal reclamation. The analysis results indicated that 754,697 ha of coastal wetlands have been reclaimed across all coastal provinces and metropolises from 1985 to 2010, and the trend increased sharply after 2005. High-intensity coastal reclamation was mainly driven by the booming economy, especially after 2000, associated with urbanization and industrial development in China's coastal region; this was closely correlated with the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The continuous large-scale coastal reclamation of its coastal region now means China is facing a great challenge, including the enormous loss of vegetated coastal wetlands, negative environmental effects, and potential disaster risks related to coastal flooding under future change climate conditions. Long-term ecosystem-based coastal protection and management are critical to support sustainable coastal ecosystems in China in the future.

Modelling accumulation of marine plastics in the coastal zone; what are the dominant physical processes?

Abstract: Anthropogenic marine debris, mainly of plastic origin, is accumulating in estuarine and coastal environments around the world causing damage to fauna, flora and habitats. Plastics also have the potential to accumulate in the food web, as well as causing economic losses to tourism and sea-going industries. If we are to manage this increasing threat, we must first understand where debris is accumulating and why these locations are different to others that do not accumulate large amounts of marine debris. This paper demonstrates an advection-diffusion model that includes beaching, settling, resuspension/re-floating, degradation and topographic effects on the wind in nearshore waters to quantify the relative importance of these physical processes governing plastic debris accumulation. The aim of this paper is to prioritise research that will improve modelling outputs in the future. We have found that the physical characteristic of the source location has by far the largest effect on the fate of the debris. The diffusivity, used to parameterise the sub-grid scale movements, and the relationship between debris resuspension/re-floating from beaches and the wind shadow created by high islands also has a dramatic impact on the modelling results. The rate of degradation of macroplastics into microplastics also have a large influence in the result of the modelling. The other processes presented (settling, wind drift velocity) also help determine the fate of debris, but to a lesser degree. These findings may help prioritise research on physical processes that affect plastic accumulation, leading to more accurate modelling, and subsequently management in the future.

Extraction, enumeration and identification methods for monitoring microplastics in the environment

Abstract: There is much research on the occurrence, pollution characteristics and impacts of microplastics in the marine environment but this omits factors which play important roles in the analysis of microplastics. This review summarizes the methods and techniques in the extraction from sediment, seawater and organisms, and assesses their advantages and limitations according to different experimental conditions, such as salt solution and reagents added to remove organic matter. Similarly, this overview includes the enumeration methods of microplastics by many kinds of microscopes (e.g. stereomicroscope, fluorescent microscope, scanning electron microscope). Advantages and challenges of using micro-FTIR, ART-FTIR, FPA-FTIR, Pry-GC/MS, and Raman spectroscopy in the identification methods are also discussed. This review suggests that monitoring microplastics needs standardized protocols for extraction, identification and quantification and that further research on the effects of microplastics to human health is needed.

Salt marsh persistence is threatened by predicted sea-level rise

Abstract: Salt marshes buffer coastlines and provide critical ecosystem services from storm protection to food provision. Worldwide, these ecosystems are in danger of disappearing if they cannot increase elevation at rates that match sea-level rise. However, the magnitude of loss to be expected is not known. A synthesis of existing records of salt marsh elevation change was conducted in order to consider the likelihood of their future persistence. This analysis indicates that many salt marshes did not keep pace with sea-level rise in the past century and kept pace even less well over the past two decades. Salt marshes experiencing higher local sea-level rise rates were less likely to be keeping pace. These results suggest that sea-level rise will overwhelm most salt marshes’ capacity to maintain elevation. Under the most optimistic IPCC emissions pathway, 60% of the salt marshes studied will be gaining elevation at a rate insufficient to keep pace with sea-level rise by 2100. Without mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions this potential loss could exceed 90%, which will have substantial ecological, economic, and human health consequences.

Impact of climate change on UK estuaries: A review of past trends and potential projections

Abstract: UK estuarine environments are regulated by inter-acting physical processes, including tidal, wave, surge, river discharge and sediment supply. They regulate the fluxes of nutrients, pollutants, pathogens and viruses that determine whether coastlines achieve the Good Environmental Status (GEnS) required by the EU's Marine Strategy Directive. We review 20th century trends and 21st century projections of changes to climatic drivers, and their potential for altering estuarine bio-physical processes. Sea-level rise will cause some marine habitats to expand, and others diminish in area extent. The overall consequences of estuarine morphodynamics to these habitat shifts, and vice-versa, are unknown. Increased temperatures could intensify microbial pathogen concentrations and increase public health risk. The patterns of change of other climatic drivers are difficult to predict (e.g., river flows and storm surges). Projected increased winter river flows throughout UK catchments will enhance the risks of coastal eutrophication, harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in some contexts, although there are spatial variabilities in river flow projections. The reproductive success of estuarine biota is sensitive to saline intrusion and corresponding turbidity maxima, which are projected to gradually shift landwards as a result of sea-level rise. Although more-frequent flushing events in winter and longer periods of drought in summer are predicted, whereby the subsequent estuarine mixing and recovery rates are poorly understood. With rising estuarine salinities, subtidal species can penetrate deeper into estuaries, although this will depend on the resilience/adaptation of the species. Many climate and impact predictions lack resolution and spatial cover. Long-term monitoring and increased research, which considers the catchment-river-estuary-coast system as a whole, is needed to support risk predicting and mitigatory strategies.

East is east and West is west? Management of marine bioinvasions in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract: At 726 the number of recorded multicellular non indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean Sea is far higher than in other European Seas. Of these, 614 have established populations in the sea. 384 are considered Erythraean NIS, the balance are mostly ship and culture-introductions. In order to effectively implement EU Regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive NIS and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the Mediterranean Sea it is crucial that this priority pathway is appropriately managed. Three potential impediments – incomplete and inaccurate data; unknown impacts; policy mismatch – hinder implementation. Current geographical, taxonomical and impact data gaps will be reduced only by instituting harmonized standards and methodologies for monitoring NIS populations in all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, prioritizing bridgehead sites and dispersal hubs. The option of implementing European environmental policies concerning marine NIS in member states alone may seem expedient, but piecemeal protection is futile. Since only 9 of the 23 states bordering the Mediterranean are EU member states, the crucial element for an effective strategy for slowing the influx of NIS is policy coordination with the Regional Sea Convention (Barcelona Convention) to ensure consistency in legal rules, standards and institutional structures to address all major vectors/pathways.

Ecoengineering with ecohydrology: Successes and failures in estuarine restoration

Abstract: Ecological Engineering (or Ecoengineering) is increasingly used in estuaries to re-create and restore ecosystems degraded by human activities, including reduced water flow or land poldered for agricultural use. Here we focus on ecosystem recolonization by the biota and their functioning and we separate Type A Ecoengineering where the physico-chemical structure is modified on the basis that ecological structure and functioning will then follow, and Type B Ecoengineering where the biota are engineered directly such as through restocking or replanting. Modifying the physical system to create and restore natural processes and habitats relies on successfully applying Ecohydrology, where suitable physical conditions, especially hydrography and sedimentology, are created to recover estuarine ecology by natural or human-mediated colonisation of primary producers and consumers, or habitat creation. This successional process then allows wading birds and fish to reoccupy the rehabilitated areas, thus restoring the natural food web and recreating nursery areas for aquatic biota. We describe Ecohydrology principles applied during Ecoengineering restoration projects in Europe, Australia, Asia, South Africa and North America. These show some successful and sustainable approaches but also others that were less than successful and not sustainable despite the best of intentions (and which may even have harmed the ecology). Some schemes may be ‘good for the ecologists’, as conservationists consider it successful that at least some habitat was created, albeit in the short-term, but arguably did little for the overall ecology of the area in space or time. We indicate the trade-offs between the short- and long-term value of restored and created ecosystems, the success at developing natural structure and functioning in disturbed estuaries, the role of this in estuarine and wetland management, and the costs and benefits of Ecoengineering to the socio-ecological system. These global case studies provide important lessons for both the science and management of estuaries, including that successful estuarine restoration is a complex and often difficult process, and that Ecoengineering with Ecohydrology aims to control and/or simulate natural ecosystem processes.

A low-cost drone based application for identifying and mapping of coastal fish nursery grounds

Abstract: Acquiring seabed, landform or other topographic data in the field of marine ecology has a pivotal role in defining and mapping key marine habitats. However, accessibility for this kind of data with a high level of detail for very shallow and inaccessible marine habitats has been often challenging, time consuming. Spatial and temporal coverage often has to be compromised to make more cost effective the monitoring routine. Nowadays, emerging technologies, can overcome many of these constraints. Here we describe a recent development in remote sensing based on a small unmanned drone (UAVs) that produce very fine scale maps of fish nursery areas. This technology is simple to use, inexpensive, and timely in producing aerial photographs of marine areas. Both technical details regarding aerial photos acquisition (drone and camera settings) and post processing workflow (3D model generation with Structure From Motion algorithm and photo-stitching) are given. Finally by applying modern algorithm of semi-automatic image analysis and classification (Maximum Likelihood, ECHO and Object-based Image Analysis) we compared the results of three thematic maps of nursery area for juvenile sparid fishes, highlighting the potential of this method in mapping and monitoring coastal marine habitats.

Chemical and biological impacts of ocean acidification along the west coast of North America

Abstract: The continental shelf region off the west coast of North America is seasonally exposed to water with a low aragonite saturation state by coastal upwelling of CO2-rich waters. To date, the spatial and temporal distribution of anthropogenic CO2 (Canth) within the CO2-rich waters is largely unknown. Here we adapt the multiple linear regression approach to utilize the GO-SHIP Repeat Hydrography data from the northeast Pacific to establish an annually updated relationship between Canth and potential density. This relationship was then used with the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program West Coast Ocean Acidification (WCOA) cruise data sets from 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2013 to determine the spatial variations of Canth in the upwelled water. Our results show large spatial differences in Canth in surface waters along the coast, with the lowest values (37–55 μmol kg−1) in strong upwelling regions off southern Oregon and northern California and higher values (51–63 μmol kg−1) to the north and south of this region. Coastal dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations are also elevated due to a natural remineralized component (Cbio), which represents carbon accumulated through net respiration in the seawater that has not yet degassed to the atmosphere. Average surface Canth is almost twice the surface remineralized component. In contrast, Canth is only about one third and one fifth of the remineralized component at 50 m and 100 m depth, respectively. Uptake of Canth has caused the aragonite saturation horizon to shoal by approximately 30–50 m since the preindustrial period so that undersaturated waters are well within the regions of the continental shelf that affect the shell dissolution of living pteropods. Our data show that the most severe biological impacts occur in the nearshore waters, where corrosive waters are closest to the surface. Since the pre-industrial times, pteropod shell dissolution has, on average, increased approximately 19–26% in both nearshore and offshore waters.

Human threats to sandy beaches: a meta-analysis of ghost crabs illustrates global anthropogenic impacts

Abstract: Beach and coastal dune systems are increasingly subjected to a broad range of anthropogenic pressures that on many shorelines require significant conservation and mitigation interventions. But these interventions require reliable data on the severity and frequency of adverse ecological impacts. Such evidence is often obtained by measuring the response of 'indicator species'.Ghost crabs are the largest invertebrates inhabiting tropical and subtropical sandy shores and are frequently used to assess human impacts on ocean beaches. Here we present the first global meta-analysis of these impacts, and analyse the design properties and metrics of studies using ghost-crabs in their assessment. This was complemented by a gap analysis to identify thematic areas of anthropogenic pressures on sandy beach ecosystems that are under-represented in the published literature.Our meta-analysis demonstrates a broad geographic reach, encompassing studies on shores of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, as well as the South China Sea. It also reveals what are, arguably, two major limitations: i) the near-universal use of proxies (i.e. burrow counts to estimate abundance) at the cost of directly measuring biological traits and bio-markers in the organism itself; and ii) descriptive or correlative study designs that rarely extend beyond a simple 'compare and contrast approach', and hence fail to identify the mechanistic cause(s) of observed contrasts.Evidence for a historically narrow range of assessed pressures (i.e., chiefly urbanisation, vehicles, beach nourishment, and recreation) is juxtaposed with rich opportunities for the broader integration of ghost crabs as a model taxon in studies of disturbance and impact assessments on ocean beaches. Tangible advances will most likely occur where ghost crabs provide foci for experiments that test specific hypotheses associated with effects of chemical, light and acoustic pollution, as well as the consequences of climate change (e.g. species range shifts).

Approaches to defining deltaic sustainability in the 21st century

Abstract: Deltas are among the most productive and economically important of global ecosystems but unfortunately they are also among the most threatened by human activities. Here we discuss deltas and human impact, several approaches to defining deltaic sustainability and present a ranking of sustainability. Delta sustainability must be considered within the context of global biophysical and socioeconomic constraints that include thermodynamic limitations, scale and embeddedness, and constraints at the level of the biosphere/geosphere. The development, functioning, and sustainability of deltas are the result of external and internal inputs of energy and materials, such as sediments and nutrients, that include delta lobe development, channel switching, crevasse formation, river floods, storms and associated waves and storm surges, and tides and other ocean currents. Modern deltas developed over the past several thousand years with relatively stable global mean sea level, predictable material inputs from drainage basins and the sea, and as extremely open systems. Human activity has changed these conditions to make deltas less sustainable, in that they are unable to persist through time structurally or functionally. Deltaic sustainability can be considered from geomorphic, ecological, and economic perspectives, with functional processes at these three levels being highly interactive. Changes in this functioning can lead to either enhanced or diminished sustainability, but most changes have been detrimental. There is a growing understanding that the trajectories of global environmental change and cost of energy will make achieving delta sustainability more challenging and limit options for management. Several delta types are identified in terms of sustainability including those in arid regions, those with high and low energy-intensive management systems, deltas below sea level, tropical deltas, and Arctic deltas. Representative deltas are ranked on a sustainability range. Success in sustainable delta management will depend on utilizing natural delta functioning and an ecological engineering approach.

Changes in water clarity in response to river discharges on the Great Barrier Reef continental shelf: 2002–2013

Abstract: Water clarity is a key factor for the health of marine ecosystems. The Australian Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is located on a continental shelf, with >35 major seasonal rivers discharging into this 344,000 km2 tropical to subtropical ecosystem. This work investigates how river discharges affect water clarity in different zones along and across the GBR. For each day over 11 years (2002–2013) we calculated ‘photic depth’ as a proxy measure of water clarity (calibrated to be equivalent to Secchi depth), for each 1 km2 pixel from MODIS-Aqua remote sensing data. Long-term and seasonal changes in photic depth were related to the daily discharge volumes of the nearest rivers, after statistically removing the effects of waves and tides on photic depth. The relationships between photic depths and rivers differed across and along the GBR. They typically declined from the coastal to offshore zones, and were strongest in proximity to rivers in agriculturally modified catchments. In most southern inner zones, photic depth declined consistently throughout the 11-year observation period; such long-term trend was not observed offshore nor in the northern regions. Averaged across the GBR, photic depths declined to 47% of local maximum values soon after the onset of river floods, and recovery to 95% of maximum values took on average 6 months (range: 150–260 days). The river effects were strongest at latitude 14.5°–19.0°S, where river loads are high and the continental shelf is narrow. Here, even offshore zones showed a >40% seasonal decline in photic depth, and 17–24% reductions in annual mean photic depth in years with large river nutrients and sediment loads. Our methodology is based on freely available data and tools and may be applied to other shelf systems, providing valuable insights in support of ecosystem management.

Integrated assessment of social and environmental sustainability dynamics in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta, Bangladesh

Abstract: Deltas provide diverse ecosystem services and benefits for their populations. At the same time, deltas are also recognised as one of the most vulnerable coastal environments, with a range of drivers operating at multiple scales, from global climate change and sea-level rise to deltaic-scale subsidence and land cover change. These drivers threaten these ecosystem services, which often provide livelihoods for the poorest communities in these regions. The imperative to maintain ecosystem services presents a development challenge: how to develop deltaic areas in ways that are sustainable and benefit all residents including the most vulnerable. Here we present an integrated framework to analyse changing ecosystem services in deltas and the implications for human well-being, focussing in particular on the provisioning ecosystem services of agriculture, inland and offshore capture fisheries, aquaculture and mangroves that directly support livelihoods. The framework is applied to the world's most populated delta, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta within Bangladesh. The framework adopts a systemic perspective to represent the principal biophysical and socio-ecological components and their interaction. A range of methods are integrated within a quantitative framework, including biophysical and socio-economic modelling and analyses of governance through scenario development. The approach is iterative, with learning both within the project team and with national policy-making stakeholders. The analysis is used to explore physical and social outcomes for the delta under different scenarios and policy choices. We consider how the approach is transferable to other deltas and potentially other coastal areas.

Beach litter occurrence in sandy littorals: The potential role of urban areas, rivers and beach users in central Italy

Abstract: Litter washed ashore on the coastline, also called beach litter, constitutes one of the most obvious signs of marine litter pollution. Surveys of beach litter represent a fundamental tool for monitoring pollution in the marine environment and have been used world-wide to classify and quantify marine litter. Identifying the sources of marine and beach litter is, together with education, the prime weapon in combating this type of pollution. This work investigates the impact of three main potential land sources on litter occurrence: urban areas, rivers and beach users. Three sources were analyzed simultaneously on a broad scale (Lazio region, central Italy) using a random sampling design and fitting a generalized linear mixed-effect model. The results show that urban areas are the main drivers for the occurrence of marine litter along central Italy's coastal ecosystems, suggesting that the presence of such litter on Lazio beaches could be effectively reduced by identifying failings in recycling and waste collection procedures and by improving waste processing systems and sewage treatment in urban areas.

Shipping and natural environmental conditions determine the distribution of the invasive non-indigenous round goby Neogobius melanostomus in a regional sea

Abstract: Introductions of non-indigenous species (NIS) are considered a major threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While it is valuable to know the distributions and ranges of NIS, predictive spatial models along different environmental gradients are more useful for management of these species. In this study we modelled how external drivers and local environmental conditions contribute to the spatial distribution of an invasive species using the distribution of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus in the Baltic Sea as an example. Using the collected distribution data, an updated map on the species distribution and its invasion progress in the Baltic Sea was produced. The current range of the round goby observations is extensive, covering all major sub-basins of the Baltic Sea. The most recent observations appeared in the northern regions (Northern Baltic Proper, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland) and on the eastern and western coasts of southern Sweden. Modelling results show that the distribution of the round goby is primarily related to local abiotic hydrological conditions (wave exposure). Furthermore, the probability of round goby occurrence was very high in areas in close proximity to large cargo ports. This links patterns of the round goby distribution in the Baltic Sea to shipping traffic and suggests that human factors together with natural environmental conditions are responsible for the spread of NIS at a regional sea scale.

Projecting changes in the distribution and productivity of living marine resources: A critical review of the suite of modelling approaches used in the large European project VECTORS

Abstract: We review and compare four broad categories of spatially-explicit modelling approaches currently used to understand and project changes in the distribution and productivity of living marine resources including: 1) statistical species distribution models, 2) physiology-based, biophysical models of single life stages or the whole life cycle of species, 3) food web models, and 4) end-to-end models Single pressures are rare and, in the future, models must be able to examine multiple factors affecting living marine resources such as interactions between: i) climate-driven changes in temperature regimes and acidification, ii) reductions in water quality due to eutrophication, iii) the introduction of alien invasive species, and/or iv) (over-)exploitation by fisheries Statistical (correlative) approaches can be used to detect historical patterns which may not be relevant in the future Advancing predictive capacity of changes in distribution and productivity of living marine resources requires explicit modelling of biological and physical mechanisms New formulations are needed which (depending on the question) will need to strive for more realism in ecophysiology and behaviour of individuals, life history strategies of species, as well as trophodynamic interactions occurring at different spatial scales Coupling existing models (eg physical, biological, economic) is one avenue that has proven successful However, fundamental advancements are needed to address key issues such as the adaptive capacity of species/groups and ecosystems The continued development of end-to-end models (eg, physics to fish to human sectors) will be critical if we hope to assess how multiple pressures may interact to cause changes in living marine resources including the ecological and economic costs and trade-offs of different spatial management strategies Given the strengths and weaknesses of the various types of models reviewed here, confidence in projections of changes in the distribution and productivity of living marine resources will be increased by assessing model structural uncertainty through biological ensemble modelling

Ecosystem health of the Great Barrier Reef: Time for effective management action based on evidence

Abstract: The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a World Heritage site off the north-eastern coast of Australia The GBR is worth A$ 15–20 billion/year to the Australian economy and provides approximately 64,000 full time jobs Many of the species and ecosystems of the GBR are in poor condition and continue to decline The principal causes of the decline are catchment pollutant runoff associated with agricultural and urban land uses, climate change impacts and the effects of fishing Many important ecosystems of the GBR region are not included inside the boundaries of the World Heritage Area The current management regime for catchment pollutant runoff and climate change is clearly inadequate to prevent further decline We propose a refocus of management on a “Greater GBR” (containing not only the major ecosystems and species of the GBR, but also its catchment) and on a set of management actions to halt the decline of the GBR Proposed actions include: (1) Strengthen management in the areas of the Greater GBR where ecosystems are in good condition, with Torres Strait, northern Cape York and Hervey Bay being the systems with highest current integrity; (2) Investigate methods of cross-boundary management to achieve simultaneous cost-effective terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystem protection in the Greater GBR; (3) Develop a detailed, comprehensive, costed water quality management plan for the Greater GBR; (4) Use the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to regulate catchment activities that lead to damage to the Greater GBR, in conjunction with the relevant Queensland legislation; (5) Fund catchment and coastal management to the required level to solve pollution issues for the Greater GBR by 2025, before climate change impacts on Greater GBR ecosystems become overwhelming; (6) Continue enforcement of the zoning plan; (7) Australia to show commitment to protecting the Greater GBR through greenhouse gas emissions control, at a scale relevant to protecting the GBR, by 2025

Recent human impacts on the morphological evolution of the Yangtze River delta foreland: A review and new perspectives

Abstract: This paper reviews the morphological change in the Yangtze River delta due to increasing human impacts from three major aspects. The first is the reduction of sediment supply to the ocean due to dam construction, soil conservation, and sand mining within the Yangtze River basin. The reduced sediment supply has decreased the progradation rate of the delta and triggered erosion in the front of the delta. The second impact relates to the reclamation of intertidal wetlands by human activities. Since the 1950s, approximately 1100 km 2 of intertidal land has been embanked, resulting in the disappearance of salt marshes and even the entire intertidal zone along some sections of the coastline. The third change in the delta due to human interference is the construction of deep-waterway structures at the mouth bar, which has greatly modified the local hydrodynamics and morphology. Sediment accretion has increased significantly in these areas as a result of sheltering by these deep-waterway structures. This review shows that human activities have severely altered the natural balance among the hydrodynamics and sediment supply, affecting the morphological features of the Yangtze River watershed and delta. Human impacts on the morphological evolution of deltaic coasts in general are becoming an increasingly concern, and more attention should be paid to the management and mitigation of these effects.

Decadal Stability of Red Sea Mangroves

Abstract: Across the Earth, mangroves play an important role in coastal protection, both as nurseries and carbon sinks. However, due to various human and environmental impacts, the coverage of mangroves is declining on a global scale. The Red Sea is in the northern-most area of the distribution range of mangroves. Little is known about the surface covered by mangroves at this northern limit or about the changes experienced by Red Sea mangroves. We sought to study changes in the coverage of Red Sea mangroves by using multi-temporal Landsat data (1972, 2000 and 2013). Interestingly, our results show that there has been no decline in mangrove stands in the Red Sea but rather a slight increase. The area covered by mangroves is about 69 Km2 along the African shore and 51 Km2 along the Arabian Peninsula shore. From 1972 to 2013, the area covered by mangroves increased by about 0.29% y−1. We conclude that the trend exhibited by Red Sea mangroves departs from the general global decline of mangroves. Along the Red Sea, mangroves expanded by 12% over the 41 years from 1972 to 2013. Losses to Red Sea mangroves, mostly due to coastal development, have been compensated by afforestation projects.

Numerical study of coastal hydrodynamics using a coupled model for Hudhud cyclone in the Bay of Bengal

Abstract: The past decade has witnessed an increased intensity of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal region. With higher winds spread over a larger area, the associated risk and coastal vulnerability have increased with wider destructive potential from high waves, storm surges, and associated coastal inundation. The very severe cyclones that made landfall over the Bay of Bengal in the past decade had strong winds in their outer cores, unlike those cyclones that made landfall in previous years. The original parametric wind formulation performs well for more compact cyclones, but at a radial distance far away from the cyclone centre, the winds are under-estimated. Hence, there is a need to revisit and modify this formula for practical applications, and this study attempts to provide a better representation of the overall radial distance in the wind field envelope. The study postulates a 3/5-power law fitted to the original wind formulae, which provides a reasonably good estimate for the surface wind field. The recent very severe cyclones that developed over the Bay of Bengal provided an excellent test-bed to verify this hypothesis, which is supported by validation from six in-situ buoys. The modified wind formula used with a coupled hydrodynamic model (ADCIRC + SWAN) simulated the storm surge and wave characteristics associated with a recent very severe cyclonic storm 'Hudhud' that made landfall in Andhra, located on the east coast of India in 2014. The study also investigated the dependence of coastal geomorphic features and beach slope on the variability of wave-induced setup. Computed significant wave height and storm surge show an excellent match with wave-rider buoy and tide gauge observations.

Coastal flood protection by a combined nature-based and engineering approach: modeling the effects of marsh geometry and surrounding dikes

Abstract: As ecosystem-based adaptation to global change is gaining ground, strategies to protect coastal and estuarine areas from increasing flood hazards are starting to consist of natural tidal wetland conservation and restoration in addition to conventional coastal defense structures. In this study, the capacity of tidal wetlands to locally attenuate peak water levels during storm tides is analyzed using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model (TELEMAC2D) for a 3000 ha intertidal marsh (SW Netherlands). Model results indicate that peak water level reduction largely varies between individual flooding events and between different locations in the marsh. Model scenarios with variable dike positions show that attenuation rates can be minimized by blockage and set up of water levels against dikes or other structures confining the marsh size. This blockage only affects peak water level attenuation across wetlands if the duration of the flood wave is long compared to the marsh size. A minimum marsh width of 6–10 km is required to completely avoid blockage effects for the storm tidal cases assessed in this study. If blockage does not affect flood wave propagation, variations in attenuation rates between different locations in the marsh and between tides with varying high water levels can be explained with a single relationship based on the ratio between the water volume on the marsh platform and the total water volume on the platform and in the channels. Attenuation starts to occur when this ratio exceeds 0.2–0.4 and increases from there on up to a maximum of 29 cm/km for a ratio of about 0.85. Furthermore, model scenarios with varying marsh channel depth show that marsh scale attenuation rates increase by up to 4 cm/km if the channel elevation is raised by 0.7 m on average. Conversely, marsh scale attenuation rates decrease by up to 2 cm/km for scenarios in which the channels are lowered by 0.9 m on average. The marsh platform elevation has little effect on the maximum attenuation, but it determines which tides are attenuated. In particular, only overmarsh tides that inundate the platform are attenuated, while undermarsh tides that only flood the marsh channels are not attenuated or even amplified. These findings may assist coastal communities and managers in the optimization of the coastal defense function of tidal wetlands in combination with dikes.

The fate of Cystoseira crinita, a forest-forming Fucale (Phaeophyceae, Stramenopiles), in France (North Western Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract: In the Mediterranean Sea, Fucales, and in particular the species of the genus Cystoseira C. Agardh, are habitat-forming species dominating several benthic assemblages from the littoral fringe down to 70–80 m depth in the clearest waters. They generate high primary production involved in the maintenance of diversified trophic levels, they provide shelter, food, habitat and nursery areas to many species, and they are long-lived species that constitute a good model for studying human impact on species diversity. Cystoseira crinita Duby is a Mediterranean endemic cespitose species, living in shallow waters (0–5 m depth), in places with little wave action and high solar irradiance. To reconstruct the long-term patterns of change in its distribution along the French Mediterranean coast (French Catalonia, Languedoc, Provence, French Riviera and Corsica), all the historical data (published articles, unpublished reports and herbarium vouchers) collected since the 18th century were searched and analysed. To assess the current status of the species, several field surveys were conducted between 2010 and 2016 by snorkelling and SCUBA diving. Cystoseira crinita is currently extinct in French Catalonia, near-extinct in Languedoc and western Provence, and functionally extinct on the French Riviera coast, while the eastern Provence and Corsican populations have remained stable. The main probable causes of decline are habitat destruction and overgrazing by herbivores.

Large infrequently operated river diversions for Mississippi delta restoration

Abstract: Currently the Mississippi delta stands as a highly degraded and threatened coastal ecosystem having lost about 25% of coastal wetlands during the twentieth century. To address this problem, a $50 billion, 50 year restoration program is underway. A central component of this program is reintroduction of river water back into the deltaic plain to mimic natural functioning of the delta. However, opposition to diversions has developed based on a number of perceived threats. These include over-freshening of coastal estuaries, displacement of fisheries, perceived water quality problems, and assertions that nutrients in river water leads to wetland deterioration. In addition, growing climate impacts and increasing scarcity and cost of energy will make coastal restoration more challenging and limit restoration options. We address these issues in the context of an analysis of natural and artificial diversions, crevasse splays, and small sub-delta lobes. We suggest that episodic large diversions and crevasses (>5000 m3 s−1) can build land quickly while having transient impacts on the estuarine system. Small diversions (<200 m3 s−1) that are more or less continuously operated build land slowly and can lead to over-freshening and water level stress. We use land building rates for different sized diversions and impacts of large periodic inputs of river water to coastal systems in the Mississippi delta to conclude that high discharge diversions operated episodically will lead to rapid coastal restoration and alleviate concerns about diversions. Single diversion events have deposited sediments up to 40 cm in depth over areas up to 130–180 km2. This approach should have broad applicability to deltas globally.

Distribution, abundance, diversity and habitat associations of fishes across a bioregion experiencing rapid coastal development

Abstract: Knowledge of the factors that influence spatial patterns in fish abundance, distribution and diversity are essential for informing fisheries and conservation management. The present study was conducted in the nearshore Pilbara bioregion of north-western Australia where the dynamic marine environment is characterised by large embayments, numerous islands and islets, coexisting with globally significant petrochemical and mineral industries. Within Western Australia, this nearshore bioregion has high biodiversity and is considered to play an essential role in the recruitment of species of commercial importance. To better inform future investigations into both ecological processes and planning scenarios for management, a rapid assessment of the distribution, abundance and associations with nearshore habitats of fishes across the region was conducted. Baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) were used to simultaneously sample the fish assemblage and habitat composition. Generalised additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to determine whether the abundance of fishes were related to habitat and a range of environmental variables (visibility, depth, distance to 30 m and 200 m depth isobars, boat ramps and the nearest large embayment (Exmouth Gulf). A diverse fish assemblage comprising 343 species from 58 families was recorded. The abundance and distribution patterns of fishery-target species and of the five most common and abundant species and families were linked positively with areas of high relief, hard coral cover, reef and macroalgae and negatively with the distance to the nearest oceanic waters (200 m depth isobar). This study provides information that can contribute to future marine spatial planning scenarios for management of the Pilbara using a unique, analytical approach that has broad application in biogeography.

Sources and fate of organic carbon and nitrogen from land to ocean: Identified by coupling stable isotopes with C/N ratio

Abstract: The transport of organic matter in coastal areas plays an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. The present study used stable isotopes including carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) and C/N ratio to assess the sources and fate of organic carbon and nitrogen in soils and sediments of a coastal plain-river plume-bay system. Changes of the δ13C and δ15N values from natural to agricultural soils in the Yellow River coastal plain reflected the contribution of C4 carbon, decomposition of organic matter and application of nitrogen fertilizer. The organic carbon in the marine sediments adjacent to the coastal plain mainly originated from C3-dominated terrestrial systems. The spatial heterogeneity of both δ13C and δ15N values indicated that Yellow River sediment transport and anthropogenic wastewater discharge were two driving forces for the sedimentary organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics in large river plume and inner bay areas. Meanwhile, the marine primary production and denitrification process as affected by excessive nutrient input also contributed to the cycling of organic matter. Wetland soils, cropland soils, vegetable soils, coastal and deep-sea sediments were the five systems controlling the cycle of organic carbon and nitrogen in the study area. A significant positive correlation between δ13C and δ15N in the Yellow River coastal plain-plume-bay region was observed, which implied the flux of organic matter from a labile pool in source regions into a more recalcitrant pool in sink regions. These findings would provide a better understanding of carbon sequestration in the coastal soil and sediment.

Seasonal and inter-annual turbidity variability in the Río de la Plata from 15 years of MODIS: El Niño dilution effect

Abstract: Fil: Dogliotti, Ana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio; Argentina

Evaluation of seabed mapping methods for fine-scale classification of extremely shallow benthic habitats – application to the Venice Lagoon, Italy

Abstract: Recent technological developments of multibeam echosounder systems (MBES) allow mapping of benthic habitats with unprecedented detail. MBES can now be employed in extremely shallow waters, challenging data acquisition (as these instruments were often designed for deeper waters) and data interpretation (honed on datasets with resolution sometimes orders of magnitude lower). With extremely high-resolution bathymetry and co-located backscatter data, it is now possible to map the spatial distribution of fine scale benthic habitats, even identifying the acoustic signatures of single sponges. In this context, it is necessary to understand which of the commonly used segmentation methods is best suited to account for such level of detail. At the same time, new sampling protocols for precisely geo-referenced ground truth data need to be developed to validate the benthic environmental classification. This study focuses on a dataset collected in a shallow (2–10 m deep) tidal channel of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. Using 0.05-m and 0.2-m raster grids, we compared a range of classifications, both pixel-based and object-based approaches, including manual, Maximum Likelihood Classifier, Jenks Optimization clustering, textural analysis and Object Based Image Analysis. Through a comprehensive and accurately geo-referenced ground truth dataset, we were able to identify five different classes of the substrate composition, including sponges, mixed submerged aquatic vegetation, mixed detritic bottom (fine and coarse) and unconsolidated bare sediment. We computed estimates of accuracy (namely Overall, User, Producer Accuracies and the Kappa statistic) by cross tabulating predicted and reference instances. Overall, pixel based segmentations produced the highest accuracies and the accuracy assessment is strongly dependent on the number of classes chosen for the thematic output. Tidal channels in the Venice Lagoon are extremely important in terms of habitats and sediment distribution, particularly within the context of the new tidal barrier being built. However, they had remained largely unexplored until now, because of the surveying challenges. The application of this remote sensing approach, combined with targeted sampling, opens a new perspective in the monitoring of benthic habitats in view of a knowledge-based management of natural resources in shallow coastal areas.

Biophysical processes leading to the ingress of temperate fish larvae into estuarine nursery areas: A review

Abstract: A series of complementary hypotheses have been proposed to explain the recruitment of marine and temperate pelagic fish larvae originated from pelagic eggs in coastal environments. In this review, we propose a new and complementary hypothesis describing the biophysical processes intervening in the recruitment of temperate fish larvae into estuaries. This new hypothesis, the Sense Acuity And Behavioral (SAAB) hypothesis, recognizes that recruitment is unlikely if the larvae drift passively with the water currents, and that successful recruitment requires the sense acuity of temperate fish larvae and their behavioral response to the estuarine cues present in coastal areas. We propose that temperate fish larvae use a hierarchy of sensory cues (odor, sound, visual and geomagnetic cues) to detect estuarine nursery areas and to aid during navigation towards these areas. The sensorial acuity increases along ontogeny, which coincides with increased swimming capabilities. The swimming strategies of post-flexion larvae differ from offshore areas to the tidal zone. In offshore areas, innate behavior might lead larvae towards the coast guided by a sun compass or by the earth's geomagnetic field. In areas under limited influence of estuarine plumes (either in energetic nearshore areas or offshore), post-flexion larvae display a searching swimming behavior for estuarine disconnected patches (infotaxis strategy). After finding an estuarine plume, larvae may swim along the increasing cue concentration to ingress into the estuary. Here, larvae exhibit a rheotaxis behavior and avoid displacement by longshore currents by keeping bearing during navigation. When larvae reach the vicinity of an estuary, merging diel rhythms with feeding and predator avoidance strategies with tidally induced movements is essential to increase their chances of estuarine ingress. A fish larva recruitment model developed for the Ria Formosa lagoon supports the general framework of the SAAB hypothesis. In this model, the ingress of virtual Sparidae temperate larvae into this nursery area increases from 1.5% to 32.1% when directional swimming guided by estuarine cues is included as a forcing parameter.

Assessing biological invasions in European Seas: Biological traits of the most widespread non-indigenous species

Abstract: The biological traits of the sixty-eight most widespread multicellular non-indigenous species (MWNIS) in European Seas: Baltic Sea, Western European Margin of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea were examined. Data for nine biological traits was analyzed, and a total of 41 separate categories were used to describe the biological and ecological functions of these NIS. Our findings show that high dispersal ability, high reproductive rate and ecological generalization are the biological traits commonly associated with MWNIS. The functional groups that describe most of the 68 MWNIS are: photoautotrophic, zoobenthic (both sessile and motile) and nektonic predatory species. However, these ‘most widespread’ species comprise a wide range of taxa and biological trait profiles; thereby a clear ”identikit of a perfect invader” for marine and brackish environments is difficult to define. Some traits, for example: “life form”, “feeding method” and “mobility”, feature multiple behaviours and strategies. Even species introduced by a single pathway, e.g. vessels, feature diverse biological trait profiles. MWNIS likely to impact community organization, structure and diversity are often associated with brackish environments. For many traits (“life form”, “sociability”, “reproductive type”, “reproductive frequency”, “haploid and diploid dispersal” and “mobility”), the categories mostly expressed by the impact-causing MWNIS do not differ substantially from the whole set of MWNIS.