Pressures, stresses, shocks and trends in estuarine ecosystems – An introduction and synthesis

Changes to processes in estuaries and coastal waters due to intense multiple pressures – An introduction and synthesis

“…Most scientists and engineers working in coastal and estuarine fields have an appreciation that there are a number of factors that must be understood before it is possible to formulate a strategy for managing a coastal or estuarine area given the diversity of external stressors that may affect the area concerned. Systems tend to be faced with threats caused by the combination of a number of factors (Jennerjahn and Mitchell, 2013), therefore there is a need for multidisciplinary approaches to manage a given area, as well as an ongoing discussion between scientists, engineers, and managers on the approach required. One of the more common themes of the papers published as part of this SI, for example, has to do with sea level rise (SLR) and its effects on salinity and water levels in the coastal and estuarine zone.…”

Influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomenon on coastal phytoplankton in a mixohaline ecosystem on the southeastern of South America: Río de la Plata estuary

“…These patterns, shaped by climatic forcing features (i.e., temperature, rainfall, winds) that vary over multiple time and space scales, strongly influence the chemical and biological characteristics and responses of these ecosystems to environmental changes, and to natural and anthropogenic perturbations (Paerl et al, 2010). Jennerjahn and Mitchell (2013) identified the major hazards to estuarine ecosystems as belonging to three categories: human activities, global climate change and extreme events. Coincidently, the Río de la Plata estuary is affected by increasing human and climatic pressures, such as changes in land use and soil erosion, inputs of nutrients and untreated sewages, increments in atmospheric temperature, rainfall, fluvial discharge and ENSO variability (López Laborde et al, 2000;Menéndez, 2002;Nagy et al, 2002a,b,c).…”

Vulnerability assessments of coastal river deltas - categorization and review

“…Improperly managed land use planning leads to fragmentation or complete removal of natural areas (Fig. 2e, h, p), whose ecosystem services play a vital role in the river delta, such as water and carbon storage, water purification, and protecting hinterland areas from natural disasters such as flooding (Bi et al 2011;Jennerjahn and Ittekkot 2004;Jennerjahn and Mitchell 2013;Li et al 2010).…”

“…Deltas are especially vulnerable, as these pollutants disposed along the river accumulate in the delta. Heavily polluted water in the delta limits its use for industrial and agricultural activities, pose a risk to the local population when consumed directly or indirectly (Barbier et al 2011;Howard and Olulu 2012;Joyce 1997;Wong et al 2002), while decreasing the vigor of ecosystems (e.g., leading to algal blooms, and decreasing biodiversity) in both the terrestrial and subaqueous delta (Jennerjahn and Mitchell 2013;Kuenzer et al 2013a).…”