Non-targeted analysis by DLLME-GC-MS for the monitoring of pollutants in the Mar Menor lagoon

The Mar Menor lagoon has been subjected to high anthropogenic pressures. Among them, in the early 1970s, dredging and enlargement of one of the inlets to make a navigable channel has had strong consequences on the hydrology, ecology, and fisheries of the lagoon. In recent years, changes in agricultural practices have induced an eutrophication process, leading to loss of water quality. As a solution, some management proposals have included dredging of the inlets in order to increase the water renewal. However, these proposals did not take into account the negative effects of previous experiences nor the consequences on environmental conditions of the lagoon and therefore on biological processes. The purpose of this work is to assess the effect that proposed mitigation measures, could have on the hydrodynamic conditions and discuss its possible ecological consequences. A three-dimensional (3D) numerical model has been used to simulate the lagoon under different dredging scenarios, covering different dredging depths and extensions. The simulated current fields and fluxes through the inlets, as well as water renewal times have been compared for the different scenarios. It is found that some of the considered scenarios take the system beyond the threshold of sustainability, where the modified current dynamics could affect sediment transport, beach dynamics and fishing capacities in a significant way. Water exchange with the Mediterranean is also strongly affected, with consequences for species connectivity, and a homogenization of the water renewal times that could lead to loss of ecosystem heterogeneity and structural complexity. The study demonstrates the utility of numerical models as effective tools for the management of coastal areas.

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Abundance, morphology and chemical composition of microplastics in sand and sediments from a protected coastal area: The Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain)

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2019.06.024 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 252 ◽

pp. 1357-1366 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Javier Bayo ◽

Dolores Rojo ◽

Sonia Olmos

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Coastal Area ◽

Se Spain ◽

Mar Menor ◽

Mar Menor Lagoon

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Applicability of the trophic index TRIX in two transitional ecosystems: the Mar Menor lagoon (Spain) and the Mondego estuary (Portugal)

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsn123 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 65 (8) ◽

pp. 1442-1448 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Fuensanta Salas ◽

Heliana Teixeira ◽

Concepción Marcos ◽

João Carlos Marques ◽

Angel Pérez-Ruzafa

Keyword(s):

Coastal Waters ◽

Trophic State ◽

Ecological Indicators ◽

Classification Criteria ◽

Trophic Index ◽

Mar Menor ◽

Mondego Estuary ◽

Mar Menor Lagoon ◽

Main Attribute ◽

Southeast Spain

Abstract Salas, F., Teixeira, H., Marcos, C., Marques, J. C., and Pérez-Ruzafa, A. 2008. Applicability of the trophic index TRIX in two transitional ecosystems: the Mar Menor lagoon (Spain) and the Mondego estuary (Portugal). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1442–1448. Ecological indicators are commonly used to provide synoptic information about the state of ecosystems. Their main attribute is that they combine a range of environmental factors in a single value, which is thought useful for management and for making ecological-quality concepts easily understandable by the general public. In some European countries, the trophic state of marine and coastal waters is characterized using the trophic index TRIX. We used TRIX in the studies of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (southeast Spain) and the Mondego estuary (northwest Portugal). These areas are under environmental stress, and eutrophication processes have been monitored in recent years. The results demonstrate the inefficacy of TRIX as a trustworthy tool to classify eutrophication status in estuarine waters. The causes of the malfunction of the index are discussed, and we suggest that, if the index is to be applied over wide areas, the classification criteria will have to be adapted to specific environments.

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