Assessment of Wave Storm-Induced Flood Vulnerability in Rhodes Island, Greece

Coastal areas are threatened by extreme meteorological phenomena, such as wave storms. Therefore, the analysis of such events, such as providing information for their potential hazards assessment, is a key element in coastal management. In this study, a preliminary assessment of flood vulnerability due to storms was performed in Rhodes Island, Greece. Firstly, storm events were defined in terms of significant wave height, peak period, and duration, and they were grouped by means of cluster analysis into five classes (from weak to extreme) reflecting the intensity of each event. Subsequently, flood hazard was assessed by using an empirical formula for wave run-up calculations on cross-shore profiles and storm surge data at the region. Finally, a Flood Vulnerability Index (FVI) was used for assessing vulnerability according to a scale from very low to very high. The most intense storms were found to occur in the eastern, southeastern, and southern part of the island. More than 60% of storms were classified as weak, while extreme events were found to occur with a frequency of less than 2.5%. Regarding flood hazard and vulnerability, the maximum values of wave run-up were calculated in the southeastern region, but the most vulnerable part was found to be the northwestern region, as the FVI was assessed as very high for weak and extreme events

Inner ionian archipelagos and adjacent gulfs: ecological mapping for the needs of ecosystem-based marine spatial

Mapping of ecosystem components (natural and socioeconomic) is a prerequisite for ecosystem-based marine spatial management (EB-MSM). To initiate the process of EB-MSM in the Inner Ionian Archipelagos and adjacent gulfs, the main relevant ecosystem components were mapped based on existing spatial information and expert judgment. The natural components mapped included habitat types and species of conservation importance, according to national and European legislation and international agreements. Main human activities/pressures related to fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and industry were also mapped. A substantial overlapping between ecological features and human activities was identified, confirming the need for a well planned approach of managing marine space in order to mitigate conflicts for marine resources and to conserve marine ecosystems and their associated goods and services.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Ecological mapping and data quality assessment for the needs of ecosystem-based marine spatial management: case study Greek Ionian Sea and the adjacent gulfs

Mapping of ecosystem components (natural and socioeconomic) is a prerequisite for ecosystem-based marine spatial management (EB-MSM). To initiate the process of EB-MSM in the Greek Ionian Sea and the adjacent gulfs, the main relevant ecosystem components were mapped based on existing spatial information and expert judgment. The natural components mapped included habitat types and species targeted for conservation, according to national and European legislation and international agreements. Main human activities/pressures related to fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and industry were also mapped. In order to assess the quality of data used to map ecosystem components and therefore take into consideration the inherent uncertainty, an assessment of 5 semi-quantitative data indicators based on a pedigree matrix was conducted. Through this qualitative approach we gained information related to the sources, acquisition and verification procedures, statistical properties, and temporal & geographical correlation, along with the collection process quality of the ecosystem components under study. A substantial overlapping between ecological features and human activities was identified, confirming the need for a well-planned approach to marine space management, in order to mitigate conflicts for marine resources and conserve marine ecosystems and their associated goods and services.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

EUSeaMap. A European broad-scale seabed habitat map

In order to most benefit from the potential offered by the European marine basins in terms of growth and employment (Blue Growth), and to protect the marine environment, we need to know more about the seafloor. European Directives, such as the MSFD, but also the Horizon 2020 roadmap explicitly called for a multi-resolution full coverage of all European seas including bathymetry, geology and habitats. The present work, following on a suite of past initiatives, has made a big step forward in this direction. It has first boosted the collation of existing maps from surveys by setting up a framework and a procedure to encourage people to submit their maps and data. This resulted in a more attractive EMODnet seabed habitat portal and a snowball effect with more and more people willing to join. However, collation will eventually come to an end and as new creations of seabed habitat maps are so complex and time-consuming, a cost-efficient way to meet the need for a full-coverage habitat map was found to be low-resolution maps and models to predict seafloor habitat types. The broad-scale map referred to as EUSeaMap has been created by this project and after the first two phases it now covers all European basins from the Barents Sea to Macaronesia and to the Black Sea. By harmonising mapping procedures - based on the EUNIS classification - and fostering a common understanding among seabed mappers in Europe, EUSeaMap provides today the community with a comprehensive, free and ready-to-use map that can find applications at regional scale for management and conservation issues. Tables and maps for all basins can be found in section 3 “Results and disciussions”. The project has played a key role in giving feedback to other EMODnet communities dealing with bathymetry, geology and biology, all essential data sources for the broad-scale map. It has also improved the understanding of the EUNIS habitat classification - with a focus on the Adriatic and the Black Sea - by better specifying transitions between classes based on benthic ground-truth data. It has fostered the development of oceanographic variables such as light, waves and currents that have a strong bearing on habitats. Finally it has also been instrumental in developing map confidence assessment methods that account for the broad spatial variation in data sources quality and for uncertain boundaries between habitat classes. The EUSeaMap methods are repeatable and ensure that the predictive maps can continue to be improved in the future, as a result either of EUNIS enhancements or increase in resolution. From today’s 250m resolution it is likely that new deliveries of enhanced source layers due to steady progress in oceanography and geophysics will enable constant refinement of the maps over time