An integrated Pan-European perspective on coastal Lagoons management through a mosaic-DPSIR approach

© The Author(s), 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 19400, doi:10.1038/srep19400.A decision support framework for the management of lagoon ecosystems was tested using four European Lagoons: Ria de Aveiro (Portugal), Mar Menor (Spain), Tyligulskyi Liman (Ukraine) and Vistula Lagoon (Poland/Russia). Our aim was to formulate integrated management recommendations for European lagoons. To achieve this we followed a DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State Change-Impacts-Responses) approach, with focus on integrating aspects of human wellbeing, welfare and ecosystem sustainability. The most important drivers in each lagoon were identified, based on information gathered from the lagoons’ stakeholders, complemented by scientific knowledge on each lagoon as seen from a land-sea perspective. The DPSIR cycles for each driver were combined into a mosaic-DPSIR conceptual model to examine the interdependency between the multiple and interacting uses of the lagoon. This framework emphasizes the common links, but also the specificities of responses to drivers and the ecosystem services provided. The information collected was used to formulate recommendations for the sustainable management of lagoons within a Pan-European context. Several common management recommendations were proposed, but specificities were also identified. The study synthesizes the present conditions for the management of lagoons, thus analysing and examining the activities that might be developed in different scenarios, scenarios which facilitate ecosystem protection without compromising future generations.This study was supported by the European Commission, under the 7th Framework Programme, through the collaborative research project LAGOONS (contract n° 283157); by European funds through COMPETE and by Portuguese funds through the national Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT (PEst-C/MAR/LA0017/2013). The post-Doc grant SFRH/BPD/41117/2007 (M Dolbeth) and the PhD grant SFRH/BD/79170/2011 (LP Sousa) supported by FCT are also acknowledged

Land and Water Use Interactions Emerging Trends and Impact on Land-use Changes in the Tungabhadra and Tagus River Basins

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the issues, current status and complex interlinkages in land and water management, emerging trends and its impact in two river basins1 - the Tungabhadra sub-basin in India and the Tagus basin in Spain and Portugal. The paper covers a wide range of issues including changing water demands affected by erratic hydrological cycles, frequent fires affecting forests, biodiversity and soil thus influencing the livelihoods of marginal communities. The paper also brings to the forefront the need for integrated water management in view of poor integration across and within sectors. Therefore, an attempt is made to understand the dynamics of rain fed and irrigated farming highlighting the technological and institutional options required for improving water-use efficiency. There is still a long way to go in both the basins before suitable integration can be achieved leading to an effective Integrated Water Resource Management strategy

The Temporal Development of Fatty Infiltrates in the Neck Muscles Following Whiplash Injury: An Association with Pain and Posttraumatic Stress

Radiological findings associated with poor recovery following whiplash injury remain elusive. Muscle fatty infiltrates (MFI) in the cervical extensors on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with chronic pain have been observed. Their association with specific aspects of pain and psychological factors have yet to be explored longitudinally.44 subjects with whiplash injury were enrolled at 4 weeks post-injury and classified at 6 months using scores on the Neck Disability Index as recovered, mild and moderate/severe. A measure for MFI and patient self-report of pain, loss of cervical range of movement and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were collected at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months post-injury. The effects of time and group and the interaction of time by group on MFI were determined. We assessed the mediating effect of posttraumatic stress and cervical range of movement on the longitudinal relationship between initial pain intensity and MFI. There was no difference in MFI across all groups at enrollment. MFI values increased in the moderate/severe group and were significantly higher in comparison to the recovered and mild groups at 3 and 6 months. No differences in MFI values were found between the mild and recovered groups. Initial severity of PTSD symptoms mediated the relationship between pain intensity and MFI at 6 months. Initial ROM loss did not.MFI in the cervical extensors occur soon following whiplash injury and suggest the possibility for the occurrence of a more severe injury with subsequent PTSD in patients with persistent symptoms

Water quality trends in the Manjeera River, Godavari Basin. [India].

In Nagothu, U. S.; Gosain, A. K.; Palanisami, Kuppannan (Eds.). Water and climate change: an integrated approach to address adaptation challenges. New Delhi, India: Macmilla

Summary and way forward.

In Nagothu, U. S.; Gosain, A. K.; Palanisami, Kuppannan (Eds.). Water and climate change: an integrated approach to address adaptation challenges. New Delhi, India: Macmilla