Mangroves are intertidal ecosystems found along the tropical and subtropical coastlines.<p>Though globally recognised as ecosystems of ecological, biological and economical<p>remarkable importance, these ecotone formations are characterised by a continuously<p>increasing anthropization. However, very little studies have been focused on the impact of<p>various anthropogenic activities on the mangrove vegetation structure.<p>We have firstly (a) assessed the commercial and subsistence utilization of mangrove<p>wood products in the Littoral region (Cameroon estuary). Then, we have confronted the<p>subsistence usages of mangrove wood products in the Southern region (close to the mouth of<p>the Nyong River and Mpalla village (Kribi)) in comparison with the Littoral region. By doing,<p>we have compared the local residents‟ perceptions on environmental changes that occurred<p>within the two regional mangrove forests. Also, we have (c) studied the structural dynamic of<p>mangrove vegetation neighbouring the Douala city (Cameroon). Always in the vicinity of this<p>town, we have (d) reconstructed the original structure of largely disturbed mangrove forests.<p>Moreover, we have (e) map the mangrove structure in a non peri-urban setting located within<p>the Cameroon estuary. Here, we have finally (f) analysed the spatial distribution of a black<p>mangrove namely Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn.<p>Our results underlined an excessive utilization of mangrove wood products in the<p>Cameroon estuary. We have showed that the frequency of mangrove harvesting was relatively<p>fewer in Kribi (Mpalla) and the mouth of the Nyong River. The local people inhabiting these<p>two localities perceived mangroves as less degraded areas. In contrast, those established<p>within the Cameroon estuary stated that mangroves were largely disturbed. When combining<p>the local people statements with our field observations, we recorded that it a complex mix of<p>causes (e.i. clear-felled corridors, agriculture, sand and gravel extraction, over-harvesting and<p>anarchic urbanization) that have led to the largely degradation (vegetation and sediment) of<p>the peri-urban mangroves in Cameroon. A diachronic analysis (1974, 2003, 2009) of their<p>coverage revealed that over the 35-year period, mangrove had decreases in cover of 53.16%<p>around Douala. We have also showed that in the peri-urban settings, wood harvesting was<p>commonly applied on the structurally more complex (highly dense stands neighbouring the<p>habitations) mangrove forests (Mboussa Essengue) and, in a lesser extent, on the structurally<p>more developed mangrove stands (fewer dense stands faraway from Douala). On the other<p>hand, the mapping analysis of the non peri-urban mangroves (distant from Douala) has<p>revealed that the structure of these intertidal forests was relatively less impacted. In the<p>Cameroon estuary, we also showed that A. germinans trees were randomly distributed on<p>almost one-half of the sampling plots and clumped at some scales on the remaining plots.<p>Accordingly, this species might play a significant role in the recovery process of artificial<p>gaps found in the non peri-urban areas.<p>The multi-disciplinary approach employed in this study has allowed a better<p>understanding of the direct and indirect impacts of anthropogenic activities on the mangrove<p>vegetation structure in Cameroon. These results constitute a fundamental data base quite<p>useful for the multi-temporal monitoring of these littoral ecosystems perpetually disturbed.<p>The application of similar approach in other mangroves facing high anthropogenic pressures<p>appears important. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

To assess the potential influence of coastal development on the quality of estuarine habitat for nekton, we characterized land use and the intensity of land development surrounding small tidal tributaries of Tampa Bay. Based on this characterization, we classified tributaries as undeveloped, industrial, urban or man-made (i.e., mosquito-control ditches). Over one-third (37%) of tributaries were determined to be heavily developed, while fewer than one-third (28%) remain relatively undeveloped. We then examined the nekton community from eleven tributaries in watersheds representing the defined land-use classes. Whereas mean nekton density and species richness were both independent of land use, nekton-community structure differed between non-urban (i.e., undeveloped, industrial, ditches) and urban tributaries. In urban tributaries, the community was skewed towards high densities of poeciliid fishes while typically dominant estuarine taxa were in low abundance or nearly absent. Densities of economically important taxa in urban creeks were also only half that observed in most non-urban creeks, but were similar to those observed in mosquito ditches. Furthermore, six of nine common taxa were found to be in relatively poor condition (6-22% smaller in mass), or were rarely collected, in urban creeks. Reproductive output was reduced for both sailfin mollies (i.e., fecundity) and grass shrimp (i.e., very low densities and few ovigerous females) in urban tributaries. Canonical correspondence analysis differentiated non-urban and urban tributaries based on greater impervious surface, less natural mangrove shoreline, higher frequency of hypoxia and lower, more variable salinities in urban tributaries. These characteristics explained 48% of the variation in nekton data, including the high densities of poeciliid fishes, greater energy reserves in sailfin mollies and low densities of several common nekton and economically important taxa from urban creeks. Our results suggest that urban development in coastal areas has the potential to alter the quality of habitat for nekton in small tidal tributaries as reflected by variation in nekton metrics between urban and non-urban tributaries. To further evaluate the link between coastal development fish-habitat quality, we examined the relationship between landscape development intensity (LDI) and the body condition of juvenile sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna), a dominant forage fish in tidal tributaries. Morphometric condition, measured as least-square mean dry weight, did not differ statistically among tributaries (P = 0.85). In contrast, biochemical condition, measured as the concentration of triacylglycerol (TAG), the predominant storage lipid, was significantly different among tributaries (P < 0.0001). LDI explained less of the observed variation in TAG content (R2 = 0.18, P = 0.11) than long-term mean salinity (R2 = 0.81, P < 0.0001), which also tended to be lower in more intensively developed watersheds. We hypothesized that urban land use, characterized by considerably greater impervious surface than undeveloped lands, contributed to altered watershed hydrology, high freshwater runoff and low salinities in urbanized creeks. Together these factors appear to foster conditions conducive to lower energetic cost of osmoregulation in urban creeks, and development of a benthic microalgal community of greater nutritional value than the food resources available in non-urban tributaries. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to relate urbanization to the condition of resident fishes. While not directly related to coastal urbanization, the level of predation risk within a habitat is a direct measure of habitat quality that could be reflected by the reproductive strategy of potential prey. To evaluate the use of reproductive metrics of fish-habitat quality, we examined reproduction in P. latipinna from eleven tidal tributaries. Our results revealed a gradient along which females produced many, small offspring at one extreme (mean=42 offspring, 17 mg each) and fewer, larger offspring at the other (24 offspring, 29 mg each). Reproductive allotment ranged from 14.9 - 21.5% maternal biomass. Based on our observation of divergent reproductive strategies, we experimentally tested the null hypothesis of no difference in predation risk among tributaries using a novel quantitative approach to estimate predation. We predicted greater risk in tributaries where mollies produced many, small offspring. Tethering confirmed increasing risk from 16.2 ± 5.3% SE to 54.7 ± 3.6% fish lost h-1 across sites in agreement with observed variation in reproduction. Predation was unexpectedly higher than predicted at one of the four sites suggesting that additional factors (e.g., food) had influenced reproduction there. Our results provide insight into the well-studied concept of predator-mediated variation in prey reproduction by quantitatively demonstrating differential risk for mollies exhibiting divergent reproductive strategies. While the observed range of variation in reproductive traits was consistent with previous studies reporting strong predator effects, higher than expected predation in one case may suggest that the prey response does not follow a continuous trajectory of incremental change with increasing predation risk, but may be better defined as a threshold beyond which a significant shift in reproductive strategy occurs.

Above-ground biomass was allometrically estimated to quantify the amount of mangrove species in selected quadrats of Xuan Thuy National Park. Physicochemical properties of surrounding waters and soils were measured and treated stochastically by correlational analysis with estimated biomass values. Correlation results suggested that qualities of surrounding waters and soils are not the principal inhibitors of mangrove growth in Xuan Thuy. The available historical records infer that the main factor of mangrove loss in the past lay on land reclamation for shrimp aquaculture. In addition, results of correlation analysis showed geographical coincidence of mangrove fragmentation with influence area of water channeling used for aquaculture activities. Furthermore, the distribution of anomalous values of metals concentration was corresponding with anthropological activities associated to clam aquaculture and sand extraction. Based on the aforementioned analysis and the information on anthropological activities in the buffer zone of Xuan Thuy, were provided basic information on inherent environmental stressors of ecosystems in Xuan Thuy National Park. / Sinh khối trên mặt đất đã được ước tính theo phương pháp tương quan sinh trưởng để đưa ra số lượng các loài đước trong các mẫu vuông được lựa chọn tại Vườn quốc gia Xuân Thủy. Các đặc tính hóa-lí của những vùng nước và đất xung quanh đã được đo đạc và xử lí ngẫu nhiên bằng cách phân tích tương quan với những giá trị sinh khối ước tính. Kết quả tương quan cho thấy rằng chất lượng nước và đất xung quanh không phải là những thước đo chính cho tốc độ phát triển cây đước ở Xuân Thủy. Những ghi chép cũ đã kết luận rằng việc sử dụng đất để nuôi tôm là tác nhân chính dẫn tới suy giảm loài đước trong quá khứ. Bên cạnh đó, kết quả phân tích tương quan cho thấy sựtrùng hợp về mặt địa lý giữa sự phân mảnh của loài đước và những vùng nước bị ảnh hưởng do việc nuôi trồng thủy sản. Hơn nữa, sự phân bố bất thường của các giá trị đo mức độ tập trung kim loại cũng tương ứng với các hoạt động nuôi trồng thủy sản và khai thác cát của con người. Những phân tích nêu trên và nghiên cứu về hoạt động của con người tại vùng đệm của Xuân Thủy sẽ cung cấp những thông tin cơ bản về những mối đe dọa môi trường hệ sinh thái tại Vườn Quốc Gia Xuân Thủy.

Populations of black mangroves (Avicennia sp.) are hypothesized to expand their latitudinal range with global climate change in the 21st century, induced by a reduction in the frequency and severity of coastal freezes, which are known to limit mangrove colony extent and individual tree size, as well as an overall warmer climate. The Gulf of Mexico is located at the northward limit of black mangrove habitat and is therefore a prime candidate for population expansion with global warming. This expansion may come at the expense of existing Gulf coastal saline wetlands that are dominantly Spartina spp. marsh grasses. The present study was conducted to focus, not on the extent to date of this replacement, but to examine the potential implications of a marsh to mangrove transition in Gulf wetlands, specifically 1) resistance to accelerating eustatic sea level rise (ESLR) rates, 2) wetland resistance to wave attack in large storms (increased cyclonic storm frequency/intensity is predicted with future climate warming), and 3) organic carbon sequestration and wetland soil geochemistry. Field sites of adjacent and intergrown Avicennia mangrove and Spartina marsh populations in similar geomorphological setting were selected in back-barrier areas near Port Aransas and Galveston, TX (two sites each) as part of a larger-scale planned study of the full latitudinal transition of the western Gulf funded by the National Institute for Climate Change Research (U.S. Department of Energy). The reconnaissance conducted for site surveys show that black mangrove populations in this part of Texas are clustered near inlet areas, suggesting seed transport vectors are a major control on colony establishment, and likely, on the potential rapidity of wetland habitat replacement. Resistance to ESLR was tested by 1) creating high-accuracy (±1 cm) elevation maps over ~5,000 m² areas of adjacent mangrove and marsh areas, and 2) measuring mineral and organic matter accumulation rates (Pb/Cs radiotracer geochronology, loss on ignition) from auger cores. Elevation surveys in Port Aransas indicate mangrove vegetated areas are 4 cm higher in elevation than surrounding marsh on an average regional scale, and 1 to 2 cm higher at the individual mangrove scale: at the Galveston sites, any trend is complicated by the area's pre-existing geomorphology and the relative youth of the mangrove colonies. ¹³⁷Cs accumulation rates and loss on ignition data indicate that mineral trapping is 4.1 times higher and sediment organics are 1.7 times lower in mangroves at Port Aransas; no such definable trends exist at the Galveston sites or in calculated ²¹⁰Pb sediment accumulation rates. This additional mineral particle trapping in mangroves does not differ in grain size character from marsh mineral accumulation. Elevation change may also be effected by root volume displacement: live root weight measurements in the rooted horizon (~0 to 20 cm depth) are consistently higher in mangrove cores from Port Aransas and the site at the west end of Galveston Island. Port Aransas porosities are lower in mangrove rooted horizons, with a corresponding increase in sediment strength (measured by shear vane in the cores), suggesting mangrove intervals may be more resistant to wave-induced erosion during storm events. Port Aransas mangroves exhibit higher pore water redox potentials and salinities over entire core depths and depressed pH over rooted intervals, suggesting a distinct diagenetic environment exists relative to marsh sites. Increased salinities and higher redox potentials may be a function of the rooting network, which introduces oxygen into the sediment and focuses evapo-transpiration and salt exclusion within this zone: this may prove advantageous when competing with marsh grasses by elevating salinities to levels that are toxic for Spartina. Trends observed in the more mature systems of Port Aransas are generally absent at the Galveston sites, suggesting the youth and physically shorter stature of these systems means they have not yet established a unique sediment signature. / text

Submitted by Aelson Maciera (aelsoncm@terra.com.br) on 2017-04-24T18:12:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMSS.pdf: 5340563 bytes, checksum: 40c1f47af544fcd40d8cec7f5b6483aa (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-04-25T18:13:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMSS.pdf: 5340563 bytes, checksum: 40c1f47af544fcd40d8cec7f5b6483aa (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-04-25T18:13:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMSS.pdf: 5340563 bytes, checksum: 40c1f47af544fcd40d8cec7f5b6483aa (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-25T18:24:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMSS.pdf: 5340563 bytes, checksum: 40c1f47af544fcd40d8cec7f5b6483aa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Mangroves are ecological systems at the interface between marine and terrestrial regions and subjected to natural disturbances of the stressful environment and anthropogenic actions due to urban development. The mangrove of the Rio Sergipe suffers high environmental pressure because this river, in addition to bathe the capital of the State of Sergipe and other cities in the region, is surrounded by agricultural areas and aquaculture tanks. The objective of this work was to analyze the state of conservation of this mangrove considering the structure of the vegetation, human interference by the presence and quantification of trash and burrows of crabs, regeneration capacity through the quantification of individuals regenerating and elaboration of environmental vulnerability map. The results obtained show that the mangrove vegetation of Rio Sergipe presents, for the most part, good condition considering their structure and composition. Aspects such as the presence and number of burrows of crabs give indications of anthropogenic interference. Environmental vulnerability analysis demonstrated a high degree of susceptibility considering the set of information about the type, use and occupation of the soil, geology, geomorphology and climate. Considering the set of information in this paper can be considered that the mangrove forest of Rio Sergipe is in good condition, but is susceptible to anthropogenic interference of various natures because of their degree of vulnerability and the occupation and human exploration. So it is recommended if intense surveillance and awareness of the importance of the mangrove forest. / Os manguezais são sistemas ecológicos na interface entre regiões marinhas e terrestres e por isto submetidos a interferências naturais do ambiente estressantes e de ações antrópicas devido ao alto urbanístico. O manguezal do Rio Sergipe sofre grande pressão ambiental pois este rio, além de banhar a capital do Estado de Sergipe e de outras cidades da região, é rodeado por áreas agrícolas e de tanques de aquicultura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o estado de conservação deste manguezal considerando a estrutura da vegetação, interferências antrópicas pela presença de resíduos sólidos e quantificação de tocas de caranguejos, capacidade de regeneração através da quantificação de indivíduos regenerantes e elaboração de mapa de vulnerabilidade ambiental. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam que a vegetação do manguezal do Rio Sergipe apresenta, na sua maior parte, bom estado de conservação considerando sua estrutura e composição, corte e morte de árvores. Aspectos como presença de resíduos sólidos e número de tocas de caranguejos dão indicações de interferências antrópicas. A análise de vulnerabilidade ambiental demonstrou um alto grau de suscetibilidade considerando o conjunto de informações sobre o tipo, uso e ocupação do solo, a geologia, a geomorfologia e o clima. Considerando o conjunto de informações neste trabalho pode-se considerar que o manguezal do Rio Sergipe está em bom estado de conservação, mas é suscetível a interferências antrópicas de diversas naturezas devido seu grau de vulnerabilidade e a ocupação e exploração humana. Por isso recomenda-se uma fiscalização intensa e conscientização da importância do manguezal.

Brackish water ecosystems such as mangroves are among the most biodiverse in the world. The mangroves located in the Gulf of California, Mexico are not an exception. This sea has been studied several times due to its biodiverse coastal ecosystems, one of these sites being “Marismas Nacionales” or National Marshes in the southeast area of the Gulf, which was the focus of the thesis. Local fishing communities have been present in the area since pre-Hispanic times and the area became recognized for their abundant oyster, shrimp, and finfish yields during the XX century. Overexploitation of fisheries in Mexico and national financial crisis opened the door to neoliberal policy and law reforms which affected directly and still affect the subsistence, economy and political power of the fishers in the area. Because of the neoliberal reforms, shrimp aquaculture became an important economic activity in and around the region of Marismas Nacionales by the end of the 1980s. By the 1990s international and national protection, instruments were implemented to revert the damages and pressures created by overexploited fishers, as well as by the new aquaculture practices introduced in the ecosystem, giving Marismas Nacionales the status of the biosphere reserve. The figure of biosphere reserve has reverted the damages in the ecosystem while preserving the communal land inside of it. Nevertheless, since the biosphere reserve does not cover the whole ecosystem, the political boundaries of the biosphere reserve have also been detrimental for the ecosystem and local fishers’ land tenure that remained outside of it, creating an inside/outside effect. The study was done considering the perspectives of the actors involved, mainly the fishers in the area through semi-structured interviews gathered using a snowball method, through second-hand sources collection and literature review. The analysis was done through the political ecology and political economy perspectives to examine the conflicts that were found. The neoliberal laws from the period between 1986 and 1992 have not stopped the depletion of fisheries in the Marismas Nacionales ecosystem. Additionally, with the combination of a lack of formal credit schemes leading to an exploitation by permit holders and middlemen; fishers, in particular, free fishers, in the Marismas Nacionales ecosystem have become vulnerable, as well as scapegoats for the shortcomings of the flawed policies. The most affected fishers inside Marismas Nacionales ecosystem where found outside the limits of the biosphere reserve, demonstrating the deficiencies of the biosphere reserve. Additionally, I claim that conservation instruments and areas around Mexico could potentially become part of a process of primitive accumulation which could end up in privatizing those areas as seen in other places around the world. Moreover, shrimp aquaculture seems to benefit from the conservation policies. Further research is advised in regulatory processes and conservation law schemes, as well as an accurate implementation in the Marismas Nacionales wetlands, that considers all those implicated.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-19T12:56:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao LISANDRA MARIA DA SILVA CARVALHO.pdf: 1316969 bytes, checksum: 74b629e185747db756cae70ea00cf5db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-31 / FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA E AO DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTIFICO E TECNOLÓGICO DO MARANHÃO / Mangrove estuaries are subject to amendments provoked by anthropogenic activities. The contamination by metals in estuarine environments is of paramount importance, since these cannot be degraded and, therefore, accumulate in sediments promoting certain toxicity to benthic organisms and humans. This risk is directly linked to the availability and mobility of metals in sediments. Although Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn are found at trace levels in the environment, several studies have been made on the basis of their toxic potential. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution and fractionation of trace metals in sediments of mangrove Paciência river, both on the surface and in the depth profile and to estimate the risk of these elements to aquatic life. Metal Fractionation in mangrove sediment (surface and depth profile) of Paciência river in Maranhão Island was conducted using the method of sequential extraction protocol by the European Commission. The metal concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry technique (ICPOES). The mobility of metals (sum of the three most mobile fractions F1, F2 and F3) had values approximately 80 %, suggesting that the impact of human activities. The results showed that the total concentration levels of metals were below TEL (Threshold effect level), with the exception of Pb, whose values provide risk to aquatic life. The redox potential (Eh) decreased with depth (-110 mV at the surface to -360 mV at the bottom), and showed high correlation with Fe in fraction F2 (r² = 0,89). Other parameters studied showed no increasing or decreasing along the depth behavior, indicating that other variables may be affecting the distribution and dynamics of metals in sediment. / Os estuários de manguezais estão sujeitos às transformações decorrentes de diversas atividades antrópicas e a sua contaminação por metais é de suma importância, uma vez que estes não podem ser degradados e se acumulam nos sedimentos promovendo certa toxicidade aos organismos bênticos e aos seres humanos. Este risco está diretamente ligado à disponibilidade e mobilidade dos metais em sedimentos. Embora os metais Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni e Zn sejam encontrados em níveis traço no ambiente, vários estudos têm sido realizado em função do seu potencial tóxico. O objetivo desse trabalho é determinar a distribuição e o fracionamento dos metais traço nos sedimentos de manguezal do rio Paciência, tanto na superfície quanto no perfil de profundidade, bem como estimar o risco desses elementos para vida aquática. O fracionamento de metais no sedimento de mangue (superfície e perfil de profundidade) do rio Paciência, na ilha do Maranhão foi realizado utilizando o método da extração sequencial pelo o protocolo da Comissão Europeia. As concentrações dos metais foram determinadas usando a técnica por espectrometria de emissão ótica de plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-OES). A mobilidade dos metais (soma das três frações de maior mobilidade F1, F2 e F3) apresentou valores cerca de 80 %, o que sugere impacto das atividades antropogênicas. Os resultados da concentração total demonstraram que os níveis de metais estavam abaixo do TEL (Threshold effect level), com exceção do Pb, cujos valores oferecem risco para a vida aquática. O potencial redox (Eh) diminuiu com a profundidade (-110 mV na superfície até -360 mV na parte inferior), e mostrou alta correlação com Fe na fração F2 (r² = 0,89). Outros parâmetros estudados não apresentaram um comportamento crescente ou decrescente ao longo da profundidade, indicando que outras variáveis podem estar afetando a distribuição e a dinâmica dos metais em sedimento.

Water quality and wetlands represent two vital elements of a healthy coastal ecosystem. Both experienced substantial declines in the U.S. during the 20th century. Overall coastal wetland cover decreased over 50% in the 20th century due to coastal development and water pollution. Management and legislative efforts have successfully addressed some of the problems and threats, but recent research indicates that the diffuse impacts of climate change and non-point source pollution may be the primary drivers of current and future water-quality and wetland stress. In order to respond to these pervasive threats, traditional management approaches need to adopt modern technological tools for more synoptic, frequent and fine-scale monitoring and assessment. In this dissertation, I explored some of the applications possible with new, commercial satellite imagery to better assess the status of coastal ecosystems. Large-scale land-cover change influences the quality of adjacent coastal water. Satellite imagery has been used to derive land-cover maps since the 1960’s. It provides multiple data points with which to evaluate the effects of land-cover change on water quality. The objective of the first chapter of this research was to determine how 40 years of land-cover change in the Tampa Bay watershed (6,500 km2) may have affected turbidity and chlorophyll concentration – two proxies for coastal water quality. Land cover classes were evaluated along with precipitation and wind stress as explanatory variables. Results varied between analyses for the entire estuary and those of segments within the bay. Changes in developed land percent cover best explained the turbidity and chlorophyll-concentration time series for the entire bay (R2 > 0.75, p < 0.02). The paucity of official land-cover maps (i.e. five maps) restricted the temporal resolution of the assessments. Furthermore, most estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico do not have forty years of water-quality time series with which to perform evaluations against land-cover change. Ocean-color satellite imagery was used to derive proxies for coastal water with near-daily satellite observations since 2000. The goal of chapter two was to identify drivers of turbidity variability for 11 National Estuary Program water bodies along the Gulf of Mexico. Land cover assessments could not be used as an explanatory variable because of the low temporal resolution (i.e. approximately one map per five-year period). Ocean color metrics were evaluated against atmospheric, meteorological, and oceanographic variables including precipitation, wind speed, U and V wind vectors, river discharge, and water level over weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual time steps. Climate indices like the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño Southern Oscillation index were also examined as possible drivers of long-term changes. Extreme turbidity events were defined by the 90th and 95th percentile observations over each time step. Wind speed, river discharge and El Niño best explained variability in turbidity time-series and extreme events (R2 > 0.2, p < 0.05), but this varied substantially between time steps and estuaries. The background land cover analyses conducted for coastal water quality studies showed that there are substantial discrepancies between the wetland extent estimates mapped by local, state and federal agencies. The third chapter of my research sought to examine these differences and evaluate the accuracy and precision of wetland maps using high spatial-resolution (i.e. two-meter) WorldView-2 satellite imagery. Ground validation data showed that wetlands mapped at two study sites in Tampa Bay were more accurately identified by WorldView-2 than by Landsat imagery (30-meter resolution). When compared to maps produced separately by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Florida Water Management District, and National Wetland Inventory, we found that these historical land cover products overestimated by 2-10 times the actual extent of wetlands as identified in the WorldView-2 maps. We could find no study that had utilized more than six of these commercial images for a given project. Part of the problem is cost of the images, but there is also the cost of processing the images, which is typically done one at a time and with substantial human interaction. Chapter four explains an approach to automate the preprocessing and classification of imagery to detect wetlands within the Tampa Bay watershed (6,500 km2). Software scripts in Python, Matlab and Linux were used to ingest 130 WorldView-2 images and to generate maps that included wetlands, uplands, water, and bare and developed land. These maps proved to be more accurate at identifying forested wetland (78%) than those by NOAA, SWFWMD, and NWI (45-65%) based on ground validation data. Typical processing methods would have required 4-5 months to complete this work, but this protocol completed the 130 images in under 24 hours. Chapter five of the dissertation reviews coastal management case studies that have used satellite technologies. The objective was to illustrate the utility of this technology. The management sectors reviewed included coral reefs, wetlands, water quality, public health, and fisheries and aquaculture.

There are large gaps in the coverage of critical ecological processes related to the movement of individuals or genes (i.e. dispersal), which is critical for determining the spread and persistence of populations across space. In this dissertation we investigate understudied but important aspects of the dispersal process in mangroves, with as the main objective the reduction of parameter and model uncertainty. Models rarely incorporate realism and complexity at the level of emigration, transfer and immigration phases, hampering reliable predictions of dispersal patterns and long-term population dynamics under different climate change scenarios. <p><p>Mangrove ecosystems function at the edge of land and sea, often covering large intertidal areas along (sub)tropical coastal regions worldwide. Mangroves can live in these highly dynamic and demanding environmental conditions via a series of remarkable adaptations. They produce buoyant seeds and fruits (propagules) that disperse at the ocean surface (i.e. hydrochory - see cover image). <p><p>Despite their ecological and economical value, about 40 % of original mangroves have been lost worldwide during the last 50 years due to excessive exploitation and development. Deforestation, degradation and conversion to other land uses like intensive shrimp farming and agriculture have reduced and fragmented these ecosystems at an alarming rate. Climate change, probably most pronouncedly via changes in sea level, poses another important threat. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

I carried out an observational study of historic high resolution aerial imagery spanning six decades (1950-2014) to identify recent and historic spatial extent of mangrove forests, within the municipal boundaries of the City of Tampa, Florida USA. My objectives were to map mangrove distribution and spatial extent and any change or patterns of change discernable. I observed variable patterns of change and rates of expansion varied between sites spatially as well as within sites between time intervals. I found notable changes in mangrove extent in the Tampa from historic and modern aerial imagery for the ~64-year period between 1950 and 2014. There were significant losses in areal extent between 1950 and 1973, much of which could be directly attributed to anthropogenic modification of the Tampa coastal landscape. All the regions observed had recovered or surpassed their original extent by the end of the period reviewed (1950-2014). It appears much of the recovery observed is a result of recolonization of created or modified shorelines. Results of these observations may contribute to the body of information used to inform conservation and management objectives in the City of Tampa and Tampa Bay.