Special Sessions

No:

0013

Title

Adaptation of estuaries to climate change

Organizers

Roland Garnier, Ian Townend, Giovanni Coco, Adolfo Uriarte
1AZTI, Spain
2University of Southampton, UK
3University of Auckland
4 Basque Government, Spain

Abstract

Climate change poses an increasing and unavoidable threat to estuaries around the world. There is evidence of the effects of a changing climate on the geomorphology and on the biodiversity of estuaries at geological and historic time scales. Local human activities are also altering the dynamics of estuaries, because of land-claim, coastal squeeze, dredging and dumping operations, or changing ecosystems and habitats through cultivation and management practices. At the same time, the recent effects of anthropogenic climate change causing global warming and an acceleration in sea level rise, coupled with the variability of climate drivers, are causing changes in estuaries. This will require progressive adaptation to ensure the future resilience of the both the natural environment and the communities that are located alongside the estuaries. This special session will bring together scientists from all disciplines to discuss the dynamics of estuaries and their response to climate change from different approaches (field observation, physical or numerical modelling) and will also be attended by stakeholders and coastal managers. The objective is to share the latest research, seeking to identify the current and future risks, the needs of adaptation of estuaries to climate change, and the possible adaptation solutions.

No:

0020

Title

Living Labs: Space for Experiments on Sustainable Coastal Adaptation

Organizers

Jantsje M. van Loon-Steensma, Peter M.J. Herman, Stephan J.H. Rikkert
1Wageningen University
2,3Delft University of Technology and Deltares

Abstract

Living labs, full-scale experimental settings investigating the technical, ecological and social aspects of innovative measures in a real socio-ecological environment are powerful tools for the co-development and adoption of new coastal defense strategies. In this session we want to confront results obtained in the Living Lab Hedwige-Prosperpolder with Living Lab experiences elsewhere. We invite contributions on experimental studies on coastal safety and nature-based solutions, views on risk reduction and sustainability of innovative coastal defense, stakeholder perceptions of, and participation in, managed realignment and nature-based solutions. We will investigate and discuss during the session to what extent living labs can foster the implementation of necessary adaptations in coastal defense.

No:

0028

Title

Coastal and estuarine geomorphic evolution and ecosystem sustainability

Organizers

Junjie Deng
School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China

Abstract

Climate change (e.g. sea-level rise, changes in frequency of storms) and anthropogenic activities have exerted strong impacts on coastal geomorphic evolution. In particular, intense human activities driven by economic development may have interrupted the natural evolution of coastal and estuarine system. Therefore, there is a growing interest in how to increase the resilience of these damaged system to their normal evolutionary path. Therefore, understanding the linkage between coastal geomorphological evolution and ecosystem sustainability is critical for the coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration. This session invites contributions dealing with coastal geomorphic evolution, sediment dynamics, processes responsible for the evolution, links between morphological evolution with ecosystem conservation and restoration.

No:

0015

Title

The Adriatic Sea as a laboratory for quantifying environmental changes in the anthropocene

Organizers

Ivica Vilibic, Irena Ciglenecki-Jusic, Davide Bonaldo, Annalisa Franzo

1,2Rudjer Boskovic Institute (RBI), Zagreb, Croatia
3Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR), Venice, Italy
4Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Trieste, Italy

Abstract

Being deeply infiltrated into the European mainland, the predominantly oligotrophic Adriatic Sea – the northernmost basin of the Mediterranean Sea – is prone to several ongoing and future environmental changes exacerbated by the climate change. This complex system is exposed to different impacts: from orographically-driven winds that are generators of the densest Mediterranean waters, through quasi-decadal oscillations impacting basin-wide biogeochemistry, having substantial nutrient loads from both anthropogenic and natural sources, migration of invasive species in a warming climate, till coastal and shallow regions strongly affected by variable freshwater loads. The ongoing climate change - together with the direct anthropogenic influence, through agriculture, tourism, navigation and fisheries - has a potential to rapidly accelerate ongoing degradations, with a potential to reach rapidly tipping points of different systems. Therefore, this highly interdisciplinary session aims to quantify the changes and complex interactions in the Adriatic physical, biogeochemical and biological systems, to assess the respective hazards and to discuss possible measures and scenarios to mitigate the negative impacts of the ongoing and future changes.

No:

0016

Title

Environmental impact of pollution on riverine, estuarine and coastal areas in Southeast Asia

Organizers

Gonzalo Carrasco, Aazani Mujahid, Moritz Muller, Siew Chin Chua
1Earth Observatory of Singapore
2University Malaysia Sarawak
3Swinburne University of Technology, Kuching
4National University Singapore

Abstract

Southeast Asia is a region of the world that is experiencing development and environmental degradation at fast rates due to activities like industry, aquaculture, land reclamation, and more. The current session aims at presenting some of the topics that highlight this process, focusing on pollutants (trace metals, organics, plastics, PCPs, and more) from different sources, and how their biological roles are connected to OM from different sources (mangroves, peatland and others). Further, the low latitude area is rich in biodiversity of mangroves, seagrasses and corals which along with peat store significant amounts of carbon in coastal areas. This creates a situation where environmental concerns are intimately linked to ecosystem services, social impact on coastal communities and governance, in a delicate tension under the ASEAN umbrella. This session’s goal is to provide room for scientist working on estuarine and coastal areas in SEA to interact with European colleagues for interaction and collaboration.

No:

0033

Title

Potential Roles of Passive Sampling in Investigative and Regulatory Monitoring

Organizers

Hao Zhang, Marco Schintu, Maria Jesus Belzunce

1Lancaster University
2University of Cagliari
3AZTI

Abstract

Currently, the most used approach to monitoring compliance with the requirements of the European legislation relies on water samples obtained by spot sampling and the analysis of contaminant concentrations in the laboratory. However, the limitations of low-frequency spot sampling, such as the lack of representativeness in dynamic systems (estuaries) and the inability to account for bioavailability and potential toxicity of the contaminants, have been widely discussed. Moreover, many contaminants are present in aquatic environments in low concentrations and/or have very low Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) that cannot be attained by these conventional monitoring methods. Besides, new contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals and personal care products) will emerge as potential priority substances (Decision EU 2018/840). Hence, there is an urgent need to find accurate, reliable, easy and cost-efficient alternative monitoring techniques that guarantee their measurement at relevant EQS level, enabling the assessment of the chemical status of water bodies.  In this sense, passive sampling (PS) can overcome these traditional monitoring limitations, providing a better scientific basis for risk assessment. The aim of this session is to explore the operational use of PS in monitoring campaigns (e.g., water/sediment quality assessment, surveillance of discharges, dredging activities, etc.) to be incorporated into investigative and regulatory monitoring.

No:

0008

Title

Nature- and ecosystem-based approaches for sustainable and resilient coasts and estuaries: managing sea level rise and climate change hazards

Organizers

Patrick Friend, Maike Paul, Mogens Flindt

1 Marine Science and Engineering Dept., Integral Consulting Inc., Houston, USA
2Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine, and Coastal Engineering, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
3Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Abstract

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) are at the forefront of multi-disciplinary approaches to build and maintain sustainable and resilient coasts and estuaries that are facing dual challenges from sea level rise and climate change. Coastal zone ecosystem dynamics are subject to many drivers, both land- and marine-derived, including higher water levels, coastal flooding, and increases in storminess and runoff. At the same time, hard infrastructure and coastal squeeze impact the coastal and estuarine ecosystem’s ability to adapt naturally. This session invites contributions from scientists and coastal practitioners using innovative and novel NbS and EbA approaches to build more resilient estuaries and coastal seas through rigorous scientific observation and monitoring studies, and sustainable coastal management. We encourage contributions that adopt a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach, and novel scientific methodology using NbS and EbA methods to address issues that include, but are not limited to, water quality degradation, sediment starvation, coastal erosion, and biological/geomorphological changes due to external drivers and grey infrastructure. Topics can cover aspects of coastal degradation, turbidity and salinity changes, mobilization of pollutants, sediment transport, and the use of blue and green infrastructure to build resiliency. We particularly encourage early career researchers to submit to this session.

No:

0009

Title

Pelagos and benthos as a unicum: Advancements towards a sustainable management of impacted coastal areas

Organizers

Tamara Cibic, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, Fernando Rubino
1Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale - OGS, Italy
2National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Slovenia
3CNR Water Research Institute, Talassografico di Taranto, Italy

Abstract

Pelagos and benthos have been classically studied as distinct domains of the marine environment, but they cannot be considered as separate entities. Many physical, chemical and biological processes bind these two domains, particularly in shallow environments and transitional habitats, where benthic-pelagic coupling concur to maintain high rates of primary production and decomposition. Matter and energy flow between the two domains in both directions, along the food webs, involving the movement of planktonic and benthic organisms at different life stages. A deeper knowledge of the life cycles of meroplanktonic species represents an indispensable prerequisite for understanding the functioning of the ecosystem in shallow areas. Besides this, benthic primary producers and invertebrates provide several ecosystem services and drive important processes such as nutrient cycling, bio-irrigation and organic matter decomposition in coastal areas. Anthropogenic pressures like eutrophication, chemical contamination, introduction of invasive species and climate change are increasingly affecting the status and functioning of such biodiverse environments. With the final goal of sustainable management of marine natural resources, the overall picture of processes and flows between pelagos and benthos is a key factor to be known in depth. This special session will focus on recent research that addresses the benthic-pelagic coupling in shallow marine and transitional (impacted) areas. We welcome particularly, but not exclusively, in-field and laboratory studies that shed light on benthic-pelagic coupling as applied to the functions and services that marine ecosystems provide to society and economy of coastal areas.

No:

0017

Title

What parameters drive best for future shorelines shelter?

Organizers

Maike Heuner and Christine Borgsmüller

German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG)

Abstract

This session opens the discussion by hosting short initial presentations summarizing the present scientific knowledge of the interaction between hydrodynamic pressures, morphological processes, sedimentological parameters and vegetation properties on stability as well as erodibility of estuarine and coastal shorelines. Presentations are addressed in this session having results which range from in situ experiments and monitoring results to modelling results to laboratory experiments. The short presentations and a joint discussion to answer the guiding questions are equally distributed in time. The guiding questions are: Can parameters and ecosystem functions be quantified that drive stress responses (initiate erosion) and resilience (accretion and recolonization of sediment) on vegetated shorelines? How can the knowledge be used to promote resilient nature-based solutions for human-altered shorelines exposed to climate change?

No:

0025

Title

Ecosystem based management: New inputs from basic research and holistic approaches

Organizers

Martin Paar, Maximilian Berthold and Camille de la Vega
¹University Rostock, Institute of Biosciences, Germany
²Mount Allison University, Department of Biology, Canada
³Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Germany

Abstract

The special session focuses on the holistic understanding of coastal ecosystem response to anthropogenic pressures and their application in management of coastal waters.

0029

Title

Cascading effects of ecosystem engineer restoration on community composition.

Organizers

Oscar Franken, Laura Govers,
1,2University of Groningen; Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

Abstract

Ecosystems engineers are key component species of ecosystems, as they modify the environment by their presence. By altering local conditions, they can facilitate further establishment of their own species, but also make the environment suitable for other species. Over the last decades, the presence of ecosystem engineers in marine environments have generally declined, and many restoration efforts focus on the recovery of ecosystem engineering species such as seagrasses, shellfish beds, and corals. In this session, we focus on how the recovery of these species facilitates the settlement and persistence of other (non-target) species, and how the restored species therefore shape the community composition of the restored habitats.

No:

0002

Title

Promoting sustainable aquaculture in estuaries and shallow coastal areas

Organizers

Ma. Junemie Hazel Lebata-Ramos
Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center

Abstract

Estuaries and shallow coastal areas are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to anthropogenic activities. They are the most affected areas of commercialization and industrialization, resulting in rapid environmental degradation. Promoting sustainable aquaculture in these areas can bring additional livelihoods to coastal dwellers and may help minimize these problems. Non-fed mollusk culture, integrated multitrophic aquaculture, and other environment-friendly aquaculture technologies should be encouraged to promote sustainable aquaculture in these areas. New developments in these fields of aquaculture are welcome and may be presented in this Session.

No:

0003

Title

Transboundary and connectivity aspects of marine management: towards regional integrative research

Organizers

Angel Borja, Michael Elliott
1AZTI
2IECS Ltd

Abstract

Different European directives (e.g. Habitats Directive WFD, MSFD, MSPD) are being implemented by Member States, through monitoring, assessment and management responses to reduce pressures at sea. However, the cumulative impacts of pressures, their transboundary effect, the need of protect large marine areas ensuring their connectivity, and the global effect of human activities and climate change, make impossible to manage these threats at the country level. In turn, the need for regional and transboundary cooperation, is emerging as a clear need to rationalize monitoring costs, ensure comparable assessments of EU seas and develop management measures that can be shared and coordinated across borders. This is also important to allow countries and the EU to show their commitment to global initiatives such as fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Decades of Ocean Science and Ecosystem Restoration. This session aims to bring examples of cooperation (e.g. through EU projects, Regional Seas Conventions activities, or WFD and MSFD collaborations) which can serve to enhance our knowledge of the EU seas and take informed management measures. These will give lessons for seas worldwide.

No:

0005

Title

Restorative aquaculture as nature-based management tool

Organizers

Camilla Bertolini and Roberto Pastres
1,2Ca' Foscari University

Abstract

Aquaculture is a fast-growing form of food production. Research on improving its sustainability is growing fast in parallel, with new technologies becoming available that allow to maximise resources utilisation and animals’ welfare. Increasing protein production from aquaculture can help towards reducing world hunger issues, but if done sustainably and with environmental issues in mind it can also be incorporated within a ‘restoration’ context. Restorative aquaculture occurs when commercial or subsistence aquaculture provides direct ecological benefits to the environment, with the potential to generate net-positive environmental outcomes (e.g. reintroduction of native species, provision of ecosystem services such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sequestration). It is necessary to create and improve scientifically strong decision support tools to expand the scale of restorative aquaculture and improve the knowledge sharing between scientist and producers.

No:

0007

Title

Coastal change and land-sea social ecological system governance

Organizers

Mingbao Chen and Jiaxue Wu
1Macau University of Science and Technology/Southern Ocean Science andEngineering Guangdong Laboratory（Zhuhai）
2Sun Yat sen University

Abstract

Coastal is the most significant zone of land-sea interaction on the earth surface. It connects natural activities such as global climate change and high-intensity human activities, forming a complex social natural coupled system. This session focuses on the interaction of human-Ocean complex system and the change of typical regional coastal zone on the scale of one hundred and ten years, expounds the development and evolution rule of coastal under the joint action of natural and human activities, analyzes the interaction mechanism between coastal social system and ecological system, and combines the current situation of coastal protection and utilization, the spatial expansion of typical regions and the needs of economic and social development, so that it discusses the optimization of critical spatial structure and function of coastal zone，and optimizes the governance of coastal social-ecological system under the overall planning of land-sea, so as to provide scientific basis for Coastal regional spatial planning and coastal ecological environment protection.

No:

0010

Title

Sustainable fishing and management of bycatch and invasive species: the blue crab

Organizers

M. Irene Prete, Giorgio Mancinelli, Lucrezia Cilenti, Antonio Mileti

1,2,4University of Salento
3CNR IRBIM

Abstract

Fisheries bycatch and invasive species, such as the Blue crab (Callinectes Sapidus), are a foremost threat to the world’s coasts and estuaries. Further than recent advances in the development of mitigation strategies, developing effective solutions imposes a complex challenge with environmental, socio-cultural, and socio-economic components. A new sustainable perspective is needed to develop responsive strategies that effectively address this problem at a consumer level, at a business level and at a government level. At a consumer perspective it is needed to investigate: 1) Perception and awareness of the environmental and economic negative effects of bycatch and invasive species; 2) Awareness, preference and propensity to consume food products deriving from bycatch and invasive species, such as the blue crab. At a business perspective it is needed to determine the most profitable opportunities for the reuse of bycatch and invasive species (for example, in the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, energy and fashion sectors), considering that fishing could develop from a simple supplier of a commodity into a partner of a supply chain that adapts its methods of product management to meet consumers’ expectations. At a government perspective it is needed to raise awareness and intervention of institutions to funding a sustainable re-use of bycatch and invasive species.

No:

0014

Title

Setting quality targets for biota and their supporting elements: approaches to meet the challenges across national and international policies

Organizers

Heliana Teixeira and Fuensanta Salas-Herrero

1CESAM, University of Aveiro, Portugal
2EC Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy

Abstract

Target setting is fundamental for the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas. Targets are used to identify water bodies in need of restoration, they help to diagnose cause(s) of deterioration, to prioritise restoration strategies and measure progress towards environmental objectives. For their implications targets should be set using the best scientific knowledge and based on clear understanding of the links between degraded ecosystems and responsible stressors. However, several scientific challenges arise while doing so, such as e.g. unclear pressure-response relationships, novel and poorly-understood stressors, interaction between multiple stressors affecting our coasts, all likely to be enhanced by climate change. In addition, practical issues also defy target setting, such as data availability, spatial representation, disturbance gradient coverage or the management context for target use. With only 40% of Europe’s surface water bodies in good ecological status (WFD; EEA), more efforts are needed to achieve the proposed environmental targets. Improving from current situation requires a full implementation of management and mitigation measures under national and international policies (WFD, MSFD, UN SDGs), in which targets play an essential role. This session invites contributions that perform critical assessments of current targets, explore methodological approaches for target setting, fill gaps of knowledge on targets for novel pressures (e.g. acidification, biological invasions, emerging contaminants), or address the effect of hydrological and morphological alterations and of climate change in the calibration of established targets.

No:

0018

Title

Sustainable management of estuaries and coasts for human well-being: learning experiences for promoting best practices

Organizers

Sarai Pouso Omaetxebarria, Maria C. Uyarra, Ana Ruiz Frau, Antonio J. Castro

1,2AZTI
3IMEDEA
4Universidad de Almería

Abstract

From the many goods and benefits provided by estuaries and coasts, the intangible benefits (i.e., cultural ecosystem services) are the ones supporting a wide array of experiences with positive effect on human health and well-being. Despite their importance for human health and well-being these are some of the most difficult benefits to study and evaluate. These session welcomes contributions from any discipline focusing on the intangible benefits provided by estuaries and coasts.

No:

0019

Title

Unraveling climate change- biodiversity-ecosystem services nexus in marine coastal environments

Organizers

Elisa Furlan, Ewan Trégarot, Myron A. Peck, Marta Coll

1Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC)
2University of Portsmouth - Centre for Blue Governance
3Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)
4Institute of Marine Science (ICM-CSIC)

Abstract

Healthy marine coastal ecosystems play a central role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and biodiversity targets. In the face of the cumulative impacts between climate change hazards and human-induced pressures threatening the ecological condition and resilience of marine coastal ecosystems, their functionality and their benefits to people, progress in understanding and unrevealing the climate change-biodiversity-ecosystem services nexus represents a priority for coastal and marine researchers to provide support into the design of ecosystem-based management and conservation strategies for marine coastal ecosystems to face climate change. This session invites presentations on methods and applications from various field of studies, embracing the ecological, social and policy sides of the marine environment in the design of ecosystem-based management and conservation strategies to address climate change and other societal challenges.

No:

0022

Title

Bridging the science-policy interface through Ocean Accounts – a data foundation for knowledge and decision making for ocean sustainable development

Organizers

Jordan Gacutan, Ben M. Milligan, Ken Findlay, Tainã G. Loureiro

1,2,4Global Ocean Accounts Partnership Secretariat / UNSW, Sydney
3Centre for Sustainable Oceans, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Abstract

Ocean Accounting (OA) uses an emergent framework for the structured compilation and standardisation of ocean data (social, environmental, economic), in a manner consistent with national (macro-economic) and environmental-economic accounting. The OA framework provides a foundation for statistics and indicators produced from a common set of accounting tables, enabling inference of trends over time. Thus, OA provides a means to monitor ecosystem extent and condition, the supply of ecosystem services to society and the ocean economy, as well as the pressures, impacts or risks resulting from human activities. By understanding the beneficiaries of ocean space and resources, we are may better inform equitable and inclusive sustainable development.

No:

0023

Title

Seeking sustainable tourism along tropical coasts

Organizers

Marie Fujitani and Connie Kwong

Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research

Abstract

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors globally, and is seen as an engine for sustainable development in tropical emerging economies. The impact of global tourism cannot be overstated-- tourism and associated activities can irreversibly reshape landscapes, economies, ecosystems, and cultures. Seeking the triple bottom line (social, environmental, economic) of sustainable tourism along tropical coasts is an interdisciplinary, social-ecological management challenge, and this special session welcomes contributions from social science, natural science, the humanities, as well as interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work. Contributions are welcomed but not limited to the following topics in tropical tourism destinations: Tourism and climate change resilience and adaptation - Responses to the covid-19 pandemic and looking to the future - Managing environmental impacts of tourism, such as pollution and habitat degradation - Tourism and sustainable development - Sustainable production and consumption.

No:

0024

Title

Best practices for nature-based solutions (NbS) on estuarine and coastal realms: revealing the past, shaping the future.

Organizers

Zara Teixeira and Tiago Verdelhos

MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Center, University of Coimbra

Abstract

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have long been applied has a mean for the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas. It is thus time to pause and assess which procedures, processes, and/or measures have been successful to support the definition of best practices for the future. This special session accepts oral presentations describing NbS developed in response to societal challenges. Proposals addressing – but not limited to – natural/green infrastructure, management and protection, risk reduction and natural climate solutions will be accepted. Proposals addressing transdisciplinary and innovative solutions are encouraged, as well as proposals describing best practices based on past experience.

No:

0026

Title

Species distribution models in a changing climate: methods and applications

Organizers

Mireia Valle, Guillem Chust, Brezo Martínez Díaz-Caneja, Nerea Lezama-Otxoa

1,2AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
3Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
4Institute of Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Abstract

Marine and coastal species and ecosystems are experiencing accelerating loss of species abundance and diversity which is increasingly impairing the ocean’s capacity to provide food, maintain water quality, and recover for perturbations. This is already having and will continue to have major global repercussions on human well-being. Managers and coastal communities need from the best scientific knowledge possible to implement effective conservation strategies and sustainable management measures, that will help addressing upcoming global change challenges allowing to anticipate to consequent changes. In this special session we invite researchers applying species distribution models to marine and coastal species and projecting them under climate change. We aim to gather the scientific community working with these methods for conservation planning and management and promote collaboration and open science that we think will help accelerate scientific findings and enhance our understanding of the marine and coastal species and ecosystems current and future status and their related benefit to people.

No:

0027

Title

Ocean Literacy research to support estuaries and coastal seas management

Organizers

Zara Teixeira

MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Center, University of Coimbra

Abstract

Ocean Literacy (OL) initiatives can provide the framework to support the social acceptance and co-development of sustainable management measures within estuarine and coastal seas’ ecosystems. But much remains to be understood about what are the best OL approaches to achieve the desired outcomes and impacts. Ocean Literacy research has the ability to guide future OL initiatives in order to guarantee success. This special session accepts oral presentations featuring OL research that may support the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas, either on the short- or long-term. Proposals addressing OL approaches and outcomes relevant for management, as well as impact and success measurement are welcome.

No:

0030

Title

Evaluation of marine governance as a fundamental component in socio-ecological systems

Organizers

María Semitiel-García and José Antonio García Charton

University of Murcia

Abstract

One of the four subsystems making the socio-ecological system is the governance one. Its study has a high relevance because of its direct relationship with the ecological subsystems and also owing to its linkage with human sustainable development, the implication of diverse individuals through their actions, and the possibility of having an evaluation of governance from its effects on society and by examining its characteristics. A governance subsystem allowing for an efficient management would follows some specific conditions related to the variables included in a socio-ecological system and to an incentives system. It is necessary to measure those conditions in order to distinguish cases of efficient governance and to propose interventions to advance in a process of good marine governance. Science should provide methodologies to get and analyse excellent and diverse knowledge for it.

No:

0031

Title

Using existing knowledge to adaptively manage estuaries for the long-term future.

Organizers

William Glamore and Danial Khojasteh

University of New South Wales - Sydney

Abstract

Emerging climate change research in estuaries has largely focused on identifying potential hazards and risks. As this information improves, it is increasingly apparent that estuarine wide management decisions are required prior to the hazard occurring onsite. This session aims to identify how different hazards may require different estuarine management timelines and response strategies. The role of uncertainty, local versus regional conditions, temporal timelines and political/social acceptability are included as important aspects of this session. .

No:

0033

Title

Potential Roles of Passive Sampling in Investigative and Regulatory Monitoring.

Organizers

Professor Hao Zhang, Maria Jesús Belzunce, Marco Schintu

1Lancaster University (United Kingdom)
2AZTI (Spain)
3University of Cagliari (Italy)

Abstract

Currently, the most used approach to monitoring compliance with the requirements of the European legislation relies on water samples obtained by spot sampling and the analysis of contaminant concentrations in the laboratory. However, the limitations of low-frequency spot sampling, such as the lack of representativeness in dynamic systems (estuaries) and the inability to account for bioavailability and potential toxicity of the contaminants, have been widely discussed. Moreover, many contaminants are present in aquatic environments in low concentrations and/or have very low Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) that cannot be attained by these conventional monitoring methods. Besides, new contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals and personal care products) will emerge as potential priority substances (Decision EU 2018/840). Hence, there is an urgent need to find accurate, reliable, easy and cost-efficient alternative monitoring techniques that guarantee their measurement at relevant EQS level, enabling the assessment of the chemical status of water bodies. In this sense, passive sampling (PS) can overcome these traditional monitoring limitations, providing a better scientific basis for risk assessment. The aim of this session is to explore the operational use of PS in monitoring campaigns (e.g., water/sediment quality assessment, surveillance of discharges, dredging activities, etc.) to be incorporated into investigative and regulatory monitoring.

No:

0036

Title

Enhancing the protection and conservation of critical coastal and marine habitats in the Western Indian Ocean states through science-based decision-making.

Organizers

Jared Bosire, Joseph Maina, Arthur Tuda

1UNEP - Nairobi Convention
2Macquarie University School of Natural Sciences, Australia
3Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association

Abstract

Enhancing the protection and conservation of critical coastal and marine habitats in the Western Indian Ocean states through science-based decision-making Key questions: How can we best use marine information to assess system status? How can we identify the effects of multiple pressures and stressors at sea? How can we manage coastal systems sustainably?

No:

0060

Title

How does designation of heritage sites contribute to sustainable management of coastal systems?

Organizers

Lysann Schneider, Teresa Fernandes

1University of Bern
2Heriot-Watt University

Abstract

Heritage sites represent our inherited traditions, land and seascapes, and monuments that provide cultural connections, identities and social benefits. In this session we follow a broad definition of what we mean by heritage (international, national, different labels, etc.), meaning any areas that have been designated for their natural or cultural importance. Not only the number of protected areas is constantly increasing worldwide, but also their importance for nature, people and in politics, continues to be acknowledged. However, there are multiple approaches to such designations, implementation and management strategies. Understanding which approaches are likely to lead to successful developments, including procedures, mechanisms for implementation and management, and key stakeholders would lead to lessons learnt and further positive outcomes. Key questions also include knowledge of resources available, and understanding of potential socio-ecological conflicts. We welcome contributions with positive examples of sustainable management in heritages sites, but especially critical observations from which we learn that the heritage designation has not contributed.