coastal and estuarine ecosystems health and management

Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems Health and ManagementHealth and Management

IMAR-Instituto do MarIMAR-Instituto do Mar

“Encontro Nacional de Ciência 2009”, 29 e 30 de Julho

João Carlos Marques

Centro do Mar e Ambiente Centro do Mar e Ambiente |IMAR-CMA||IMAR-CMA|

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

The present research is carried out at IMAR–CMA and was integrated in a broader context through the

submission of

Coastal Systems and Catchment Basins Network Laboratory

| COASTAL – NET || COASTAL – NET |

Monitoring, Assessment, Modelling and Management of

Coastal Systems and Catchment Basins

Proposed as Associate Laboratory in September 2006


IMAR-Institute of Marine Research

CO-Centre of Oceanography

Scientific Partnership withIPIMAR-Instituto de Investigação das Pescas e do Mar


|COASTAL – NET| Participant Institutions

System Oriented Research AreasSystem Oriented Research Areas

4 major System Oriented Research Areas

3- Integrated Coastal Zone Management 3- Integrated Coastal Zone Management

1- Climate Variability 1- Climate Variability

2- Natural Risks Assessment 2- Natural Risks Assessment

4- Integrated Environmental Management of Catchment Basins 4- Integrated Environmental Management of Catchment Basins

[“objects” of study are defined from a holistic perspective]

|COASTAL – NET| concept and work plan organising concepts


4- Environmental Quality Assess. and Management Tools 4- Environmental Quality Assess. and Management Tools

Methodology Oriented Research AreasMethodology Oriented Research Areas

5 major Methodology Oriented Areas cutting acrossSystem Oriented Research Areas

|COASTAL – NET| concept and work plan organising concepts

[corresponding to the major tools that make the study “objects” scientifically treatable]

1- Systems’ Analysis and Monitoring 1- Systems’ Analysis and Monitoring

3- Modelling 3- Modelling

2- Remote Sensing 2- Remote Sensing

5- Technological Development-Optimisation Techniques5- Technological Development-Optimisation Techniques


Health Assessment MethodsHealth Assessment Methods

ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS

PHYSICOCHEMICALANALYSIS

Water Sediments

ECOTOXICOLOGICALSTUDIES

Letal Subletal


Ecological IndicatorsEcological Indicators

sig

nifi

can

ce f

or

scie

nti

sts

an

d p

ub

lic


We need reference conditions and environmental quality patterns in order to:We need reference conditions and environmental quality patterns in order to:

define quality objectives;

monitor if the objectives were achieved or not;

classify the ecological status of water masses [EQS];

define the measures necessary to keep or attain the settled objectives.


Ecological Status AssessmentEcological Status Assessment

1.Atlantic Ocean

2.Norwegian Sea

3.Barens Sea

4.North Sea

5.Balthic Sea

6.Mediterranean Sea


Area where researchhas been carried outArea where researchhas been carried out

6 Eco-regions CW&TW:6 Eco-regions CW&TW:

Catchment area region

Water categories

Types of water

Water masses

• rivers• lakes• transitional waters• coastal waters• artificial waters• heavily modified water bodies

Surface waters

Subterraneanwaters

Target systems


Ecological Status AssessmentEcological Status Assessment

Reference conditions

per type of water

Description of the biological quality elements existing in situations of reduced or none disturbance caused by human activities; [Equivalent to Excellent Status]


|Sea in Europe|

|European types|

|Reference conditions|

Ecological indicators

values undergo factorial

analysis (PCA) followed

by projection to obtain

the EQR

EQR = 0Virtual community at Bad Ecological Status

Vectorial distance

EQR = 1Virtual community at High Ecological Status

Real Community

The Ecological Status is assessed and validated as a function of reference conditions.

From the comparison of values observed with reference values we may derive an “Ecological Quality RatioEcological Quality Ratio” [EQR: 0 – 1]:



Excellent

Good

Moderate

Fair

Bad

ok

interventionneeded

5 Ecological Status

Little or nule Excellent

Good

Moderate

Fair

Bad

Slight

Moderate

Big

Severe

Disturbance

ObjectiveObjective

Resources utilised: last 5 years

Effects of natural stress generated by freshwater discharges

in the benthic invertebrate estuarine communities and its

influence on the assessment of the benthic ecological status

– EFICAS (POCI/MAR/61324/2004) (2005 – 2008)

National funds

System dynamic response to an ample artificial RE-

establishment of the upstream CONNECTion between the

two arms of the Mondego estuary (Portugal): implications

for recovery, ecological quality status, and management

– RECONNECT (PTDC/MAR/64627/2006) (2008 – 2011)


Sustainable management of Mediterranean coastal fresh

and transitional water bodies: a socioeconomic and

environmental analysis of changes and trends to enhance

and sustain stakeholders benefits

– WADI (INCO-CT-2005-015226)

Water Bodies in Europe: Integrative systems to assess

ecological status and recovery

– WISER (FP7-ENV-2008-1)


Resources utilised: last 5 years |cont.|

International funds

Theoretical development[e.g. Exergy and application of thermo-dynamics to environmental qualityassessment; Ascendancy – flows inEcosystems];

Development of new assessment tools[e.g. Mar-MAT, BAT];

Publications in international journals [28 papers specifically on Ecological Indicators and assessment policies in the last 5 years];

International Application of assessmenttools [e.g. Portuguese estuaries, Ria delEo and Mar Menor (Spain), TyrrenianSea (Italy)];

Divulgation publications.

More relevant results:


The great challenge: How to relate Environmental Health Assessment and Ecological Sustainability?The great challenge: How to relate Environmental Health Assessment and Ecological Sustainability?

The Ecological Sustainability Trigon

Marques et al., 2009Marine Pollution Bulletin (in press)


…thank you for your attention!


coastal and estuarine ecosystems health and management

Documents

pescas e

e ambiente

julho area

marencontro nacional

publicencontro nacional

julho sea

management of coastal

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