The Use of Stochastic Models as a Management Tool in a Shallow Temperate Estuary of South Europe (Mondego, Portugal). Chapter 5.

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dc.contributor.authorSilva-Santos, Pedro
dc.contributor.authorLopes, Ricardo Jorge
dc.contributor.authorMúria, Tiago
dc.contributor.authorMedeiros, Joana
dc.contributor.authorCardoso, Patricia
dc.contributor.authorDolbeth, Mariana
dc.contributor.authorPardal, Miguel Ângelo
dc.contributor.authorCabral, João Alexandre
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-17T16:08:47Z
dc.date.available2015-03-17T16:08:47Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractA long-term monitoring program has been carried out since the early 1990's in the Mondego estuary, on Portugal's west coast, which is presently under heavy human pressure. Likewise other coastal systems worldwide, the Mondego estuary has been exhibiting clear evidence of eutrophication as a result of nutrient loading from several industries and agricultural run-off, mainly from rice fields. In this shallow warmtemperate estuary, a significant macroalgal proliferation was observed, which represented a clear sign of nutrient enrichment. As a consequence of the eutrophication process, the seagrass meadows (mainly Zostera noltii) almost disappeared, reducing in extent from 15 ha in the early 1980's to 0.02 ha in the mid-1990's. The increase ofmacroalgal biomass and shift of other primary producers resulting from eutrophication had profound effects on estuarine trophic chain. In 1998, some mitigation measures were implemented aiming the recover of the Zostera noltii meadows. The hydraulic regime was improved and nutrient loadings from upstream agricultural areas were minimised due to better management and appropriate sluice handling. Management of coastal and estuarine systems has an increasing need for tools capable to relate environmental variables and system parameters with external factors that affect those systems. In this scope, the need for rapid, standardized and cost-saving assessment methodologies is crucial. This study examined the applicability of stochastic models in predicting the interactions between conceptually isolated key-components, such as primary producers ( macroalgae and seagrass ), some relevant benthic macroinvertebrates, wading birds and changes in local physicochemical conditions. Overall, the simulation results are encouraging since they seem to demonstrate the models reliability in capturing the trophic dynamics of the studied estuary, by predicting the behavioural pattern for the most part of the components selected under very complex and variable environmental scenarios, with a focus on the Zostera noltii meadows recovery after the implementation of important management measures. The ultimate objective is to encourage the discussion about the development and use of stochastic models from which management strategies can be designed to restore coastal ecosystems ftmctions and biological communities that have been damaged by anthropogenic disturbances.pt
dc.identifier.citationSilva-Santos P. et al, 2011pt
dc.identifier.isbn978-1-61761-987-8
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10348/4342
dc.language.isoengpt
dc.peerreviewedyespt
dc.publisherRobert S. Pirog (Ed)pt
dc.relation.ispartofCITAB - Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biológicaspt
dc.rightsrestricted accesspt
dc.subjectStochastic Modelspt
dc.subjectManagement Toolpt
dc.subjectEstuarypt
dc.subjectSouth Europept
dc.subjectMondegopt
dc.subjectPortugalpt
dc.titleThe Use of Stochastic Models as a Management Tool in a Shallow Temperate Estuary of South Europe (Mondego, Portugal). Chapter 5.pt
dc.typebook partpt
degois.publication.firstPage157pt
degois.publication.lastPage176pt
degois.publication.locationNova Science Publishers, Inc., New Yorkpt
degois.publication.titleSeagrass: Ecology, Uses and Threatspt
dspace.entity.typePublicationen
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