An assessment of the non-market value of the ecosystem services provided by the Catalan coastal zone,Spain

A spatial value transfer analysis was performed to generate baseline estimates of the value of ecosystem services in the coastal zone of Catalonia, Spain. The study used the best available conceptual frameworks, data sources, and analytical techniques to generate non-market monetary value estimates that can be used to identify scarce ecosystem services among competing coastal uses. The approach focused on natural and seminatural, terrestrial and marine systems, which provide essential services that are not considered in current economic markets. Results show that in 2004 a substantial economic value of $3,195 million USD/yr was delivered to local citizens by surrounding ecosystems. In a spatially explicit manner, the approach illustrates the contribution made by natural environmental systems to the well being of communities in the coastal zone of Catalonia. It is hoped that this study will highlight the need to consider these coastal systems in future management strategies to ensure their proper maintenance and conservation.     

A description of chloride cell and kidney tubule alterations in the flatfish Solea senegalensis exposed to moderately contaminated sediments from the Sado estuary (Portugal)

The effects of sediment-bound contaminants on kidney and gill chloride cells were surveyed in juvenile Solea senegalensis exposed to fresh sediments collected from three distinct sites of the Sado Estuary (Portugal) in a 28-day laboratorial assay. Sediments were analyzed for metallic contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorines as well as for total organic matter, redox potential and fine fraction. The potential for causing adverse biological effects of each surveyed sediment was assessed by comparison of contaminant levels to available guidelines for coastal sediments, namely the Threshold Effects Level (TEL) and the Probable Effects Level (PEL). The Sediment Quality Guideline Quotient indices (SQGQ) were calculated to compare the overall contamination levels of the three stations. A qualitative approach was employed to analyze the histo/cytopathological traits in gill chloride cells and body kidney of fish exposed to each tested sediment for 0, 14 and 28 days. The results showed that sediment contamination can be considered low to moderate and that the least contaminated sediment (from a reference site, with the lowest SQGQ) caused lesser changes in the surveyed organs. However, the most contaminated sediment (by both metallic and organic xenobiotics, with highest SQGQ) was neither responsible for the highest mortality nor for the most pronounced lesions. Exposure to the sediment presenting an intermediate SQGQ, essentially contaminated by organic compounds, caused the highest mortality (48%) and the most severe damage to kidneys, up to full renal necrosis. Chloride cell alterations were similar in fish exposed to the two most contaminated sediments and consisted of a pronounced cellular hypertrophy, likely involving fluid retention and loss of mitochondria. It can be concluded that sediment contamination considered to be low or moderate may be responsible for severe injury to cells and parenchyma involved in the maintenance of osmotic balance, contributing for the high mortality levels observed. The results suggest that sediment-bound organic contaminants such as PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) may be very toxic to the analyzed organs, especially the kidney, even when present in low-risk concentrations.     

Dissolved and particulate heavy metals distribution in coastal lagoons. A case study from Mar Chiquita Lagoon,Argentina

Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon is located on the Atlantic coast of Argentina, and it has been declared a Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB). This coastal lagoon constitutes an estuarine environment with a very particular behaviour and it is ecologically important due to its biological diversity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and geochemical behaviour of several heavy metals in this coastal system, focusing on their distribution in both the dissolved phase (<0.45 μm) and the suspended particulate matter. Therefore, the general hydrochemical parameters (salinity, temperature, turbidity, pH and dissolved oxygen) and concentration of total particulate and dissolved metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Mn) were measured along 2 years (2004–2006) at two different sites. As regards their distribution, hydrological parameters did not present any evidence of deviation with respect to historical values. Suspended particulate matter showed no seasonal variation or any relationship with the tide, thus indicating that in this shallow coastal lagoon neither tides nor freshwater sources regulate the particulate matter input. Heavy metals behaviour, both in dissolved and particulate phases did not reveal any relationship with tide or seasons. Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon showed a large input of dissolved and particulate metals, which is probably due to intensive agriculture within the drainage basin of this system.     

Possibilities of discriminating tropical secondary succession in Amazônia using hyperspectral and multiangular CHRIS/PROBA data

CHRIS/PROBA data collected in the Brazilian Amazônia in 4 view angles (−36°, nadir, +36°, +55°) and 62 bands (410–1000 nm range) were evaluated for the discrimination between primary forest and 3 stages of secondary succession after deforestation: initial (SS1; <5 years), intermediate (SS2; 5–15 years) and advanced (SS3; >15 years). Single view angle and multiangular approaches (nadir plus anisotropic information derived from reflectance ratios between view angles) were tested for discrimination. Both approaches used principal components analysis (PCA) applied to pixel spectra representative of each class in order to reduce data dimensionality at each dataset, to enhance separability between the classes, and to provide input variables for multiple discriminant analysis (MDA). The results showed that the off-nadir viewing improved discrimination between the successional stages. Discrimination between SS2 and SS3 was enhanced with PCA at +36° view angle. Primary forest and SS3 presented a more anisotropic behavior than SS2 and SS1, especially in the backward scattering direction (positive view angles) in which great amounts of sunlit canopy components were viewed by the sensor. MDA classification results showed that the multiangular approach produced an overall improvement in the discrimination. From the single (nadir) to the multiangular approach, classification accuracy using a separate set of pixels increased from 83.3% to 98.3% for SS1, 53.3% to 70.0% for SS2, and 58.3% to 76.7% for SS3. The nadir and multiangular classifications were statistically different at a 0.05% level of significance. Kappa statistics increased from 0.63 to 0.82. The results showed that multiangular data can improve the differentiation between primary forest and old stages of natural vegetation regrowth, which have been reported in the literature as the most difficult classes to be mapped in the Amazonian environment.     

Characterization of bedform morphology generated under combined flows and currents using wavelet analysis

The wavelet transform (WT) has been successfully implemented in many fields such as signal and image processing, communication theory, optics, numerical analysis, and fluid mechanics. However, the application of WT to describe bedform morphology in coastal areas, oceans, and rivers is rare. The present study demonstrates the capability of WT analysis to fully represent the space–frequency characteristics of signals describing bed topography generated in marine and river environments. In this study WT is used to examine the morphological characteristics of bedforms generated in two separate laboratory facilities: a wave tank and a meandering channel. In the wave tank a set of ripples superimposed upon large wave ripples were generated; while in the meandering channel, 2D and 3D migrating ripples and dunes were observed. The WT proved to be a useful tool in detecting the complex variability of the generated bedform structures. The size distribution of the bottom features such as ripples, large wave ripples and sandbars were first examined along a 2D bed profile. Later analysis studied the variability of features in the transverse direction by using the power Hovmöller. Experiments in the wave tank were conducted for a mobility number of ψ=(10, 28), and a Reynolds wave number of R_ew=(17,500, 83,500) which correspond to waves alone (WA) and to combined flow (CF) scenarios, respectively. Experiments in the meandering channel were conducted under a morphological regime that produced mainly migrating sandbars.     

Spatio-temporal structure of diatom assemblages in a temperate estuary. A STATICO analysis

This study examines the spatio-temporal structure of diatom assemblages in a temperate estuary (Ria de Aveiro, Western Portugal). Eighteen monthly surveys were conducted, from January 2002 to June 2003, at three sampling sites (at both high and low tide) along the estuarine salinity gradient. The relationship of diatom assemblages and environmental variables was analysed using the STATICO method, which has been designed for the simultaneous analysis of paired ecological tables. This method allowed examination of the stable part of the environment-diatom relationship, and also the variations of this relationship through time. The interstructure factor map showed that the relationship between the 11 environmental variables and the abundance of the 231 diatom species considered was strongest in the months May and September 2002 and January, February and May 2003. The stable part of the species–environment relationships mainly consisted of a combined phosphate, chlorophyll a and salinity gradient linked to a freshwater-marine species gradient. A more pronounced gradient was observed in January, February and May 2003. Diatom assemblages showed clear longitudinal patterns due to the presence of both marine and freshwater components. May and September 2002 had the least structured gradients with marine-estuarine species appearing in the freshwater side of the gradient. The most complete gradient in February 2003 could be considered, in terms of bio-ecological categories, as the most structured period of the year, with a combination of strong marine influence in the lower zone and freshwater influence in the upper. The best-structured gradients were during periods of a diatom bloom. Stable diatom assemblages (with a strong structure and a good fit between the diatoms and environment) are described and characterized. This study shows the efficiency of the STATICO analysis. The inclusion of space-time data analysis tools in ecological studies may therefore improve the knowledge of the dynamics of species–environmental assemblages.     

250 years of sardine and anchovy scale deposition record in Mejillones Bay, northern Chile

Marine oxygen-deficient environments with high sedimentation rates and high primary productivity can provide relevant information regarding variations of ocean–climatic conditions in the past. In the Humboldt current ecosystem, which now hosts huge populations of pelagic fishes (mainly anchovy and sardine), fish scale abundance in the sedimentary record may be useful indicators of environmental change. Here we assess such a proxy record in a 42 cm-long sedimentary core collected from 80 m in Mejillones Bay (23°S, northern Chile). We also analyse fish remains in surface sediment sampled along a bathymetric transect (from 10 to 110 m water depth) in the same bay. In the core-top record, the fluctuations of sardine and anchovy scale deposition rates (SDR) agreed with those of industrial catches for these two species in northern Chile, tending to validate the SDR as a proxy of local fish biomass when bottom anoxic conditions prevail. However, apparent SDR for records prior to 1820 have probably been influenced by dissolution processes linked to the oxygenation of the bottom environment of Mejillones Bay, as suggested by other proxy records. After 1820, the fluctuations in the relative abundance of sardine and anchovy scales point to alternating warm and cold conditions during about 30 years and then a progressively cooler period. Since ca. 1870, marked fluctuations of SDR of both species are observed, probably as a consequence of the onset of a different oceanographic regime characterized by intensified upwelling, stronger subsurface oxygen deficiency, higher primary productivity, and enhanced “ENSO-like” interdecadal variability. While anchovy SDR fluctuated in periods of 25–40 years, only two peak periods of sardine SDR occurred (late 19th century and late 20th century), suggesting that sardine abundance depends on other ocean–climatic factors.     

Long-term changes in fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southern Portugal) based on two studies made 20 years apart

Fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (south Portugal) were sampled on a monthly basis with a beach seine at 4 sites, during two different time periods: 1980–1986 and 2001–2002. Community indices, species ranking and multivariate analysis were used in order to identify changes in the fish community between the two time periods. A total of 153,511 fish representing 57 taxa were recorded. Although species composition was very similar for both sampling periods, multivariate analysis performed on annual species abundance in number and weight revealed differences in fish community structure between the two periods. Structural changes in fish community were related mostly to a sharp decrease in the abundance of Mugilidae from 1980–1986 to 2001–2002. These changes were probably associated to a decrease in organic matter contents and nutrients concentrations due to improvements in sewage treatment and better water circulation inside the lagoon. The changes in fish community structure are more evident in the inner areas of the lagoon than near the inlet. The association between changes in sewage patterns and changes in the ichthyofaunal community structure reinforces the importance of fish communities as a biological indicator of human induced changes in marine systems.     

Water quality variability and eutrophic trends in karstic tropical coastal lagoons of the Yucatán Peninsula

Coastal lagoon ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to eutrophication due to often restricted water exchange with the adjacent ocean, leading to an accumulation of nutrients from the surrounding watershed. The coastal areas of the northern Yucatán (SE Mexico) show similar geological characteristics: carbonate soils, and strong groundwater discharges (SGD), which are a source of fresh water and dissolved inorganic nutrients. However, due to differences in land use and human impact, these coastal lagoons have different water quality characteristics. To determine the variables and processes that influence water quality and eutrophic status of these tropical coastal lagoons with different hydrological regimes and human impacts, bimonthly samplings were carried for a year at 11 stations in Celestún and Chelem lagoons. The results indicate that Celestún is influenced by bioturbation (resuspension and nutrients inputs from waterfowl) and SGD with high concentrations of nitrate and silicate, leading to oligo-mesotrophic conditions. Chelem had high ammonium and phosphate concentrations, reflecting impacts by wastewaters from the surrounding urban area, resulting in meso-eutrophic conditions. Forcing functions such as climatic patterns, water residence time and local aquifer pollution are probably the main variables that explain the observed patterns.     

Characterizing sources of groundwater to a tropical coastal lagoon in a karstic area using radium isotopes and water chemistry

Radium isotopes (²²³Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra) and water chemistry were used to identify two chemically distinct sources of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in Celestún Lagoon, Yucatán, Mexico. Low salinity groundwater discharging from springs within the lagoon has previously been identified and extensively sampled for nutrient concentrations. However, a second type of groundwater discharging into the lagoon was detected during this study using radium isotope activity measurements. This second type of groundwater is characterized by moderate salinities (within the range of lagoon salinities) and very elevated radium activities in comparison to the low salinity groundwater, mixed lagoon water, and seawater. Further analysis showed that the two types of groundwater also have distinct chloride, strontium, and sulfate ratios, along with slightly different nutrient concentrations. Groundwater discharge occurs through large and small springs scattered throughout the lagoon, and both types of groundwater were detected discharging from one of the larger springs. The relative proportions of low salinity groundwater and brackish high radium groundwater varied over the tidal cycle. In order to better understand the relative contributions of each type of groundwater to the lagoon, a three end-member mixing model based on the distinct chemical and isotopic compositions of both types of groundwater and of seawater was used to estimate the distribution of each water type throughout the lagoon in different seasons. This study suggests that substantial groundwater discharge to the lagoon can occur during both dry and rainy seasons. The presence of two groundwater sources has implications for monitoring and protection of the Celestún Lagoon Biosphere Reserve, since the two sources may have different susceptibilities to anthropogenic contamination depending on their respective recharge area and recharge rates.