Quantifying and mapping the vulnerability of estuaries to point-source pollution using a multi-metric assessment: The Estuarine Vulnerability Index (EVI) |
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| Institution: | 1. Science Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 5667, St John’s, NL, A1C 5X1, Canada;2. Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada;1. Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia;2. Institute of Green Environmental Research Center, 169, Gaetbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea;3. School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, United Kingdom;4. Division of Life Science, Incheon National University, 119, Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea;5. Lab of Plant Growth Analysis, Ghent University Global Campus, Songomunhwa-Ro, 119, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea;6. Department of Marine Science, Incheon National University, 119, Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea;7. Korea Polar Research Institute, 26, Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea;8. Ghent University Global Campus, Songomunhwa-Ro, 119, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea;1. “Torre Flavia” LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) Station, Protected area Service, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, via Tiburtina, 691, 00159 Rome, Italy;2. Laboratorio di Aerobiologia, Dipartimento di Biologia, Seconda Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy;3. Regione Lazio, Direzione Ambiente e sistemi naturali, via del Pescaccio, 96-00166 Rome, Italy;1. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia;2. Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA |
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| Abstract: | A holistic methodological procedure to assess estuarine vulnerability within a spatio-temporal framework is presented. This approach quantifies the vulnerability of estuaries to point-source pollution considering the physical processes, the ecological features, and the social aspects related to the existing estuarine ecosystem services. Estuarine vulnerability is referred to those characteristics of an estuarine ecosystem that describe its potential to be harmed. Thus, vulnerability is presented as a combination of four parameters: Tidal Zoning (TZ), State of Conservation (SC), Susceptibility (SU), and Stratification (ST). TZ differs between intertidal and subtidal zones. SC is determined as a combination of Naturalness (NA) and Ecological Value (EV). NA is defined as the absence of physical anthropogenic modifications, and EV is described as the presence of singular flora and fauna. While SU is related to the flushing or cleaning capacity, ST accounts for the location of mixed, partially mixed/stratified and stratified areas in the estuary. Subsequently, categories, thresholds and assessment criteria for every parameter, and a composite index to integrate all of them, namely the Estuarine Vulnerability Index (EVI), are presented. EVI has been applied to the Suances Estuary (N Spain) to find out the optimal locations for hypothetical point discharges. The results obtained for the Suances Estuary confirm the suitability of the proposed methodology and its conceptual approach as a comprehensive and practical management tool to quantify and prioritize estuarine areas receiving point-source pollution. |
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| Keywords: | Estuaries Vulnerability Point-source discharges Susceptibility State of Conservation Stratification |
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