Article (Scientific journals)
Resilience and stability of Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows over the last four decades in a Mediterranean lagoon
Garrido, Marie; Lafabrie, Céline; Torre, Franck et al.
2013In Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science
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Keywords :
Cymodocea nodosa; GIS; Urbino lagoon.; disturbance; resilience; spatio-temporal dynamics
Abstract :
[en] Understanding what controls the capacity of a coastal lagoon ecosystem to recover following climatic and anthropogenic perturbations and how these perturbations can alter this capacity is critical to efficient environmental management. The goal of this study was to examine the resilience and stability of Cymodocea nodosa-dominated seagrass meadows in Urbino lagoon (Corsica, Mediterranean Sea) by characterizing the spatio-temporal dynamics of seagrass meadows over a 40-year period and comparing (anthropogenic and climatic) environmental fluctuations. The spatio-temporal evolution of seagrass meadows was investigated using previous maps (1973, 1979, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999) and a 2011 map realized by aerial photography–remote sensing combined with GIS technology. Environmental fluctuation was investigated via physical-chemical parameters (rainfall, water temperature, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen) and human-impact changes (aquaculture, artificial channel). The results showed a severe decline (estimated at -49%) in seagrass meadows between 1973 and 1994 followed by a period of strong recovery (estimated to +42%) between 1994 and 2011. Increased turbidity, induced either by rainfall events, dredging or phytoplankton growth, emerged as the most important driver of the spatio-temporal evolution of Cymodocea nodosa-dominated meadows in Urbino lagoon over the last four decades. Climate events associated to increased turbidity and reduced salinity and temperature could heavily impact seagrass dynamics. This study shows that Urbino lagoon, a system relatively untouched by human impact, shelters seagrass meadows that exhibit high resilience and stability.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Garrido, Marie ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Doct. sc. (océanogr. - Bologne)
Lafabrie, Céline
Torre, Franck
Fernandez, Catherine
Pasqualini, Vanina
Language :
English
Title :
Resilience and stability of Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows over the last four decades in a Mediterranean lagoon
Publication date :
2013
Journal title :
Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science
ISSN :
0272-7714
eISSN :
1096-0015
Publisher :
Academic Press, London, United Kingdom
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 15 July 2013

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