Integrated Maritime Policy in the Mediterranean and Balck Sea in practice

Este trabajo fue presentada en la European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference celebrada en Gijón, entre el 18 y el 21 de mayo de 2010. Joaquín Tintoré participó en la tabla redonda del Workshop "Integrated Maritime Policy in the Mediterranean and Balck Sea in practice". El título de su presentación fue: "The impact of new information infrastructures in understanding, forecasting and managing the changing coastal ocean: SOCIB, an international Coastal Ocean Observing and Forecasting System based in the Balearic Islands"This workshop brings together a set of examples in the fields of research and innovation, environment and coastal management that are currently being developed in the Mediterranean sea-basin and Black Sea in the framework of the EU Communication ‘Towards an Integrated Maritime Policy for better governance in the Mediterranean’. It will allow stakeholders to get acquainted with some of the key projects that promote integration across sectors of activity, shed light on the role of science and innovation for the sustainable management of our seas and coasts and encourage a debate on current and future challenges for effective maritime policy-making

El cambio climático y sus consecuencias para los ecosistemas costeros de las Islas Baleares

El cambio climático es el problema medioambiental más importante del siglo XXI, afectando a todas las actividades humanas, incluídas la provisión de agua y alimento para la humanidad. Este cambio afectará de manera particularmente importante a las áreas insulares, ya que tienen una mayor dependencia de las zonas costeras, las cuales se veran fuertemente afectadas por el cambio climático. Esta dependencia se materializa, en el caso de las Islas Baleares, en una dependencia económica, derivada del papel clave de la industria turística. Esta industria es especialmente sensible al cambio climático, por 10 que las consecuencias para los ecosistemas costeros que se discuten en este capítulo tendran también importantes repercusiones sobre la economia y sociedad baleares. En este capítulo examinamos primero los conceptos de cambio climático y cambio global, revisamos las consecuencias de los cambios que se han producido durante el siglo XX para los ecosistemas costeros y finalmente evaluamos los cambios adicionales que se esperan sobre la base de las predicciones de escenarios posibles para el siglo XXI, y las actuaciones que debieran emprenderse para minimizar las consecuencias negativas del cambio climático. Todo este ejercicio se lleva a cabo bajo una notable carència de datos específicos para las Islas Baleares, 10 que revela de inmediato la necesidad de contar con una base observacional, sujeta a un control de calidad riguroso, capaz de permitir, a traves de su integración en un sistema interdisciplinar de analisis, la deteccion de cambios en los ecosistemas costeros de las Islas Baleares.El canvi climàtic és el problema mediambiental més important del segle XXI, afectant a totes les activitats humanes, incloses la provisió d'aigua i aliment per a la humanitat. Aquest canvi afectarà de forma particularment important a les àees insulars, ja que tenen una major dependència de les zones costeres, que es veuran intensament afectades pel canvi climàtic. Aquesta dependència es materialitza, en el cas de les Illes Balears, en una dependència econòmica, derivada del paper clau de la industria turística. Aquesta industria es especialment sensible al canvi climàtic, pel que les conseqüències per als ecosistemes costaners que se discuteixen en aquest capítol tendran també importants repercusions sobre l'economia i la societat de les Balears. En aquest capítol s'examinen primer els conceptes de canvi climátic i canvi global, revisam les conseqüències dels canvis que s'han produït durant el segle XX per als ecosistemes costaners i finalment avaluam els canvis addicionals que s'esperen sobre la base de les prediccions d'escenaris possibles per al segle XXI, i les actuacions que es tendrien que emprendre per a minimitzar les conseqüències negatives del canvi climàtic. Tot aquest exercici es du a terme sota una notable carència de dades especifiques per a les Illes Balears, el que revela la necessitat de comptar amb una base observacional, subjecta a un control de qualitat rigurós, capaç de permetre, a través de la seva integració en un sistema interdisciplinar d'anàlisi, la detecció de canvis en els ecosistemes costaners de les Illes Balears.The climatic change is the most relevant environmental problem of the XXI century, affecting all human activities, including water and food supplies to mankind. This change will dramatically affect insular areas, since they have a greater dependence on coastal areas that will be strongly affected by the climatic change. In the case of the Balearic Islands, this dependence will be mainly economical, derived from its key role on the tourist industry. This industry is specially sensitive to the climatic change, and therefore aftermath for coastal ecosystems discussed in this chapter will also have important effects on the Balearic economy and society. In this chapter the concepts of climatic and global change will be examined first, consequences of changes suffered by coastal ecosystems through the XX century will be revised, and finally we will evaluate the added changes that can be expected based on the different scenarios predicted for the XXI century, and the actions to undertake to minimize the negative consequences of the climatic change. All this exercise is done under a remarkable lack of specific data for the Balearic Islands, thereby revealing the need to count with an observational basis, subject to a thorough quality control, able to permit, through its integration in an interdisciplinary analysis system, the detection of changes in the coastal ecosystems of the Balearic Islands

On the topographic rectification of ocean fluctuations

7 pages, 3 figures.-- Book TOC available at Google Books: http://books.google.es/books?isbn=1402018258The contents of this book correspond to Sessions VII and VIII of the International Workshop on Instabilities and Nonequilibrium Structures which took place in Viña del Mar, Chile, in December 1997 and December 1999, respectively. Part I is devoted to self-contained courses. Three courses are related to new developments in Bose-Einstein condensation: the first one by Robert Graham studies the classical dynamics of excitations of Bose condensates in anisotropic traps, the second by Marc Etienne Brachet refers to the bifurcations arising in attractive Bose-Einstein condensates and superfluid helium and the third course by André Verbeure is a pedagogical introduction to the subject with special emphasis on first principles and rigorous results. Part I is completed by two courses given by Michel Moreau: the first one on diffusion limited reactions of particles with fluctuating activity and the second on the phase boundary dynamics in a one dimensional nonequilibrium lattice gas. Part II includes a selection of invited seminars at both Workshops.Stochastic fluctuations acting on a model of quasigeostrophic fluid motion on a rotating frame are shown to be rectified giving rise to large-scale noise-sustained average currents. As in other noise rectification phenomena, the effect requires nonlinearity and absence of detailed balance to occur. We apply an analytical coarse-graining procedure to obtain insight into the phenomenon. Relevance of the effect in the context of ocean modeling is briefly discussed.Financial support from FEDER and MCyT (Spain) (IMAGEN REN2001-0802-C02-01/MAR, CONOCE BFM2000-1108) is greatly acknowledged

Coastal Ocean Forecasting: system integration and evaluation

Kourafalou, V.H. et al.ecent advances in Coastal Ocean Forecasting Systems (COFS) are discussed. Emphasis is given to the integration of the observational and modeling components, each developed in the context of monitoring and forecasting in the coastal seas. These integrated systems must be linked to larger scale systems toward seamless data sets, nowcasts and forecasts (from the global ocean, through the continental shelf and to the nearshore regions). Emerging capabilities include: methods to optimize coastal/regional observational networks; and probabilistic approaches to address both science and applications related to COFS. International collaboration is essential to exchange best practices, achieve common frameworks and establish standards.V. Kourafalou acknowledges support from NOAA (NA13OAR4830224 and NA11NOS4780045). M. Herzfeld is thankful to the eReefs marine modeling team and partners (CSIRO: Commonwealth Industrial and Scientific Research Organization; SIEF: Science and Industry Endowment Fund; AIMS: Australian Institute of Marine Science). The system CGOFS_ECS (material contributed by X. Zhu) is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (contract #41222038). E. V. Stanev acknowledges the input from COSYNA, which is supported by the Helmholtz Association of German Research CentersPeer Reviewe

Subsurface circulation and mesoscale variability in the Algerian subbasin from altimeter-derived eddy trajectories

Algerian eddies are the strongest and largest propagating mesoscale structures in the Western Mediterranean Sea. They have a large influence on the mean circulation, water masses and biological processes. Over 20 years of satellite altimeter data have been analyzed to characterize the propagation of these eddies using automatic detection methods and cross-correlation analysis. We found that, on average, Algerian eddy trajectories form two subbasin scale anticlockwise gyres that coincide with the two Algerian gyres which were described in the literature as the barotropic circulation in the area. This result suggests that altimetry sea surface observations can provide information on subsurface currents and their variability through the study of the propagation of deep mesoscale eddies in semienclosed seas. The analysis of eddy sea level anomalies along the mean pathways reveals three preferred areas of formation. Eddies are usually formed at a specific time of the year in these areas, with a strong interannual variability over the last 20 years.This work was supported by LaCaixa fundation through the MedClic project. The SLA data were generated by DUACS and distributed by AVISO (ftp://ftp.aviso.oceanobs.com).Peer Reviewe

Origen y abundancia de residuos en playas de las Islas Baleares

The abundance, nature and possible sources of litter on 32 beaches on the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea) were investigated in 2005. Mean summer abundances in the Balearics reached approximately 36 items m-1, with a corresponding weight of 32±25 g m-1, which is comparable to the results of other studies in the Mediterranean. Multivariate analyses (principal component analysis and redundancy analysis) confirmed strong similarities between islands and a statistically significant seasonal evolution of litter composition and abundance. In summer (the high tourist season), debris contamination expressed as item abundance was double that in the low season and showed a heterogeneous nature associated with beach use. Cigarette butts were the most abundant item, accounting for up to 46% of the objects observed in the high tourist season. In contrast, plastics related to personal hygiene/medical items were predominant in wintertime (67%) and natural wood was the most important debris by weight (75%). In both seasons, litter characteristics suggested a strong relationship with local land-based origins. While beach users were the main source of summer debris, low tourist season litter was primarily attributed to drainage and outfall systems.En un estudio realizado durante el año 2005 se analizó la abundancia, naturaleza y posibles orígenes de los residuos presentes en 32 playas de las Islas Baleares (mar Mediterráneo). La abundancia media de objetos en verano fue de aproximadamente 36 objetos por metro lineal, con un peso correspondiente de 32±25 g por metro lineal, lo cual es comparable a otros estudios en el Mediterráneo. El estudio mediante análisis multivariantes (Análisis de Componentes Principales y Análisis de Redundancia) confirma importantes similitudes entre islas, además de una evolución estacional estadísticamente significante en la composición y abundancia de los residuos. La contaminación durante el verano, expresada en términos de abundancia de objetos en la playa, duplica el valor registrado en invierno. Además, los objetos hallados durante esta época son de naturaleza heterogénea lo que se asocia con los vertidos realizados por los usuarios de las playas. De lo recogido en verano, las colillas son el residuo más abundante, alcanzando un 46% de los objetos observados. Por el contrario, los plásticos, y en particular los relacionados con el aseo personal y las medicinas son el tipo de objeto más común en invierno (67%) y las maderas representan el tipo de residuo más abundante en cuanto a peso (75%). En ambas estaciones, los residuos encontrados muestran una estrecha relación con fuentes de tipo local; mientras que los usuarios de las playas son el mayor foco de residuos en el verano, en invierno éstos se asocian con los sistemas de alcantarillado y emisario

Ocean color response to wind forcing in the Alboran Sea: A new forecasting method

This work proposes a new method to reconstruct and forecast surface Chlorophyll (Chl) from remotely sensed (SeaWiFS) data in the Alboran Sea, based on the correlation between zonal wind velocities and satellite Chl concentrations. First, the spatial and temporal variability of Chl and zonal wind have been characterized using standard statistics. Second, the annual cycle and trends are removed from the original time series and the residuals submitted to an EOF computation scheme. Then, the correlations between the amplitudes of the first temporal modes of Chl-wind couple have been quantified. Using the most highly correlated pair (Chl-zonal wind, with r. =. 0.63), a simple linear relationship is proposed to reconstruct and forecast the Chl field. This forecasting method is more efficient than persistence for forecast horizons longer than 100. days, with a mean correlation between original and predicted field of 0.73 as compared to 0.5 for persistence for all the year round. In partic\ular, this new method gives a 0.95 mean correlation for periods from 100 to 290. days (while persistence gives 0.5). However, for a constant 8-days prediction horizon the persistence performs marginally better than the proposed method (0.79 vs. 0.68), giving some insight into the temporal scales of the features studied. These results may have significant implications for both short-term operational applications and seasonal forecasts. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.We acknowledge the support of SESAME Integrated Project (Contract number 036949).Peer Reviewe

Surface circulation in the Alborn Sea (western Mediterranean) inferred from remotely sensed data

In this study, for the first time at regional scale, the combined use of remote sensing data (altimetry and sea surface temperature records) provides a description of the persistent, recurrent and transient circulation regimes of the Alborn Sea circulation. The analysis of 936 altimeter-derived weekly absolute dynamic topography (ADT) and surface geostrophic current maps for 1993-2010 reveals the presence of a dominant annual signal and of two interannual modes of variability. The winter-spring phase is characterized by two stable gyral scale features; the well-known Western Anticyclonic Gyre within the western area and the Central Cyclonic Gyre, a new structure not identified in former studies, occupying the central and eastern parts of the Alborn Sea. A double anticyclonic gyre regime constitutes the stable circulation system of the summer-autumn period when the Eastern Anticyclonic Gyre is formed within the eastern Alborn basin. In this case, the Central Cyclonic Gyre is narrower and located closer to the Western Anticyclonic Gyre. They represent two stable states of the system, robust at the decadal time scale, whereas transient changes reflect perturbations on these stable states and are mainly observed at an interannual scale. The circulation variability and the gyral features development may be dynamically linked to the corresponding changes of the Gibraltar transport rates. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.Partial support from EU funded projects MyOcean and PERSEUS is gratefully acknowledgedPeer Reviewe

Modelling the deep-chlorophyll maximum: A coupled physical-biological approach

The Deep Chlorophyll Maximum (DCM) is simulated in two oligotrophic regions (SW Sargasso Sea and NW Mediterranean) using a physical/biological model that couples an upper ocean turbulent model to a nutrient/phytoplankton model. The biological model considers two types of primary producers, heterotrophs and atmospheric in addition to internal nitrate inputs. Model results appear to adequately reproduce the DCM structure in those regions. The DCM depth and magnitude is mainly determined by the vertical eddy diffusion and light extinction. The grazing parameters mainly affect the intensity of the DCM. This suggest the DCM is primarily the result of a balance between upward nutrient flux and light field characteristics. Consequently, the regenerated production only plays a secondary role