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

Toward the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System

Plastics and other artificial materials pose new risks to the health of the ocean. Anthropogenic debris travels across large distances and is ubiquitous in the water and on shorelines, yet, observations of its sources, composition, pathways, and distributions in the ocean are very sparse and inaccurate. Total amounts of plastics and other man-made debris in the ocean and on the shore, temporal trends in these amounts under exponentially increasing production, as well as degradation processes, vertical fluxes, and time scales are largely unknown. Present ocean circulation models are not able to accurately simulate drift of debris because of its complex hydrodynamics. In this paper we discuss the structure of the future integrated marine debris observing system (IMDOS)thatisrequiredtoprovidelong-termmonitoringofthestateofthisanthropogenic pollution and support operational activities to mitigate impacts on the ecosystem and on the safety of maritime activity. The proposed observing system integrates remote sensing and in situ observations. Also, models are used to optimize the design of the system and, in turn, they will be gradually improved using the products of the system. Remote sensing technologies will provide spatially coherent coverage and consistent surveying time series at local to global scale. Optical sensors, including high-resolution imaging, multi- and hyperspectral, fluorescence, and Raman technologies, as well as SAR will be used to measure different types of debris. They will be implemented in a variety of platforms, from hand-held tools to ship-, buoy-, aircraft-, and satellite-based sensors. A network of in situ observations, including reports from volunteers, citizen scientists and ships of opportunity, will be developed to provide data for calibration/validation of remote sensors and to monitor the spread of plastic pollution and other marine debris. IMDOS will interact with other observing systems monitoring physical, chemical, and biological processes in the ocean and on shorelines as well as the state of the ecosystem, maritime activities and safety, drift of sea ice, etc. The synthesized data will support innovative multi-disciplinary research and serve a diverse community of users

Żegluga na Zalewie Wiślanym – analiza i możliwości częściowego zastąpienia połączeń lądowych

In Poland and Russia, sharing the Vistula Lagoon, there are strong tendencies toward developing tourism, on the local and national scale. Socio-economic development of the Vistula Lagoon subregion can benefit from the ongoing process of improving infrastructure of ports and harbours. The aim of the paper is to analyse transport accessibility of ports and harbours of the Lagoon. Potential partially to replace land transport by ships is investigated. Travel times by land and waterways between ports and harbours of the Vistula Lagoon within national borders and the entire Lagoon basin are compared. On average, water transport requires more time – up to four hours, than land transport – up to three hours. However, advantages of water transport in travels from inner ports, like Frombork, Mamonovo, Nowa Pasłęka, and Ushakovo, to ports on the Vistula Spit are obvious. Due to shorter travel distances, water travel in the Polish part of the Vistula Lagoon is less time-consuming than in the Russian part.W Polsce i Rosji, współgospodarujących na Zalewie Wiślanym, istnieją silne tendencje rozwoju turystyki w skali lokalnej i krajowej. Rozwój społeczno-gospodarczy subregionu Zalewu Wiślanego może skorzystać z trwającego tam procesu poprawy infrastruktury portów i przystani. Celem pracy jest analiza transportowej dostępności portów i przystani Zalewu Wiślanego lądem i wodą oraz zbadanie potencjalnych możliwości częściowego zastąpienia transportu lądowego przez transport wodny. Dokonano oceny czasu podróży lądem i wodą między portami i przystaniami Zalewu Wiślanego – między portami krajowymi, a także między portami różnych krajów. Średnio biorąc, korzystanie z transportu wodnego wymaga nieco więcej czasu w całym regionie, do 4 godzin, niż w przypadku podróży samochodem, do 3 godzin. Przewaga transportu wodnego jest bezsporna w podróży z portów na wewnętrznym brzegu Zalewu jak Frombork, Mamonowo, Nowa Pasłęka, Uszakowo do portów położonych na Mierzei Wiślanej. Ze względu na mniejsze odległości drogą wodną żegluga w polskiej części Zalewu jest bardziej korzystna niż po stronie rosyjskiej