Note: This session will be held in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

​

Session chairs:

Maria da Conceição Freitas

Alejandro Cearreta

Anabela Cruces

​

Description:

Estuaries and lagoons are transitional systems with intrinsic specificities but sharing a set of environmental problems derived essentially from strong human pressures and enhanced by rapid changes in sea level. They play a vital role due to their biological resources and the life-supporting services they provide. Association of humans with coastal regions dates back to early civilizations due to abundant and accessible food sources. However, the coastal zone has changed profoundly in recent times, primarily due to growing human populations and increasing reclamation of coastal environments (including estuaries and lagoons) for multiple purposes (agriculture, urbanization, industry). A great part of the Iberian population lives on the coastal areas at densities about 3 times higher than the national averages. Integrated and multidisciplinary research is needed to assess the status and importance of the Iberian estuaries and lagoons, to protect and restore them, and to properly manage these coastal areas.

 

Aims:

This session aims to gather scientists from different disciplines (geology, geophysics, biology, oceanography, archaeology, engineering, …) together with managers and stakeholders interested in share research and experiences related to these challenging and threatened areas of the Atlantic Iberian coasts.