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Lamine I, Mghili B, Chahouri A, Aqnouy M, Moukrim A, Ait Alla A. Growing coastal tourism: Can biomonitoring provide insights into the health of coastal ecosystems? MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 201:116253. [PMID: 38489908 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Coastal tourism's surge raises concerns for Morocco's Agadir marine environment, notably with Taghazout Bay's impact. Our study assesses Taghazout's health, employing a comprehensive approach. Our study evaluates Taghazout's health, adopting a comprehensive approach covering physicochemical, microbiological aspects, macrobenthic fauna, metal pollution, and biomarkers in D. trunculus mollusks. Seawater quality aligns with Moroccan standards, indicating good bathing water. The intertidal zone hosts ten species, dominated by D. trunculus. Biomarker responses in D. trunculus suggest chemical stress. Land-use maps expose significant changes driven by the Taghazout Bay project, impacting approximately 37.99 % of the landscape. Construction activities notably encroached upon the Arganeraie and the coastal zone, creating a stark contrast from 2003. These findings form a crucial database for future studies, contributing significantly to environmental management and sustainable development, aiding informed decision-making and effective coastal ecosystem preservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imane Lamine
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco; Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Technical Health, Errachidia, Morocco.
| | - Bilal Mghili
- LESCB, URL-CNRST N 18, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Faculty of Sciences, Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Abir Chahouri
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Mourad Aqnouy
- Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Applied Geology Research Laboratory, AGRSRT, Errachidia, Morocco
| | | | - Aicha Ait Alla
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
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2
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Simeoni C, Furlan E, Pham HV, Critto A, de Juan S, Trégarot E, Cornet CC, Meesters E, Fonseca C, Botelho AZ, Krause T, N'Guetta A, Cordova FE, Failler P, Marcomini A. Evaluating the combined effect of climate and anthropogenic stressors on marine coastal ecosystems: Insights from a systematic review of cumulative impact assessment approaches. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160687. [PMID: 36473660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cumulative impacts increasingly threaten marine and coastal ecosystems. To address this issue, the research community has invested efforts on designing and testing different methodological approaches and tools that apply cumulative impact appraisal schemes for a sound evaluation of the complex interactions and dynamics among multiple pressures affecting marine and coastal ecosystems. Through an iterative scientometric and systematic literature review, this paper provides the state of the art of cumulative impact assessment approaches and applications. It gives a specific attention to cutting-edge approaches that explore and model inter-relations among climatic and anthropogenic pressures, vulnerability and resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems to these pressures, and the resulting changes in ecosystem services flow. Despite recent advances in computer sciences and the rising availability of big data for environmental monitoring and management, this literature review evidenced that the implementation of advanced complex system methods for cumulative risk assessment remains limited. Moreover, experts have only recently started integrating ecosystem services flow into cumulative impact appraisal frameworks, but more as a general assessment endpoint within the overall evaluation process (e.g. changes in the bundle of ecosystem services against cumulative impacts). The review also highlights a lack of integrated approaches and complex tools able to frame, explain, and model spatio-temporal dynamics of marine and coastal ecosystems' response to multiple pressures, as required under relevant EU legislation (e.g., Water Framework and Marine Strategy Framework Directives). Progress in understanding cumulative impacts, exploiting the functionalities of more sophisticated machine learning-based approaches (e.g., big data integration), will support decision-makers in the achievement of environmental and sustainability objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Simeoni
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, CMCC@Ca'Foscari - Edificio Porta dell'Innovazione, 2nd floor - Via della Libertà, 12 - 30175 Venice, Italy
| | - Elisa Furlan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, CMCC@Ca'Foscari - Edificio Porta dell'Innovazione, 2nd floor - Via della Libertà, 12 - 30175 Venice, Italy
| | - Hung Vuong Pham
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, CMCC@Ca'Foscari - Edificio Porta dell'Innovazione, 2nd floor - Via della Libertà, 12 - 30175 Venice, Italy
| | - Andrea Critto
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, CMCC@Ca'Foscari - Edificio Porta dell'Innovazione, 2nd floor - Via della Libertà, 12 - 30175 Venice, Italy.
| | - Silvia de Juan
- Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marques 21, Esporles, Islas Baleares, Spain
| | - Ewan Trégarot
- Centre for Blue Governance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, UK
| | - Cindy C Cornet
- Centre for Blue Governance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, UK
| | - Erik Meesters
- Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University and Research, 1781, AG, Den Helder, the Netherlands; Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University and Research, 6700, AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Catarina Fonseca
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Rua da Mãe de Deus, 9500-321, Ponta Delgada, Portugal; CICS.NOVA - Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH/NOVA), Avenida de Berna 26-C, Lisboa 1069-061, Portugal
| | - Andrea Zita Botelho
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal; CIBIO (CIBIO - Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBio Associate Laboratory, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Torsten Krause
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, P.O. Box 170, 221-00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Alicia N'Guetta
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, P.O. Box 170, 221-00 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Pierre Failler
- Centre for Blue Governance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, UK
| | - Antonio Marcomini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, CMCC@Ca'Foscari - Edificio Porta dell'Innovazione, 2nd floor - Via della Libertà, 12 - 30175 Venice, Italy
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3
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Abstract
Macronutrients (nitrogen—N; phosphorus—P; silicon—Si) play a crucial role in ocean surface waters stimulating the planktonic primary production; in fact, their concentrations are fundamental for the evaluation of the trophic status of the water body and eutrophication phenomena. Loads of nutrients into the sea are mainly represented by river runoff and depuration plant outflows. For this purpose, in the framework of the AdSWiM project, “Managed use of treated urban wastewater for the quality of the Adriatic Sea” levels of N-NO3, N-NO2, N-NH4, Si-Si(OH)4, P-PO4 (dissolved inorganic phosphorus—DIP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) were determined colorimetrically at two sites in the Gulf of Trieste: Lignano Sabbiadoro and San Giorgio di Nogaro. For each site, during the bathing seasons of 2019 and 2020, a sample from the depuration plant (DP) outflow and another one in the bottom seawater near the discharging pipelines were collected. Results showed a strong dilution effect on nutrient levels passing from DPs to the sea, from one to three orders of magnitude and a low and not harmful concentration in seawater. The outflow composition of the two DPs showed that the main fraction of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was represented by N-NO3 for Lignano, while in San Giorgio the major contribution came from N-NH4. Concerning phosphorus, Lignano showed a higher content (about 3 times) of P levels than San Giorgio, but a similar percentage composition, DIP:DOP (77:23), compared to the seawater site one DIP:DOP (2:98). Despite the difference between the DPs, no substantial differences were found in the sea sites, demonstrating the negligible effect of the DP outflows in the nutrient levels in the study area.
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Cumulative Effects of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Measures on Algae Growth Inhibition. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14060877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Measures based on concurrent alterations of an environment’s physical, chemical, and biological factors are commonly adopted to control harmful algal blooms (HABs). It was postulated that the combinations and interactions of multiple measures could exert cumulative effects (as the overall effect may or may not be equal to the additive sum for each measure individually). However, few studies have further assessed whether the cumulative effect is synergistic, additive, or antagonistic. This study proposed a framework to distinguish and quantify the cumulative effects. We also designed an experiment to investigate the cumulative effect of the combined utilization of physical (flow velocity), chemical (copper), and biological (propionamide) measures on algae growth inhibition. The results show that the cumulative effect of physical and chemical measures on algae growth inhibition was antagonistic; the cumulative effect of physical and biological measures was antagonistic; the cumulative effect of chemical and biological measures was synergistic, and the cumulative effect of all the measures together tended to be antagonistic. These results showed that the synergistic interactions between chemical and biological measures produced antagonistic effects when physical measures were added. Through response surface methodology analysis, we also found that the physical factor was the most significant factor affecting the cumulative effect, followed by the chemical factor and then the biological factor. Our results provide a more detailed understanding of the interaction patterns among multiple measures that affect algal growth. Importantly, this understanding can be further integrated into future strategy development to fully exploit the potential of the cumulative effect at its maximum performance.
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Stockbridge J, Jones AR, Gaylard SG, Nelson MJ, Gillanders BM. Evaluation of a popular spatial cumulative impact assessment method for marine systems: A seagrass case study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 780:146401. [PMID: 33774293 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Human activities put stress on our oceans and with a growing global population, the impact is increasing. Stressors rarely act in isolation, with the majority of marine areas being impacted by multiple, concurrent stressors. Marine spatial cumulative impact assessments attempt to estimate the collective impact of multiple stressors on marine environments. However, this is difficult given how stressors interact with one another, and the variable response of ecosystems. As a result, assumptions and generalisations are required when attempting to model cumulative impacts. One fundamental assumption of the most commonly applied, semi-quantitative cumulative impact assessment method is that a change in modelled cumulative impact is correlated with a change in ecosystem condition. However, this assumption has rarely been validated with empirical data. We tested this assumption using a case study of seagrass in a large, inverse estuary in South Australia (Spencer Gulf). We compared three different seagrass condition indices, based on survey data collected in the field, to scores from a spatial cumulative impact model for the study area. One condition index showed no relationship with cumulative impact, whilst the other two indices had very small, negative relationships with cumulative impact. These results suggest that one of the most commonly used methods for assessing cumulative impacts on marine systems is not robust enough to accurately reflect the effect of multiple stressors on seagrasses; possibly due to the number and generality of assumptions involved in the approach. Future methods should acknowledge the complex relationships between stressors, and the impact these relationships can have on ecosystems. This outcome highlights the need for greater evaluation of cumulative impact assessment outputs and the need for data-driven approaches. Our results are a caution for marine scientists and resource managers who may rely on spatial cumulative impact assessment outputs for informing policy and decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Stockbridge
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | - Alice R Jones
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.
| | - Sam G Gaylard
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Environment Protection Authority, 211 Victoria Square, GPO Box 2607, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
| | - Matthew J Nelson
- Environment Protection Authority, 211 Victoria Square, GPO Box 2607, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
| | - Bronwyn M Gillanders
- School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
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6
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Trégarot E, Caillaud A, Cornet CC, Taureau F, Catry T, Cragg SM, Failler P. Mangrove ecological services at the forefront of coastal change in the French overseas territories. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:143004. [PMID: 33158516 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves are located at the land-sea interface and are therefore confronted with human settlement in the coastal areas and associated pressures and uses. This unique habitat provides important ecosystem services to coastal communities worldwide, but the global decline of their surface area and their degradation over the past decades has put coastal communities even more at risk from the effects of climate change. This paper aims to present the first ecosystem services valuation of the mangroves of the French overseas Territories. We provide the economic value of mangroves for coastal protection, carbon sequestration, water purification and fish biomass production. We coupled a geospatial analysis of mangrove's distribution with the characterisation of land artificialisation behind mangroves. Then we developed a vulnerability index based on multiple indicators of exposure to environmental and anthropogenic stressors, mangroves' sensitivity to pressures, and mangroves' adaptive capacity to adjust their production functions accordingly. We estimated the monetary value of regulation and support services provided by mangroves in French overseas territories to be on average EUR 1.6 billion annually, 60% of which is carbon sequestration, 28% coastal protection, 7% water purification and 6% fish biomass production. When considering mangroves services without the vulnerability adjustment, the total value for those services would reach EUR 2 billion per year. Although much of the spatio-temporal variability in mangrove functioning could not be considered given the spatial scale of our study, these results demonstrate the value and socio-economic importance of mangroves to face and adapt from the effects of coastal change, at local and national scales, but also highlight the loss of services due to their vulnerability. This paper emphasises on the value of ecosystem services provided by mangroves to face coastal change so that a service-based approach to conservation would plead for increased national investment into their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan Trégarot
- Centre for Blue Governance, Department of Economics and Finance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Cindy C Cornet
- Centre for Blue Governance, Department of Economics and Finance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, United Kingdom
| | - Florent Taureau
- Private Consultant in Coastal Environment, 35600 Sainte-Marie, France
| | - Thibault Catry
- ESPACE-DEV, UMR 228 IRD/UM/UR/UG/UA, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Montpellier, France
| | - Simon M Cragg
- Centre for Blue Governance, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Failler
- Centre for Blue Governance, Department of Economics and Finance, Portsmouth Business School, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, United Kingdom
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7
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Thrush SF, Hewitt JE, Gladstone‐Gallagher RV, Savage C, Lundquist C, O’Meara T, Vieillard A, Hillman JR, Mangan S, Douglas EJ, Clark DE, Lohrer AM, Pilditch C. Cumulative stressors reduce the self-regulating capacity of coastal ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02223. [PMID: 32869444 PMCID: PMC7816261 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are prone to tipping points, particularly in coastal zones where dramatic changes are associated with interactions between cumulative stressors (e.g., shellfish harvesting, eutrophication and sediment inputs) and ecosystem functions. A common feature of many degraded estuaries is elevated turbidity that reduces incident light to the seafloor, resulting from multiple factors including changes in sediment loading, sea-level rise and increased water column algal biomass. To determine whether cumulative effects of elevated turbidity may result in marked changes in the interactions between ecosystem components driving nutrient processing, we conducted a large-scale experiment manipulating sediment nitrogen concentrations in 15 estuaries across a national-scale gradient in incident light at the seafloor. We identified a threshold in incident light that was related to distinct changes in the ecosystem interaction networks (EIN) that drive nutrient processing. Above this threshold, network connectivity was high with clear mechanistic links to denitrification and the role of large shellfish in nitrogen processing. The EIN analyses revealed interacting stressors resulting in a decoupling of ecosystem processes in turbid estuaries with a lower capacity to denitrify and process nitrogen. This suggests that, as turbidity increases with sediment load, coastal areas can be more vulnerable to eutrophication. The identified interactions between light, nutrient processing and the abundance of large shellfish emphasizes the importance of actions that seek to manage multiple stressors and conserve or enhance shellfish abundance, rather than actions focusing on limiting a single stressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon F. Thrush
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
| | - Judi E. Hewitt
- Department of StatisticsThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchPO Box 11‐115Hillcrest Hamilton3251New Zealand
| | - Rebecca V. Gladstone‐Gallagher
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
- School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoPrivate Bag 3105Hamilton3240New Zealand
| | - Candida Savage
- Department of Marine ScienceUniversity of OtagoPO Box 56Dunedin9054New Zealand
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Cape TownPrivate BagRondebosch7700South Africa
| | - Carolyn Lundquist
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchPO Box 11‐115Hillcrest Hamilton3251New Zealand
| | - Teri O’Meara
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center647 Contees Wharf RoadEdgewaterMaryland21037‐0028USA
| | - Amanda Vieillard
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
| | - Jenny R. Hillman
- Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of AucklandPrivate Bag 92019Auckland1142New Zealand
| | - Stephanie Mangan
- School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoPrivate Bag 3105Hamilton3240New Zealand
| | - Emily J. Douglas
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchPO Box 11‐115Hillcrest Hamilton3251New Zealand
- School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoPrivate Bag 3105Hamilton3240New Zealand
| | - Dana E. Clark
- School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoPrivate Bag 3105Hamilton3240New Zealand
- Cawthron InstitutePrivate Bag 2Nelson,7042New Zealand
| | - Andrew M. Lohrer
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchPO Box 11‐115Hillcrest Hamilton3251New Zealand
| | - Conrad Pilditch
- School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoPrivate Bag 3105Hamilton3240New Zealand
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8
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Synergistic interactions among growing stressors increase risk to an Arctic ecosystem. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6255. [PMID: 33288746 PMCID: PMC7721797 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19899-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Oceans provide critical ecosystem services, but are subject to a growing number of external pressures, including overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. Current models typically treat stressors on species and ecosystems independently, though in reality, stressors often interact in ways that are not well understood. Here, we use a network interaction model (OSIRIS) to explicitly study stressor interactions in the Chukchi Sea (Arctic Ocean) due to its extensive climate-driven loss of sea ice and accelerated growth of other stressors, including shipping and oil exploration. The model includes numerous trophic levels ranging from phytoplankton to polar bears. We find that climate-related stressors have a larger impact on animal populations than do acute stressors like increased shipping and subsistence harvesting. In particular, organisms with a strong temperature-growth rate relationship show the greatest changes in biomass as interaction strength increased, but also exhibit the greatest variability. Neglecting interactions between stressors vastly underestimates the risk of population crashes. Our results indicate that models must account for stressor interactions to enable responsible management and decision-making.
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Seasonal and Interannual Trends of Oceanographic Parameters over 40 Years in the Northern Adriatic Sea in Relation to Nutrient Loadings Using the EMODnet Chemistry Data Portal. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12082280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Long-term data series (1971–2015) of physical and biogeochemical parameters were analyzed in order to assess trends and variability of oceanographic conditions in the northern Adriatic Sea (NAS), a mid-latitude shallow continental shelf strongly impacted by river discharges, human activities and climate changes. Interpolation maps and statistical models were applied to investigate seasonal and spatial variability, as well as decadal trends of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a and nutrients. This analysis shows that sea surface temperature increased by +0.36% year−1 over four decades. Annual mean flow of the Po River markedly changed due to the occurrence of periods of persistent drought, whereas the frequency of flow rates higher than 3000 m3 s−1 decreased between 2006 and 2015. Moreover, we observed a long-term decrease in surface phosphate concentrations in Po River water (−1.34% year−1) and in seawater (in summer −2.56% year−1) coupled, however, to a significant increase in nitrate concentration in seawater (+3.80% year−1) in almost all seasons. These changes indicate that the nutrient concentrations in the NAS have been largely modulated, in the last forty years, by the evolution of environmental management practices and of the runoff. This implies that further alteration of the marine environment must be expected as a consequence of the climate changes.
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10
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OSIRIS: A model for integrating the effects of multiple stressors on marine ecosystems. J Theor Biol 2020; 493:110211. [PMID: 32097609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
While much has been learnt about the impacts of specific stressors on individual marine organisms, considerable debate exists over the nature and impact of multiple simultaneous stressors on both individual species and marine ecosystems. We describe a modelling tool (OSIRIS) for integrating the effects of multiple simultaneous stressors. The model is relatively computationally light, and demonstrated using a coarse-grained, non-spatial and simplified representation of a temperate marine ecosystem. This version is capable of reproducing a wide range of dynamic responses. Results indicate the degree to which interactions are synergistic is crucial in determining sensitivity to forcing, particularly for the higher trophic levels, which can respond non-linearly to stronger forcing. Stronger synergistic interactions sensitize the system to variability in forcing, and combinations of stronger forcing, noise and synergies between effects are particularly potent. This work also underlines the significant potential risk incurred in treating stressors on ecosystems as individual and additive.
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11
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Furlan E, Slanzi D, Torresan S, Critto A, Marcomini A. Multi-scenario analysis in the Adriatic Sea: A GIS-based Bayesian network to support maritime spatial planning. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 703:134972. [PMID: 31759699 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Oceans are changing faster than even observed before. Unprecedented climate variability is interacting with long-term trends, all against a backdrop of rising anthropogenic use of marine space. The growth of maritime activities is taking place without the full understanding of complex interactions between natural and human-induced changes, leading to a progressive decline of biodiversity and degradation of marine ecosystems. Against this complex interplay, marine managers and policy makers are increasingly calling for new approaches and tools allowing a multi-scenario assessment of environmental impacts arising from the complex interaction between natural and anthropogenic drivers, also in consideration of multiple marine plans objectives. Responding to this need, for the Adriatic Sea we developed a GIS-based Bayesian Network to evaluate the probability (and related uncertainty) of cumulative impacts under four 'what-if' scenarios representing different marine management options and climate conditions. We addressed issues concerning consequences of potential planning measures, as well as management programmes required to achieve environmental status targets, as required by relevant EU acquis. Results from the scenario analysis highlighted that an integrated approach to maritime spatial planning is required, combining more sustainable management options of marine spaces and resources with climate adaptation strategies. This approach to planning would allow to reduce human pressures on the marine environment and rise resilience of natural ecosystems to climate and human-induced disturbances, which would result in an overall decrease of cumulative impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Furlan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Fondazione Centro-Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), I-73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Debora Slanzi
- European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Calle Crosera, Dorsoduro 3911, 30123 Venice, Italy; Department of Management, University Ca' Foscari Venice, Cannaregio 873, 30121 Venezia, Italy
| | - Silvia Torresan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Fondazione Centro-Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), I-73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Andrea Critto
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Fondazione Centro-Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), I-73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Antonio Marcomini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari Venice, I-30170 Venice, Italy; Fondazione Centro-Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), I-73100 Lecce, Italy
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