Stable benthic assemblages in highly dynamic ecosystems: a six-year survey in coastal lagoons of Uruguay, South America

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 3, 2025

Language: Английский

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Water quality for bivalve molluscs and consumer safety: Application of novel and adapted multimetric indices in a coastal lagoon system exposed to wastewater discharges

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 214, P. 117814 - 117814

Published: March 17, 2025

Language: Английский

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Coupling SWAT+ and GOTM-WET models to assess agricultural management practices for mitigating harmful algal blooms in Mar Menor, Spain

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380, P. 125033 - 125033

Published: March 23, 2025

We analysed the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) for mitigating harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Mar Menor lagoon, Spain, by coupling SWAT + catchment and GOTM-WET lake models. compared different BMP scenarios, including "vegetative filter strips", "contour farming", "fertilizer reduction", "crop rotation", their combination reducing high chlorophyll a (Chl-a) events over period 2003-2022. All BMPs significantly reduced nutrient inputs entering which limited formation HABs. The scenario that combined all was most effective controlling HABs, decreasing numbers days with HABs 81 %, Chl-a 50 % during periods This mainly explained crop rotation, fertilizer reduction vegetative strips differentially (e.g. rotation nitrogen 47.4 phosphorus 31.8 %). Contour farming least inputs, thus (1.6 5.8 HAB). results suggest dynamics are controlled interactive effects forms, where orthophosphate plays key role initiating is then maintained concentrations. research underscores relevance effectively driven eutrophication coastal vulnerable aquatic ecosystems like Menor. Coupling SWAT+ models, moved beyond solely simulations allowed incorporation lagoon responses to HAB prevention.

Language: Английский

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Changes in macrozoobenthic assemblages of a coastal lagoon in the context of long-term human pressures and a eutrophication process

Marine Environmental Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 208, P. 107145 - 107145

Published: April 12, 2025

Coastal lagoons have long been perceived as simple, uniform and naturally stressed habitats, but recent research reveals that these ecosystems may be more complex, heterogeneous, structured than anticipated, with an unexpected homeostatic resilience capacity to respond anthropogenic pressures. In addition, they are considered among the highest biological productivity most valuable in terms of socioeconomic importance. However, face numerous challenges almost general lack planning hinders effective protection against pressures like agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, mining, tourism, coastal works, industrial pollution or eutrophication. This study represents a long-term analysis changes composition structure macrozoobenthic assemblages main habitats Mar Menor lagoon, their response severe eutrophic break episode, framed eutrophication process human lagoon has suffering for last 40 years. Four time periods studied, since 1980s, established reference quality benthic communities. 99 taxa (3 Phyla, 1 Class 95 Families) identified. The environmental characteristics assemblage descriptors seven representative hard soft bottom served discuss change undergoing spatiotemporal variability. dynamics communities is result multiple processes interact impacts. mechanisms permitted maintaining ecosystem integrity two decades nutrient input mainly based on channelling primary production towards communities, export excess production. During high less abrupt increases nutrients, responds by increasing populations some species trophic strategies sequence filter-feeders, herbivorous deposit feeders. All this complex scenario spatial temporal heterogeneity conditions assemblages, replacement framework restricted connectivity random colonization from open sea.

Language: Английский

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Characterization and potential causes of a whiting event in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (Mediterranean, SE Spain)

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 978, P. 179391 - 179391

Published: April 16, 2025

The Mar Menor is a hypersaline coastal lagoon in the southeast of Spain, which has experienced several eutrophication episodes recent years. In 2022, an area milky white turbid water appeared covering about 10 % its surface, and it been there ever since. A comprehensive field research was set up to assess origin this possible whiting event, including identification continental inputs, satellite imagery analyses physico-chemical properties column, sediment, planktonic benthic communities. Our observations indicate that turned due precipitation authigenic (formed where currently located) calcite as described events occurring other marine areas. addition very high turbidity, affected showed increased nutrient chlorophyll concentrations compared rest lagoon. altered conditions also communities led complete disappearance previously abundant vegetation (Caulerpa prolifera), thus influencing biogeochemical cycles. Satellite images coupled with sediment core analysis suggest appears have begun unprecedented Menor. enhanced alkalinity semi-enclosed nature lagoon, along inflow may be producing favorable for calcium carbonate supersaturation since rising groundwater levels adjacent aquifer seem intensified discharge, contains HCO3-. This rise likely long-term increase recharge, induced by expansion irrigation practices, combination oscillations rainfall

Language: Английский

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