Effects of Groundwater Inputs to the Hydraulic Circulation, Water Residence Time, and Salinity in a Moroccan Atlantic Lagoon

The finite element model SHYFEM was used to study the hydrodynamics and variability of water level, salinity, temperature, and water residence time (WRT) in the Oualidia lagoon located on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. The lagoon hosts a RAMSAR convention-protected area and also offers a set of valuable ecosystem services providing the source of income for the local population. To assess the effects of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) inputs in the study area, four simulations were set up using different SGD inputs estimates in addition to tidal forcing, bathymetry, meteorological data including solar radiation, rain, and wind, in addition to boundary conditions in the Atlantic such as salinity, water level, and water temperature. The model was calibrated and validated using hydrodynamic measurements of previous studies in 2012 and 2013. The final results from the model are in good agreement with measured data. The simulation with SGD input ~0.05 m3 s−1 produced salinity values closest to the observed ones. Calculated spatial distribution of WRT, temperature, and salinity reduced to coordinates in two PCA axes is consistent with lagoon zones developed earlier using the benthic macroinvertebrate distribution. The calculated spatial distribution of WRT allowed us to evaluate the placement of oyster aquaculture farms and small-scale fisheries in relation to water quality issues existing in the lagoon.

An Overview of the Determination of Biodiversity of Wetlands

Wetland ecosystems support rich and unique biodiversity. Biodiversity of a given ecosystem in general and wetlands in particular provide important insights to the ecological health of an area. The Ramsar Convention 1971 identified nine criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance. Out of the nine criteria, eight are linked to biodiversity of which three are based on sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity, two are specific for water birds, two are specific for fish, and one criterion for other taxa. Hence, determination of biodiversity of wetlands is of utmost importance. In order to understand that birds, fishes, amphibians, odonates, mammals, and aquatic plants were particularly selected as indicators of wetland biodiversity, the chapter discusses the different methodologies about determination of each of these taxa under different criteria as mentioned above. These methodologies will help various stakeholders in appropriate determination of biodiversity of wetlands of a particular area.

Status and Threats of Wetland Change in Land Use Pattern and Planning

Wetland-related studies documented the loss of native species diversity and promotion of the biotic homogenization due to wetland loss. Excessive withdrawals of water from wetlands for residential, agricultural, or industrial use are responsible for wetland degradation. Constructions of dams impedes water flow and replenishment of wetlands, and it also creates a hazard to aquatic living organisms. Climate change causing some wetlands to disappear under rising sea levels, while others are severely impacted by changing climatic conditions, including drought. So necessary steps such as increase wetlands and prevention of the illegal swamping of wetlands, etc. should be taken for conserving the wetland biodiversity from the threatening of unplanned urbanization, purifying the environment and mainlining the sustainable development. Though the Ramsar Convention policy exists to persevere wetlands and achieve sustainable development throughout the world, mass consciousness, greater participation of local people, use of indigenous knowledge in the management strategies are needed to protect wetlands.

The emerging green destination: An empirical study of Phatthalung’s value-based identity

Regarding as a unique natural wetland where biogeographic region is under Ramsar convention, Phatthalung is also well-known for its iconic natural landmarks and geographical origin. However, the city itself are deemed to be either a short-visit destination or a secondary tourism destination amongst visitors. The aim of this paper is to explore a strategy of green branding on an emerging destination and to identify a value-based identity as a medium of persuasive communication tool. The paper establishes the conceptualization by a thorough case study analysis of Phatthalung’s destination brand from a geographic perspective to deep-rooted characteristic of local people. In order to critically find out the factors which have an effect on eco-tourism driven, the correlation between the influence of place equity and sense-of-place is analytically reviewed. Thus, it is clear that strategic place branding and destination branding play an important role in multidimensional meaning towards Phatthalung’s identity.

50 Years on, w(h)ither the Ramsar convention? A case of institutional drift

Wetlands have declined in area and quality at an accelerating pace in the last 50 years. Yet, the last 50 years is when international attention has been focussed on wetlands through the Ramsar Convention. An analysis of how the convention has evolved over the past 50 years suggests it has been drifting away from its original mandate in a maladaptive manner, and this drift is a problem for achieving its original objectives. A review of the strategic plans of the convention revealed two key conditions for institutional drifting and the associated lack of success. The first condition lies in its unique situation as a non-UN convention, which reduces the convention’s visibility and interactivity with other biodiversity-related conventions, agencies, or programmes. The second condition is an increasing number of conventions dealing with biodiversity issues, all forcing the Ramsar Convention to seek different roles in an increasingly competitive institutional landscape. A more effective future for the convention arguably lies in reasserting its original mandate, but with cognisance of the changed environmental pressures of the twenty-first century. While this would narrow its increasingly broad focus, such a reorientation will allow wetlands and waterfowl to start a track to recovery, backed by active and focused Contracting Parties in a renewed international convention on wetland conservation, management, and sustainable use.

Analysis of the Temporal Changes of Inland Ramsar Sites in Turkey Using Google Earth Engine

Ramsar Convention (RC) is the first of modern intergovernmental agreement on the conscious use and conservation of natural resources. It provides a platform for contracting parties working together to develop the best available data, advice, and policy recommendations to increase awareness of the benefits of wetlands in nature and society. Turkey became a party of the RC in 1994, and in the years 1994 to 2013, 14 wetlands that reached the Ramsar criteria were recognized as Ramsar sites (RS). With this study, all inland RS in Turkey from 1985 to 2020 were examined, and changes in the water surface areas were evaluated on the GEE cloud computing platform using Landsat satellite images and the NDWI index. The closest meteorological station data to each RS were evaluated and associated with the surface area changes. The reasons for the changes in these areas, besides the meteorological effects, have been scrutinized using management plans and publications. As a result, inland wetlands decreased at different rates from 1985 to 2020, with a total loss of 31.38% and 21571.0 ha for the spring months. Since the designation dates of RS, the total amount of water surface area reduction was 27.35 %, constituting 17,758.90 ha.