scholarly journals Assessment method for the ecological status of Estonian coastal waters based on submerged aquatic vegetation

Author(s):  
K. Torn ◽  
G. Martin
2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 358-373
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thu Hang ◽  
Nguyen Thai Hoa ◽  
Nguyen Van Tu ◽  
Nguyen Ngoc Lam

Seaweed and seagrass form marine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), which plays an essential role in economic development and ecological protection in coastal areas. In this study, PlanetScope (PS )imaging data was combined with in situ samplings to demonstrate their ability to map SAV distribution in An Chan commune, Tuy An district, Phu Yen province, Central Vietnam. Thanks to data pre-processing by  Lyzenga’s algorithm and the masking in PS image allow us to remove partly the signals of spectral noises from sun glint effect as well as other random noises. The analysis and accuracy assessment of  SAV classification by four different techniques: DII, enhanced DII, BRI and enhanced BRI were alternately performed. The overall accuracy in the accuracy assessment of SAV classification by the above techniques were alternately 83.33%, 88.58%, 86.17%, and 92.52% respectively. Kappa coefficients in the accuracy assessment of SAV classification by the above techniques were alternately  0.77, 0.84, 0.81 and 0.90 respectively. The results of SAV classification by enhanced BRI technique provided the best accuracies and will be chosen for assessing the distribution of  Submerge  Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) canopies in An Chan coastal waters from PS satellite image. The seagrass beds in An Chan is spread along the coast as well as lie close to the coast of islets. Whereas, the seaweed meadows lie in deeper waters and in the foot of the reefs in 3–4m deep. The total seagrass area in An Chan region was approximately 12.22 ha, with 10.93 ha seagrasses in My Quang, 1.18 ha in Hon Chua and 0.11 ha in Hon Dua. The total seaweed area in An Chan region was approximately 50.32 ha, with 20.20 ha seaweed meadows in My Quang, 22.8 ha in Hon Chua, 5.72 ha in Hon Dua and a small part of 1.60 ha in underwater small reefs.


Author(s):  
Silvia Huber ◽  
Lars B. Hansen ◽  
Lisbeth T. Nielsen ◽  
Mikkel L. Rasmussen ◽  
Jonas Sølvsteen ◽  
...  

AMBIO ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bent T. Christensen ◽  
Birger F. Pedersen ◽  
Jørgen E. Olesen ◽  
Jørgen Eriksen

AbstractThe EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to protect the ecological status of coastal waters. To establish acceptable boundaries between good and moderate ecological status, the WFD calls for reference conditions practically undisturbed by human impact. For Denmark, the nitrogen (N) concentrations present around year 1900 have been suggested to represent reference conditions. As the N load of coastal waters relates closely to runoff from land, any reduction in load links to agricultural activity. We challenge the current use of historical N balances to establish WFD reference conditions and initiate an alternative approach based on parish-level land-use statistics collected 1896/1900 and N concentrations in root zone percolates from experiments with year 1900-relevant management. This approach may be more widely applicable for landscapes with detailed historic information on agricultural activity. Using this approach, we find an average N concentration in root zone percolates that is close to that of current agriculture. Thus, considering Danish coastal waters to be practically unaffected by human activity around year 1900 remains futile as 75% of the land area was subject to agricultural activity with a substantial potential for N loss to the environment. It appears unlikely that the ecological state of coastal waters around year 1900 may serve as WFD reference condition.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Belmar ◽  
Carles Ibáñez ◽  
Ana Forner ◽  
Nuno Caiola

Designing environmental flows in lowland river sections and estuaries is a challenge for researchers and managers, given their complexity and their importance, both for nature conservation and economy. The Ebro River and its delta belong to a Mediterranean area with marked anthropogenic pressures. This study presents an assessment of the relationships between mean flows (discharges) computed at different time scales and (i) ecological quality based on fish populations in the lower Ebro, (ii) bird populations, and (iii) two shellfish fishery species of socioeconomic importance (prawn, or Penaeus kerathurus, and mantis shrimp, or Squilla mantis). Daily discharge data from 2000 to 2015 were used for analyses. Mean annual discharge was able to explain the variation in fish-based ecological quality, and model performance increased when aquatic vegetation was incorporated. Our results indicate that a good ecological status cannot be reached only through changes on discharge, and that habitat characteristics, such as the coverage of macrophytes, must be taken into account. In addition, among the different bird groups identified in our study area, predators were related to river discharge. This was likely due to its influence on available resources. Finally, prawn and mantis shrimp productivity were influenced up to a certain degree by discharge and physicochemical variables, as inputs from rivers constitute major sources of nutrients in oligotrophic environments such as the Mediterranean Sea. Such outcomes allowed revisiting the environmental flow regimes designed for the study area, which provides information for water management in this or in other similar Mediterranean zones.


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