Environmental science and management of coastal lagoons in the Southern Mediterranean Region: key issues revealed by the MELMARINA Project

Thompson, J. R.; Flower, Roger J.

doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9675-7

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Mathematical models are also suitable tools for addressing longterm trajectories under different conditions, including changes in boundary inputs and climate changes (Harley et al, 2006). Scenario analyses are often used to explore system trends and responses according to different assumptions based on direct and indirect effects of human interventions, explore long term trends under semi-stationary conditions (e.g., climate change effects on marine biogeochemistry (Cossarini et al, 2008;Lazzari et al, 2013;Solidoro et al, 2010) or on persistent pollutants (Dalla Valle et al, 2007)) and explore the effectiveness of management responses (Canu et al, 2010;Melaku Canu et al, 2001;Thompson and Flower, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term scenarios of mercury budgeting and exports for a Mediterranean hot spot (Marano-Grado Lagoon, Adriatic Sea)

Canu

Rosati

2017

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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The Marano-Grado Lagoon (MGL) is extensively contaminated by mercury (Hg) from local sources and long-term (500 years) tidally delivered inputs from the Idrija Hg mine (Slovenia) through Isonzo River suspended loads. A multibox WASP-7 (Water Analysis Simulation Program) model was used to simulate the long-term dynamics of the mercury cycle in the MGL. Scenario simulations were used to compute changes in the system over 100 years. Present and future Hg concentrations in water, sediment, and Hg budgets were compared, including evasion and MeHg inputs to the Mediterranean Sea, based on climate changes and mercury capping in tributary rivers. Using the Ref baseline scenario, the model computes a general decrease in HgT of 13% in the water column and of 80% in sediment and a strong MeHg increase in sediment (+73%). The net sea export of HgT decreases by 77% to up to 48 kg/y while MeHg increases by 10% to up to 0.63 kg/y. The lagoon sediment recovery time of HgT up to a target level of 0.3 mg/kg is computed over 570 years for surface sediments (1750 for subsurface sediments). When removing Hg from boundaries, the same target value for surface sediments is reached within 110 years

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term scenarios of mercury budgeting and exports for a Mediterranean hot spot (Marano-Grado Lagoon, Adriatic Sea)

Canu

Rosati

2017

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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“…During potentially thousands of years of existence, lagoons may pass alterations from climate and sea level variations, but especially from anthropogenic impacts in much more intensity and shorter intervals (Anthony et al 2009;De Wit 2011;Harris 2006;Marcos 2005, 2008;Pérez-Ruzafa et al 2011;Schallenberg and Schallenberg 2012;Terrell 2002;Thompson and Flower 2009;Wazniak et al 2007). These may have different causes, some of them indirectly (e.g., interference of river run off by reservoir construction, forest cleaning, agricultural measures in the catchment areas, acidification), many of them directly (e.g., artificial closures or openings, discharge of pollutants and eutrophication, economic exploitation for chemical industries, or aquafarming (compare Fig.…”

Section: Anthropogenic Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal Lake Systems

Scheffers

Kelletat

2017

Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series

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To fulfill the definition being a "coastal lake" sensu lato, at least one property of a lake should have a relation to "coasts" or "oceans," e.g., (part of the) form, sediments, characteristic of the water, hydrodynamics (e.g., tides), or organisms. These lakes often exhibit bottom and shore topographies solely deriving from the basin-forming process. A coastal lake sensu stricto should be in a long period of its history a part of the sea, either in its early time, or in its younger existence and into the future. The latter generally are termed "lagoons," and many of them still have a (natural) connection to the open sea. Lagoons in most cases have an ocean-side barrier (barrier bars, barrier islands, spits, beaches, beach ridges, dune belts) formed by marine/littoral sediments and processes. These began to grow with slowing down of the postglacial sea level rise around 7,000 years BP (

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“…Despite high temperatures (and hence evaporation rates) and very little rainfall, Manzala is nearly fresh, with a mean salinity of about 3 (Practical Salinity scale) ( Table 1 and Toews 1988). However, prior to the 1960s the site was more saline Flower 2009b). This lagoon now receives large amounts of drainage water, originating from the Nile River, which is used to irrigate agricultural regions of the upstream Nile Delta (Nixon 2003).…”

Section: The North African Lagoonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of North Africa's green revolution preserved in sedimentary organic matter deposited in three coastal lagoons

Oczkowski

Flower

Thompson

et al. 2011

Ecological Applications

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Because of longer residence times and limited mixing in coastal lagoons, the impacts of anthropogenic nutrient loading to lagoon food webs are often more pronounced than in other coastal ecosystems. For these reasons, many lagoons also provide an excellent environment for the deposition and accumulation of organic matter (OM). Sediment cores were retrieved from three North African lagoons to provide records of recent environmental changes. We measured percentage nitrogen (%N), nitrogen stable isotope values (delta15N), and percentage organic matter (%OM), and we used radiometric dating techniques (210Pb, 137Cs) to examine the evidence for the intensification of upstream agricultural practices in sediment cores from Lake Manzala (Egypt), Ghar El Melh Lagoon (Tunisia), and Lagune de Nador (Morocco). With the exception of one core collected near a sewage outfall, sediments from Lake Manzala clearly reflected the impact of agricultural intensification following completion of the Aswan High Dam and delta barrages in the mid-1960s to early 1970s. Both %N and %OM more than doubled in three Manzala sediment cores, and delta15N values declined from 5 per thousand to < 1 per thousand. These changes reflect the increasing use of synthetic fertilizers (delta15N approximately 0 per thousand) from the 1960s to the present. Sediments from Ghar El Melh show a similar trend, with %N more than tripling, %OM increasing by 50%, and delta15N declining from 6 per thousand to 2 per thousand since 1965. These changes are consistent with the increasing use of water from a nearby river for crop irrigation and agricultural fertilizer use. Lagune de Nador receives relatively little agricultural drainage water, and core data did not show the same trends as Manzala and Ghar El Melh. Overall, the sediment core data from these systems reflect environmental shifts in the quantity, quality, and isotope signature of the deposited organic matter and confirm the concerns of local scientists and environmental managers that eutrophication has had dramatic impacts on the coastal ecosystems, particularly at the Egyptian and Tunisian sites.

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Environmental science and management of coastal lagoons in the Southern Mediterranean Region: key issues revealed by the MELMARINA Project

Cited by 15 publications

References 79 publications

Long-term scenarios of mercury budgeting and exports for a Mediterranean hot spot (Marano-Grado Lagoon, Adriatic Sea)

Long-term scenarios of mercury budgeting and exports for a Mediterranean hot spot (Marano-Grado Lagoon, Adriatic Sea)

Coastal Lake Systems

Evidence of North Africa's green revolution preserved in sedimentary organic matter deposited in three coastal lagoons

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