Journal of Coastal Conservation最新文献

Plastic pollution has become one of the major environmental issues affecting the oceans. Millions of tonnes of plastic pollution enter the oceans every year and much of that ends up on coastlines. Microplastics and mesoplastics contamination is of particular concern, however, despite increased research, much remains unknown about their scale, distribution and impacts around the world. This study sought to determine whether a citizen science approach to coastal microplastic and mesoplastic data collection could address some of these shortcomings. We designed, developed, and tested a novel protocol that would allow volunteers to collect and record reliable data. Using the final protocol, a total of 910 samples have been collected by volunteers from 32 countries over the period of the research. This study showed that by incorporating user-centred design with established scientific methods and adapting the protocol design through user feedback, volunteers can collect data, make meaningful contributions to the gaps in scientific knowledge, benefit personally and increase their understanding of the impacts of microplastics in the environment.

As the most participatory place for coastal tourism, tourists’ comprehensive evaluation of the bathing beach is significant for its planning and management. This paper considers four bathing beaches in the Qingdao Seaside Scenery Spot as study areas. Through on-site inspections and questionnaire surveys, using statistical analysis software to compare the differences in demographic characteristics, time pattern characteristics and activity characteristics, analyzing population needs, and applying the entropy method, this study calculates the weights of the evaluation index series. An Environmental Integration Evaluation Model for the four bathing beaches is thus constructed, and the differences among the four evaluation models and weights are compared and analyzed. In addition, the study proposes design guidelines for suitability, people-orientation, and service offering. The following conclusions are drawn from the results: 1) the needs of users and the planning of the bathing beach influences the tourists choice for the beach; 2) the evaluation indicators with larger weight differences are planning and infrastructure, and the environmental elements with larger weight differences are natural environment, natural risks, vibrant landscapes, and convenience and service facilities; 3) Bathing beaches should enhance the attractiveness of the natural environment, improve the wind-wave safety warning system, enhance the participation of the site, optimize the traffic structure, and improve the service management level of the infrastructure.

Istanbul has to deal with increasing water-based disasters due to global climate change. Current studies commonly look for risk assessment models, but most of them do not offer design strategies for Istanbul. This study aims to embed climate change adaptation into the design of coastal urban areas to increase the resilience of Istanbul. Water-based disasters were examined under three scales and were mapped to assess the hazard in the case study area by using a geographical information system. Later, different design strategies from the selected projects were evaluated and cross-section drawings were developed. As a result, typology sections have been proposed for water-based hazards of different scales, capable of functioning both simultaneously and at separate times. Flexible and adaptable coastal design is a major demand for the future resilience of the city. The proposed study can assist in risk reduction and help decision-makers support further urban design approaches.

The surge in plastic debris poses a critical global concern, driven by escalated consumption, accumulation, and enduring persistence in the environment. This study sought to evaluate the composition and relative abundance of plastic debris on Manora and Sandpit beaches in Karachi, Pakistan. Employing 24 transects, each with a fixed length of 100 m and a variable width of 25 m (corresponding to beach width at the sampling site) during the lowest tides, the sampling sites were determined using GPS coordinates. Plastics exceeding 2.5 cm were meticulously collected, then subjected to thorough cleansing, washing, and drying processes. Subsequently, adhering to the OSPAR Guideline for Monitoring Marine Litter on Beaches (2010), the plastics were sorted, enumerated, and categorized into ten predetermined waste categories. The designated transects carried 57.5 ± 44.17 plastic items 100 m^-1 and weighed 568.37 ± 432.76 g 100 m^-1. Notably, branded plastic items predominated in terms of quantity, typically falling within the size range of 2.5 to 10 cm. The primary source of plastic pollution at these beaches stems from land-based littering, notably from local communities and beach visitors engaged in recreational activities. Contrary to the trend observed in heavily frequented global beaches, the present study unveils relatively low plastic debris on the designated Karachi beaches To safeguard Pakistan’s coastal and marine resources, the study advocates for the adoption of effective waste management practices in the area.

Land use change is a global issue, and different regions of Bangladesh are experiencing land use changes at different scales. The Sundarbans is one of the largest mangrove forests that provide resources to the local communities, act as a sink for CO₂, and protect the coastal zone from natural disasters. Sundarbans is also being affected by land use change and deteriorating rapidly, posing a threat to mangroves and wildlife. This is mainly driven by the unplanned expansion of open land, deforestation, and filling up the water bodies. Evaluating the shoreline food web and the interaction of water and land necessitates quantitatively assessing shoreline movement patterns over time. This study aimed to understand the spatial–temporal changes in shoreline and vegetation from 1981 to 2021 considering the mangrove cover along the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. To fulfill the objectives, the Digital Shoreline Analysis System was used to measure the shoreline change, and the vegetation changes were assessed by using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using Landsat satellite data. The analysis of NDVI revealed that the mangrove stress level is increasing rapidly. In the last 20 years, the high-level vegetation has decreased by 5.01%, the moderate level by 9.61% & the low level by 6.99%. Moreover, the shoreline change analysis found that from 1980 to 1990 the erosion was 143.95 sq. km and the accretion was 110.9 sq. km. The findings of this study may help policymakers make informed decisions, and improve their plans for the sustainable development of the region.

A model simulating the complex marine dynamics along the central-eastern coast of Tunisia is set up aiming at its application to coastal management and conservation studies. The model includes a zoom on the Bay of Monastir in the centre of the domain, a coastal area that suffers from environmental problems exacerbated by the intense economic activities it hosts. Model validation was performed using observational and analysis data. The model closely reproduces the main hydrodynamic characteristics of the water masses in relation to the complex bathymetry of the area and the effects of the large scale circulation, in particular the intrusion of the water masses of Atlantic origin. The seasonal variability and the effects of particular events as heavy precipitation episodes were also studied using the principal component analysis. It is concluded that the high resolution of the model allows a fine analysis of the water movements in particular in and around the Bay of Monastir which acts as a barrier to the water flow on the larger scale. As an application, the particle transport module included in the model was used to test the dispersion of matter along the coasts and offshore. It is shown that the release of particle-charged water when currents are directed offshore can improve the dispersion of particles away from the coasts, thus enabling better environmental conditions for the region.

Painted terrapin is among Malaysia’s most critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List 2018. In Peninsular Malaysia, they can be found in several states, such as Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, and the largest population can be found in Terengganu. We present here the status of nesting beaches and reproductive output (number of nests) of painted terrapins in Terengganu from the year 2010 to 2017, based on data available from the Turtle Information Centre Rantau Abang (Department of Fisheries, Malaysia). Thirteen nesting beaches from four Terengganu districts (Kemaman, Dungun, Setiu, and Besut) contributed to this study, with southern districts (Kemaman and Dungun) having a higher number of nests than northern districts (Setiu and Besut) due to a greater number of nesting beaches available. We also presented beach morphology and sediment characteristics results of five nesting beaches and associated them with the reproductive output of painted terrapins. Results showed no correlation between them except a station close to the Dungun River mouth with an active zone and poorly sorted sediment may be responsible for the low number of nests recorded. The number of nests recorded were also higher at the steep narrow beaches compared to the ones that have medium-large intertidal zones.

Abstract

The ocean, and the life that dwells in it, is the largest carbon sink of our planet, absorbing more than 25 percent of all CO2 emissions, and over 90 percent of the excess heat generated by humans The ocean, and the life that dwells in it, is the largest carbon sink of our planet, absorbing more than 25 percent of all CO2 emissions, and over 90 percent of the excess heat generated by humans. The task today is for the EU to demonstrate leadership in guiding international ocean governance towards more ocean protection and sustainable management, as the European Green Deal seeks to make the EU a model for marine global sustainability. This paper aims to investigate the dynamic impact of global governance on the sustainability of the fisheries industry in 27 European countries by considering the role of fisheries production and global governance factors over the period 1996–2022. This paper will explore the marine and governance challenges that currently threaten the health of the EU Ocean and living species. The findings showed a substantial positive link between public sector quality, economic growth, economic stability, and the dependent variable fisheries sustainability across all quantiles, and this is achieved by adopting a new method, and this is the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) that is in conjunction with fixed factors. Additionally, at the most recent quantiles in the EU27 nations, the impacts of private sector quality and property rights variables on fisheries sustainability were positively significant. However, the effects of individual interest and the sustainability of the fisheries were negatively substantial at the most recent quantiles in the EU27 nations. At the same time, they are having a beneficial, considerable impact on the middle quantiles in EU27 countries, social development, and fisheries sustainability. In particular, the results show that the significant positive effects of economic stability, growth, property rights, public sector quality, and private sector quality on fisheries sustainability are higher in EU13 developing countries than in EU14 developed countries, supporting the growth hypothesis for countries that produce fisheries. Conversely, the findings show that developed EU14 countries have a more significant impact on social development's favorable impact on fisheries sustainability than developing EU13 nations. With the use of effective technology and environmentally responsible investments in the fisheries sector, policymakers may advance marine and ocean governance in the EU14 and EU13 nations and meet sustainable development objectives.

Abstract

Scheduling of irrigation and fertilizer dose is crucial for the sustainable production of cabbage. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of irrigation and fertilizer schedule on cabbage yield during the Rabi season of 2015-16 and 2016-17 on a non-saline coastal soil of eastern India. The treatment comprised three different irrigation frequencies (I₁: eight irrigations, I₂: four irrigations, I₃: three irrigations) and three different levels of fertilizer (F₁: 100% RDF, F₂: 75% RDF, F₃: 50% RDF). The results revealed that all the growth, yield parameters and head yield (37.37 t ha⁻¹) were significantly higher in treatment I₂F₁. The highest yield of 43.03 t ha⁻¹ at 340 mm irrigation water was predicted from the water-yield production functional model. Maximum CWP and IWP (15.07 and 19.08 kg m⁻³, respectively) were recorded in the highest irrigation interval supplemented with 100% RDF (I₃F₁). A maximum fertilizer use efficiency of 309.4 kg kg⁻¹ of nutrient applied was obtained with moderate irrigation coupled with 50% RDF (I₂F₃). Soil depths of 0–30 and 30–60 cm accounted for 87.3% and 12.7% of the total soil moisture extraction, respectively. The highest residual available NPK in soil was found in treatment I₂F₁, while the lowest amount was recorded in I₃F₃. The maximum economic benefit (BCR; benefit-cost ratio) (4.51) was recorded under I₂F₁ treatment, whereas, treatment I₃F₃ observed the minimum BCR value (3.37). We recommend that four-irrigation scheduling complemented with 100% RDF could be the most effective and remunerative for the cabbage growers of non-saline coastal soils of eastern India under limited water supply conditions.

The Egyptian government recently undertook a large-scale national dredging project to improve the properties and productivity of the northern lakes. Manzala Lake has a distinctive ecological system that offers locals a variety of ecological services. This study was occurred using an integrating approach of remote sensing and Markov modeling to determine the land use/cover (LULC) change of Manzala Lake’s components. The physiochemical characteristics of the water were also measured. Six LULC classes namely; water, crops, vegetation, urban areas, bare lands, and, sabkha were detected in and around the lake in three different years (1998, 2010, and 2022). The LULC transition was studied and predicted using the CA-Markov model. The area of surface water, flooded vegetation, sabkha, and urban areas were increased by the year of 2022. The bare lands were declined more comparing with the past periods. The new developments in Manzala Lake made more changes in the LULC of lake ecosystems. Also, it is an indication to exploitation the bare areas around lakes into new urban areas. The obtained results were necessary for the revised management plan. It is essential for managing the lakes’ land resources, and vital to carefully consider the development strategies to determine how these projects will influence on the environment and biodiversity. In addition, to what extent this lake productivity will improve and help in the recovery of Egypt’s national income.